Tortola - Certified Scuba - Wreck & Reef Dive question

[jollycacklefarm]

does anyone know what certification is needed for this dive? I am PADI certified to 60 feet, but on the website it says PADI is not accepted:

• Guests must be a minimum of 12 years old and hold a complete scuba certification from a recognized training agency. PADI Scuba Diver is not permitted due to depth restrictions.

If anyone has done this excursion and can point me in the right direction i would be most grateful.....

 

[PrincessShmoo]

does anyone know what certification is needed for this dive? I am PADI certified to 60 feet, but on the website it says PADI is not accepted:

• Guests must be a minimum of 12 years old and hold a complete scuba certification from a recognized training agency. PADI Scuba Diver is not permitted due to depth restrictions.

If anyone has done this excursion and can point me in the right direction i would be most grateful.....

I'd suggest getting in touch withe the specific dive company and asking what certifications are required/acceptable.

 

[crafty91]

What is the depth of that dive?

 

[loves to dive]

It looks like from that description that it is deeper than 60 feet since it says "due to depth restrictions" I would also assume you would need to be wreck certified, I'm SSI master diver, wreck, cavern, deep, stress and rescue and navigation so don't know the PADI certs.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

It says the max depth is 60 feet:


On this tour you will:

• Follow your guide for an approximately 2-minute walk where you will board your custom-built Newton Dive Boat.
• After a safety briefing and an approximately 25-minute ride to the dive site, youll arrive at your first dive spot. Youll have approximately 45-minutes at one of the most famous wrecks in the Caribbeanthe RMS Rhonea historical British mail steamer that sank in an 1867 hurricane. This dive is a maximum depth of 60-feet.
• After approximately 60-minutes to exchange equipment, its off to the second dive spot at a nearby reef, where youll have approximately 60-minutes to see fascinating underwater topography, abundant fish and encrusting coral. This dive is a maximum of 35-feet.
• Enjoy the approximately 30-minute cruise back to the port and an approximately 2-minute walk to the pier.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

It looks like from that description that it is deeper than 60 feet since it says "due to depth restrictions" I would also assume you would need to be wreck certified, I'm SSI master diver, wreck, cavern, deep, stress and rescue and navigation so don't know the PADI certs.

I have nothing to add to this thread, but as someone else that holds SSI certifications*, it's nice to see other SSI divers ... I feel like I meet a lot more PADI and NAUI divers.

*Drysuit, Night/Low Vis, Stress/Rescue, Underwater Photo

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It says the max depth is 60 feet:


On this tour you will:

• Follow your guide for an approximately 2-minute walk where you will board your custom-built Newton Dive Boat.
• After a safety briefing and an approximately 25-minute ride to the dive site, youll arrive at your first dive spot. Youll have approximately 45-minutes at one of the most famous wrecks in the Caribbeanthe RMS Rhonea historical British mail steamer that sank in an 1867 hurricane. This dive is a maximum depth of 60-feet.
• After approximately 60-minutes to exchange equipment, its off to the second dive spot at a nearby reef, where youll have approximately 60-minutes to see fascinating underwater topography, abundant fish and encrusting coral. This dive is a maximum of 35-feet.
• Enjoy the approximately 30-minute cruise back to the port and an approximately 2-minute walk to the pier.

OK, "PADI Scuba Diver" is a level of certification. This excursion is not accepting that level, from PADI. PADI has other levels inclucing "Master Scuba Diver" as a higher level of certification.

OP, what level of certification do you have? I'm thinking they mean specifically "Scuba Diver" certification is not acceptable, not that "PADI" isn't acceptable.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

i have "Scuba Diver" certification to 60 feet.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

i am calling DCL to see if i can get more info, or at least what certification I need

 

[RebelHawk]

I had a question about the Stuart's Cove dive in Nassau and I reached out to Shore Side Concierge. It took them a couple of days but they were able to get back to me and answer my questions. My wife and I are new to the diving world and got our SDI cert specifically for diving on cruises (well that and the aquarium dive at Epcot). Good luck and enjoy your dive.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

so according to disney - those excursions are not even offered anymore. apparently they are in the middle of updating the excursions, and the website has not been updated as of yet. wonderful.....

 

[OKW Lover]

OK, "PADI Scuba Diver" is a level of certification.

I believe that this is correct. I've progressed through the PADI levels up to Master Scuba Diver. The basic PADI Scuba Diver certification you get when you first learn to dive is limited to 60'. If you move on to PADI Advanced Scuba Diver your limit increases to 130'.

 

[MarleneP]

so according to disney - those excursions are not even offered anymore. apparently they are in the middle of updating the excursions, and the website has not been updated as of yet. wonderful.....

My husband wants to do this dive, as well. I called and was told that the excursions that are up are still available. When I told the rep about this post she indicated that some SCUBA excursions for other ports have been cancelled but not Tortola. She said her supervisor verified this with the "higher-ups." She could not help with what certification is needed and suggested to place a call to the dive company directly. If anyone has the information on the dive cert needed, please post. Thx!

 

[Expatriat]

PADI Scuba Diver is a basic certification that is a subset (quickie course) of the Open Water Diver course. If you successfully completed the full Open Water Course and have your Open Water Certification card, you will be fine. That is what they look for - along with sometimes requiring that you have made at least one dive within the last year or two. That varies with the dive company.

 

[ludari]

I'm a PADI Rescue Certified Diver and I've done this port adventure dive at Tortola but I don't recall DCL or the dive company asking me about my PADI certification but it could be because of the wreck and not the depth. I would suggest you contact DCL and the dive company to confirm. Good luck.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

does anyone know the name of the dive company?

 

[Capt_BJ]

PADI Scuba Diver is a basic certification that is a subset (quickie course) of the Open Water Diver course. If you successfully completed the full Open Water Course and have your Open Water Certification card, you will be fine.

Concur .... PADI Scuba Diver is not full "certification". What you need is sometime called being a certified 'autonomous diver' and with PADI this is their OPEN WATER certification. Unfortunately the 'SCUBA Diver' course has become a popular sale item on some cruise lines and people don't know they are not "fully certified". IMO the excursion is calling out that SC does NOT apply. From the PADI course guide:

The PADI Scuba Diver course consists of three main phases:

• Knowledge Development (online, independent study or in a classroom) to understand basic principles of scuba diving – just the first three of five sections of the Open Water Diver course.
• Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills – just the first three of five dives of the Open Water Diver course
• Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore – just two of four dives of the Open Water Diver course.
• you then can Dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional to a maximum depth of 12 metres/40 feet.

SC says the depth limit is 40 feet .... while Open Water RECOMMENDS new divers limit their diving to 60 feet, BUT as an 'autonomous diver' the recreational limits are: depth 130feet/39meters and 100feet/30 meters for repetitive dives the same day. Of course since you are autonomous there's no one watching except you . . . you are self policing.

dd's third open water dive after completing OW classes and dives was to 100 feet .... this breaks NO rules and was done under supervision of a dive master which was a good idea but not a 'requirement' (she also made her first night dive that week.).


So you should be good to take the dive assuming you hold PADI OPEN WATER .... OP says they have SCUBA DIVER to 60 feet so something does not add up ......

 

[jollycacklefarm]

cool - i have my open water, so i think i'll be ok. but i will verify with the dive shop

 

[jollycacklefarm]

where did this excursion go? i looked today and it is gone......

 

[PrincessShmoo]

where did this excursion go? i looked today and it is gone......

The DCL website has been experiencing some issues (since at least yesterday). I'd suggest keep looking. If it doesn't show back up in a couple of days, call and ask.