completely new, long story

[rubber chicken]

G'day Rupert,
Hi from an expat Pompey boy.

I would definitely endorse what everyone has told you so far, take your time! yes you can do the "zero to hero in 6 weeks" route but you'll end up missing out on a lot of stuff while concentrating on training. If you are going to dive for a hobby then do your OW and then just go diving! Find out what it is like from a punters POV before you head for the giddy heights of DM "dive god". It'll give you an idea of both the good and the bad in the industry and will enable you to make much better choices farther on down the line.
I would also agree with Lottie and suggest that you take your OW in the UK prior to heading off for warmer climes. A couple of sessions in the cold and murk of Horsea, batting away the jellyfish while trying to nav from the lifeboat to the chopper will certainly give you an appreciation for the joys of warm water diving and will also prepare you for those days when conditions are, shall we say, "less than perfect". And yes, you can get them, even in the tropics!
Your kit, so far, all sounds fine. Make the most of the dive school rental gear until you get a better idea of where you want your diving to go and don't be afraid to ask other divers to justify their own choices before making your own. Never forget, for every n divers there are n+1 opinions and not one of them is "correct" for you.
Good luck, and don't forget to keep us all updated with your progress.



PS: If you are going to do any diving around the UK, do yourself a favour and get a drysuit, and the training to use one!

[abyss]

cheers for all the comments chaps

could be looking at a dip in horsea lake, (jellyfish pond)

and ill keep all updated with any progress

thanks again

regards

rupert

[Quero]

Hey Rupert, I guess you know your own heart and mind. As you've already done some try dives, you have a pretty good notion of what it's all about.

No, don't get rid of your gear, and don't shortchange your plans. You can always NOT take on that next level of training, especially if you haven't pre-paid for it, but if you don't plan for it in terms of your time and expectations, it will be hard to fit it all in.

You'll have plenty of opportunity to do "fun" dives over a five-week period as you build up your logged-dive totals to qualify as a DM--as Lottie mentioned, there are minimums (for PADI it's 20 to begin DM training and 60 to be certified). At this point 60 dives may seem like a lot, but believe me, it is not. Many divers you would work with as a '60-dive-wonder' DM will have a great deal more experience (and maybe even skill) than you, but your knowledge will be specialized--in particular you will know the divesites very well by the end of your 5-week stay, and at the end of the day that is what I personally expect from a DM when I'm on holiday--a good guide, not a babysitter.

In terms of what gear remains for you to buy, I'd say use the dive center's wetsuits at first until you decide what model/thickness you are comfortable with--why drag stuff down there when you may not use it? Besides, dive pros go through wetsuits rather quickly compared to fun divers, which is not true for our other gear such as regs. You won't know whether you want a shorty, farmer john, or full, 3mm, 5mm or whatever until you get in the water. At most holiday dive areas weight belts and weights are supplied by the dive op. I only use what I own for shore dives and pool work, for example, and never take any on the charter boats. For local UK diving you might need these items, and maybe even your own tanks, but rarely at resort destinations like Dahab.

Hope that helps.

[PinayDiver]

Just to say, from a non-Dive Professional point of view, I plead guilty to owning all my own gear even before my check out dive. I learned to be suspicious of rental gear from my first pool session (when the BC straps gave way), reinforced by my first out-of-town, get-on-a-plane dive (when my regulator leaked). So I simply lug or chek-in a crate bag (with every piece of my trusty dive gear in it) to every Philippine resort I go to. I'm so used to it, I don't mind -- not even when my dive buddy simply brings her swimsuit

[abyss]

thanks for the advice and replys guys

much apreciated, im like a sponge at the moment, just soaking up the knowledge

regards

rupert

[Phlocker]

I'm going to echo Zero. I would rather have a good AO diver with 100 dives to his credit than a new DM with with 60. I have a fellow Firefighter buddy I went diving with for the first time last year in the Keys. He had his DM and I my AO.
The weather was bad and the seas choppy. (We were the only boat that went out that day) While decending, his reg started free flowing. He freaked! We barely got him back ing the boat. It was at this point that I found out that this was his FIRST DIVE IN THE OCEAN. So now when I hear others on the boat brag about being a DM I just sit and chuckle to myself.
Take your time and learn to love the sport before becoming a scuba god. Gl and stay safe.

[Papa Bear]

Thank you for your service! You have some fine gear and I would tell you depending on where you will do most of your diving will dictate your suit selection! If you plane on cold water diving I would tell you your Dry or Wet suit is the most important thing you can buy! Sounds funny with all the top notch gear, gut if your not comfortable in winter or cold water you won't dive no matter how good your equipment is. The cheapest reg has to breath at a minimum standard etc etc etc, but if you and your gear sit all winter in the garage the it doesn't matter. I own a custom wet suit and a Bare Dry suit and both have come in handy and I dive year round. Unless you have an "Off the Rack" body get a custom suit up two or starting at 3mm or thicker. I have both 3mm and a 7mm and you can mix and match. I did Public Safety Diving for 6 1/2 years and all the combos cam in handy! The rest of the equipment I would agree wait until you have some experience and talk to a few people who really dive often! Good Luck!

[Papa Bear]

I'm going to echo Zero. I would rather have a good AO diver with 100 dives to his credit than a new DM with with 60. I have a fellow Firefighter buddy I went diving with for the first time last year in the Keys. He had his DM and I my AO.
The weather was bad and the seas choppy. (We were the only boat that went out that day) While decending, his reg started free flowing. He freaked! We barely got him back ing the boat. It was at this point that I found out that this was his FIRST DIVE IN THE OCEAN. So now when I hear others on the boat brag about being a DM I just sit and chuckle to myself.
Take your time and learn to love the sport before becoming a scuba god. Gl and stay safe.

You are right on! I was told about an instructor that had to be saved in the Great Blue Hole! I was her first time in the Ocean! If you don't know how I feel, Diving makes divers not cards!