Experience w/ U of MN Dive Program?

[Trinkett]

Hey all, new here.  Was curious if anyone has any experience with the Dive program at the U of M?  Also, anyone know of any Open water classes available at any of the junior/community colleges in the area?

[JBPearson]

I looked into it when I was there and it was just the classroom portion.  You still had to  do your Open Water through someone else.  It's been a few years so things may have changed.  If you are looking at certification, I would go through a local dive shop.  Unless the U of M class is affiliated with a shop, I doubt they can be as helpful and thorough in all aspects of your training.  I won't try to tell you which shop to go to.  There are actually quite a few around here.  The Dive Shops section of this website helps a bit but I don't even think all of them are on there...http://www.mnscuba.com/diveshops.html
Good luck!

[JBPearson]

Never mind, I just saw your other post.  You had me fooled with the "new here" line.  I guess I could have stopped after my first three sentences.

[beeger]

I can offer some first hand experience on this. I’ve been involved with helping teach the U of MN SCUBA course for almost 10 years. Bob Karl, who owns a company called Superior Expeditions, formally teaches the course and is on staff at the U of MN. He’s been doing this for over twenty years.

Check out:
Go to Education > Open Water Diver > Classroom & Pool
-and-


The course runs on a 7-week schedule, with classes meeting once a week, four hours a night. Each night is roughly two hours of classroom and one and a half hours in the pool. Students are free to do their open water dives through Superior Expeditions or get a referral to any other Universal Referral agency. My personal opinion is that this is the best way to learn how to dive in the Twin Cities. Due to the large amount of staff employed by Superior Expeditions, students almost always get a 4-to-1 student to instructor ratio in the pool, often 2-to-1, and students needing extra attention get a 1-to-1 ratio. The pool utilized is beyond equal in the Twin Cities: we use the huge ~16 foot deep from wall to wall diving well (as in high diving) that better simulates a real environment than does a ~10 foot pool with limited space to move in the deep area. The course format gives students get far more practice than what they likely would with a typical course, and therefore they go into their open water dives much more confident and prepared. The extra time in the classroom means that there can actually be meaningful discussions that go beyond what typical SCUBA courses cover these days. The extra pool time gives students more time to practice AND play (i.e. become more comfortable underwater) as well as learn skills they might not otherwise have time to cover.

[Trinkett]

Heh, I still haven't dove out here since I moved.  The idea of coooold water is a little scary, although I know I should test it out .  I was actually looking for a good class for my husband.  We're going to Greece for our honeymoon in September and he wanted to get certified before we went. 

We've checked out a class at the U once so far but that was last year or so.  Haven't really looked into it since then.  When I got certified it was through a University program out in California, and I really like the format of a college course (but then again I was enrolled at the time so it was much cheaper).  There was also a course through a local community college with a great instructor there as well.  My only concern with the U class is the cost, but I think, after looking at a few dive shop sites, that the cost is going to be pretty close to the same whether we go through the university or through a dive shop.  Also, since he's new to this whole thing, he wanted me there while he was learning (which I could probably do if I can convince Bob to let me help out with the pool sessions of the dive course).  Not sure I'd get that option at a dive shop.

So I'm just looking for options really.  Thought I'd check to see if anyone had info .  Didn't mean to appear tricky ^_^.

Thanks for the post, Beeger.  I've always like the University format, although when I did it, it was a full semester long, not just 7 weeks.  But that may be the best I can actually hope to get out here from a University, not sure.  I know this is longer than you get at most dive shops.

Anyway, thanks for the posts and the help .

[DiveCaptDean]

just curious-
Are you sure you can dive in greece?

[innerspace]

Because of the underwater cultural resources and historical sites, Greece has some pretty strict regulations on where "un-approved" divers may dive.  You probably won't be able to dive on ancient ruins or sunken galleys, but you can definately dive in Greece.  (My family has Greek friends and because I'm a diver this topic has come up before.)  Just do some research before you go.

Trinkett, there are lots of great scuba shops in Minnesota.  You should be able to find one your hubby likes!

Post some pictures here when you get back from Greece!

[Trinkett]

Hmmm I hadn't actually considered the restrictions on diving due to the archeological sites, but it does make sense.  I'll have to see what I can find out, at least do some snorkeling if nothing else .

[MAXFACTOR]

dean,

greeks were the first to dive.
maxfactor

[tullibee]

my first salt-water dive was in Athens.  They do have lots of rules about who/where/when for diving, so your best bet is to hook up with a regular shop over there to make sure you don't get picked up for diving where you're not allowed.  unfortunately for me, the day I went, the guy who I got teamed up with as a guide did not have his usual luck, so we din't get to play with a dolphin (according to both the guy and the shop owner, the previous 4 or 5 times out he had a finned buddy for half his dive...).  We did however see a TON of spiny urchins, some starfish, and some small local fish, and it was fun to be putting fins on and wondering what the funny taste in my mouth was -- took a couple seconds to sink in that it was salt-water splashing my face!