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I'd go with Mexico, on the mainland there is a lot more of a selection of caves to mix up the training, with the shallow depths and short drives to the caves you'll get a lot more time underwater and variety during the course. The option for varied complex navigation is also better in mexico...

The busy schools that way can be really fun, dive every day and haul tanks around, be a general dogsbody. You'll average way more than a dive a day. There were between 15-20 dmt's at the shop I went through at any given moment, great fun to be around and it's an excellent way of diving for free...

No. It has instructors that train divers, those divers earn certification, that certification is internationally recognised. Regardless of what else it does, or what it's certification requirements may be, it IS an agency.

Triox, or helitrox would be a gas like 25/25 or 30/30 to knock the END down a bit on relatively shallow dives. Trimix has O2/nitrogen and helium in it, so the above is trimix, however I'd say that when people refer to trimix they usually mean hypoxic so less than 21% oxygen. Like say 18/45...

Not affiliated, but they're good friends of mine. :)

What definition is that? So you disagree that divers should be self sufficient, technically proficient, skilled in the basics, can work with unknown similarly trained divers and integrate seamlessly to the team and fully be able to asses the dives they choose to do by having trained the skills...

For me, once you add helium to the mix the stops you'd do for piece of mind become mandatory. Once I have mandatory stops I don't really want to dive a single tank. You could argue they're still NDL dives, but 30mins 30 meters on Nx32 and I'd hesitantly surface in one go. Same on 25/25 and I...

I can't think of a valid reason for someone to carry a pony. Get a good buddy and save yourself $200 ;)

Spirit don't charge you for carry on, they just let you book a bag that you'd normally have to check for an extra fee if they have room. It's actually quite reasonable. In europe they demand a freshly harvested human kidney for every kilo you're over. Regs are fine in Carryon, I've been asked...

Still going strong :) I'm guessing most of us are spending more time in the water than on the internet.

St Lucia is much better diving than St Kitts, and you very much should get to the south of the island by the pitons. It's not all that great up north. I don't know the dive centres, but I do know there is one in Marigot Bay, which is a really nice little spot. Maybe Treefrog, or something with...

I can't say it puts me up nor down any whether someone dives sidemount with the distribution block or backmount hog rig. With that in mind I'd say it's compatible. Getting everything set up nicely and managing the tanks is a bit of a different skill, and carrying tanks on the right is a change...

"Modern tank valves can't be jammed open so you should open them all the way." I can't be the only one that's seen them stuck on dozens of times on cattle boats? A bit of muscle will unjam them at the surface, however once during a course after a simulated failure my buddy turned my left post...

That's reckless at best. How many died or spent time in the chamber in order to get us to the level we are now? These guys lived and breathed diving, pushed the limits to find where things went and on occasion paid the price for it. They didn't do a 3 day course then start to follow a computer...

I'm size 11 and wear XL with boots, they're about right. FYI with the Jet Fins, L is the size of a shot class, XL fits a foot inside, XXL will accommodate a medium sized family car. I could maybe fit into an L with socks on.

For me I've wanted to go tech since I started diving, and never thought I would due to the cost, equipment and training. To get to that 100-150 dives or whatever was needed as a new diver, paying $120 a trip just seemed like I'd never get there, I figured I'd do a few dives a year and $6-8000 on...

Can you quantify that comment with any actual facts? I've not heard such rubbish in a long time. Dave

So I've just finished up a Sidemount/Backmount rebreather course in Carlsbad at UTD HQ and posted this up on the site, normally I just kind of keep an eye on the board and don't really post much so here's my contribution as as DIR diver starting out in rebreathers. It kind of went on a bit...

No one wants to see the whaling ban overturned. I've seen first hand the good that the whaling money has done to the islands, particularly barbuda where the new school stands out against the backdrop of abject poverty. Would you blame a homeless guy for voting for whaling in return for a...

I usually spend about 3 months a year in Antigua, in the dockyard area and have never heard anything about them, good or bad, nor even seen the shop. He must be quite a quiet outfit which could be good for you. The other guys in english harbour, soul immersions and aquanauts are good shops...