Hi Lee,

Neither, but it sounds like you may not have time for the preferred
alternative if you're going in January.  The preferred alternative being
taking your course at home and doing your certification dives with Chico's.
That frees up your vacation time for something more fun than learning how
many ways you can die underwater, builds a relationship with a local dive
shop, allows you to take a more comprehensive course or at least one that
allows more practice time to gain the experience that you can't get in a
two-day resort special.

Actually, you do still have time.  Find a local shop that can certify you
over several weekends and/or nights before you leave town and that can
arrange for your certification dives with Chico's.  Often this route can
even save you money, since resorts usually charge resort prices for their
dive instruction.

You might be OK for snorkeling since the sun is on your back, though some
would wear a "shorty"-type suit as a minimum.  68 is pretty chilly for
extended periods of time.  For diving, it's practically essential since your
body is totally submerged and temperatures often get cooler with depth.
Chico's should be able to rent you a wetsuit for your scuba activities
unless you're really odd-shaped.

Find a local dive shop and take your class room and pool stuff at home
before you go. Then when you get there you just have to take your open
water cert dives, no class romm crap while on vacation.

Hi Lee,

Some, but it may be of limited use.  If you can, it's not a bad idea to take
the academic and pool session parts of your course at home and do what is
called a referral in the location of your choice.  The theory is that you'd
rather not spend more of your vacation in a classroom session than necessary
when the time could be better spent diving, or whatever other things you
like to do.

As far as chosing which certification to get, it's really up to you.  NAUI
was in the dive certification business before PADI.  PADI is the largest
certification agency in the world today.  Standards for both are comparable
and both certifications will be accepted anywhere in the world.  The common
answer to your question is that the instructor ismore important than the
agency he or she represents.  Personally, I don't much care for PADI's
corporate culture.  They are way too marketing oriented for my taste.  NAUI,
in my opinion, is not quite as focused on selling you the next course, but
they're not giving anything away either.  In your case, what is best is
probably whatever is offered by a shop you like that is closer to your home.

Nothing will ruin a good dive as quickly as a mask that leaks.  I would try
a dive shop over a sporting goods store primarily because there should be
someone in the dive shop that can help you find a mask that fits right.
Here's the trick.  Lightly press the mask against your face and, without
putting the strap on your head, breath in very gently through your nose.  A
mask that fits properly will stay in place with very little pressure.  If
you have to suck in hard to keep it in place. find another mask.  If you're
going to buy a snorkel anyway, or already have one, take it with you.  Try
the same test with the snorkel in your mouth.  This is a particularly good
idea with one of the wide verticial visibility masks.  They have very narrow
skirts at the bottom and have to fit particularly well.  It doesn't take a
lot of change in the shape of your face for them to leak.  A moutpiece will
change the shape of your face slightly.

I would.  I'm a warm water diver.  For me, low 80s to high 70s is cool, but
still OK for a couple of dives.  Anything much below that and I get our my
wetsuit.  A 3mm wetsuit is enough for me until water temperatures drop below
the high 60s.  It's not enough for my wife.  She gets chills after 20
minutes in 68 degree water.  If you tend to get cold easily, you might look
into one of the suits that has am arms and legs but something thicker
covering the body.  The thicker the wetsuit, the better the insulation, but
also the greater the buoyancy of the suit, the greater the change in
buoyancy as depth increases and the more likely it is to constrain movement.
That's not to say it will be a significant particular problem, but it does
make a difference in your diving.

Wetsuits can be expensive, but they don't always have to be.  In addition to
checking dive shops, check places that sell surfing and swimming equipment.
At least in the lower price ranges, wetsuits of the same thickness are more
or less equal in thermal protection.  Fit is important.  Wetsuits work by
trapping water that the body warms to a comfortable level.  If water is
continuously exchanged, as it will be when a suit is too loose, the suit
can't do its job properly.  If the suit is too tight, it will bind and can,
in extreme cases, make it difficult to breathe.  That's not the kind of
thing you want to have happen on your first dive trip.

Lee