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Utila is pretty low stress diving. We had to look hard to find any current. And there's a lot of shallow dives. There's a shallow small cabin cruiser wreck on the south side you can easily dive. And Black Hills is one of the best at any depth - it can't be much over 40+ - a pinnacle that reaches up near the surface. Lots of big pelagics while we were there - big grouper, barracuda, some 2' or so triggerfish (Oceanic?) and a few sharks meandering up the wall. We liked it so much we asked to go back a 2nd time.
Shops in town night dive at a couple of shallower south side locations - we saw boats near our resort frequently. Those dives are not deep, they train on them during the day. Many of the advanced deeper dives are on the north side.
Personally I'd just dive the rest of the week. A lot of what you do in AOW I'd already done without it by about my 25th dive.
Do you really want to go on vacation to go to class? I suggest you contact a shop and arrange E-learning with them also - that way you've got most of the bookwork/exams out of the way before you arrive. Book it using a code/link provided by your certifying shop - I believe it's so they can get credit plus also access your records but I'm not sure.
As far as dive operator suggestions, if you're staying in town there's about 15 options. I don't know any of them personally but hear UDC mentioned favorably. If you're staying at one of the AI resorts - Laguna Beach, Utopia Village, Deep Blue Utila - you'll be diving with them on-site as it's included in the price. Also they're on the opposite side of the lagoon channel from town so all access is via boat. Coral View or Utila Lodge also as they have an on-site shop as well even though they're "in" town. Deep Blue appears to be having financial difficulties currently so although we liked them, I wouldn't recommend them now. Someone recently posted they don't even run their own boat any longer.
Here's a pretty complete list of operators. Utila SCUBA Dive Shops
If that's your motivation you don't need AOW to be able to night dive. I wouldn't schedule it for your 5th dive but later in the week. Bring lights, often times rentals are abused or older/lower output. You can get a good CREE-based light for around $50 or less that will almost provide too much illumination. You can now buy more output/$$ but I have two of these: Penetrater 220 You can also find them online/Amazon under the Dorcy name. Actually these say Dorcy on the handle.the advanced padi course includes a night dive.
Shops in town night dive at a couple of shallower south side locations - we saw boats near our resort frequently. Those dives are not deep, they train on them during the day. Many of the advanced deeper dives are on the north side.
Personally I'd just dive the rest of the week. A lot of what you do in AOW I'd already done without it by about my 25th dive.
Do you really want to go on vacation to go to class? I suggest you contact a shop and arrange E-learning with them also - that way you've got most of the bookwork/exams out of the way before you arrive. Book it using a code/link provided by your certifying shop - I believe it's so they can get credit plus also access your records but I'm not sure.
As far as dive operator suggestions, if you're staying in town there's about 15 options. I don't know any of them personally but hear UDC mentioned favorably. If you're staying at one of the AI resorts - Laguna Beach, Utopia Village, Deep Blue Utila - you'll be diving with them on-site as it's included in the price. Also they're on the opposite side of the lagoon channel from town so all access is via boat. Coral View or Utila Lodge also as they have an on-site shop as well even though they're "in" town. Deep Blue appears to be having financial difficulties currently so although we liked them, I wouldn't recommend them now. Someone recently posted they don't even run their own boat any longer.
Here's a pretty complete list of operators. Utila SCUBA Dive Shops