noj3333
Contributor
The op could also join the SB invasion in Roatan... getting 20+ dives in PLUS free Nitrox certification... all for $1800 for 2 people (or $900 for one, plus air fare)
AOW at local shop (more expensive) or destination (cheaper)
- Thread starter topher10
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OP
topher10
Contributor
Thanks to all for the advice. I agree with all the comments. I would rather pay more for good instruction than less for bad instruction. But the issue is this: How do I know that my LDS actually gives better instruction? It doesn't seem that just because its close to me that its necessarily better. In fact, I didnt really love my open water instructor. I was planning to use a different LDS this time around, but I have also I purposely chartered dives at multiple PCity shops to compare the boats and operations, and asked for advice on the various instructors at each shop and the other divers on the boat. But still its a difficulty thing for a newbie to really know or guarantee that you will get good instruction. To me the value of the LDS is using it as a source to find dive buddies, but that hasn't work out for me so far, although I haven't put in that much time either.
Second: I agree that perhaps I should just dive more. That is what I want to do anyway. My main reason for training was just to have another 'pro' watch my diving and detect things I could improve on now that I have been at it for a bit. Also, I am hoping in the near future to do a live-aboard at the Flower Gardens, and I think nitrox at least would be good for that, and the AOW card may be helpful to I dont get hassled about depth..
Third my 3 kids are talking about being certified, so you can multiple all these small $200 differences by 3...
And yes I would love Roatan, but I am complaining about $200 so $1500 is out for now. Plus no way I could go without bringing my wife.
Second: I agree that perhaps I should just dive more. That is what I want to do anyway. My main reason for training was just to have another 'pro' watch my diving and detect things I could improve on now that I have been at it for a bit. Also, I am hoping in the near future to do a live-aboard at the Flower Gardens, and I think nitrox at least would be good for that, and the AOW card may be helpful to I dont get hassled about depth..
Third my 3 kids are talking about being certified, so you can multiple all these small $200 differences by 3...
And yes I would love Roatan, but I am complaining about $200 so $1500 is out for now. Plus no way I could go without bringing my wife.
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We all know that some dive ops require AOW to go below 60'. I usually go with getting it locally, but the price difference here seems a lot. I like the idea of getting the book ahead of times & doing the written work if possible. You don't want to be doing that while on a vacation trip to PC. Maybe you can do a referral, but I'm not sure how that works with AOW (if it does) and my guess is you'd spend the $700 doing that anyway. My guess would also be you don't intend to do any local diving, so getting AOW at home wouldn't have the usual benefits.
mi000ke
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I was in your position and last month decided to do my AOW and nitox (after 25 dives) while on vacation on Grand Cayman. It cost me a total of $300 for the AOW which included online instruction, in-person refresher/review, and 5 dives of which 4 were one-on-one with the instructor. I added one more dive (since the boat trips go in twos) at 1/2 the dive ops standard rate. So $360 for 6 dives, most of which were personally guided. The nitrox was the big cashectomy at $150 (plus costs of nitrox).
The major reasons I did it this way was 1) I could make a case to my non-diving wife why I had to go diving for three days, 2) my dives cost me pretty much what I would have paid to do the 6 dives anyway, but I got my own personal DM/instructor on most of the dives plus the certifications, 3) having never gone below 60-70', I was reluctant to do a 100' dive, which is pretty much what most of the dive ops do for their first dive, and wanted my first deep to be personally guided - and as each of the 3 days started with a deep dive, I actually got to do three of them as part of my AOW (deep, PPB/deep, and wreck/deep). And the water is a heck of a lot warmer down there than up here in New England.
The major reasons I did it this way was 1) I could make a case to my non-diving wife why I had to go diving for three days, 2) my dives cost me pretty much what I would have paid to do the 6 dives anyway, but I got my own personal DM/instructor on most of the dives plus the certifications, 3) having never gone below 60-70', I was reluctant to do a 100' dive, which is pretty much what most of the dive ops do for their first dive, and wanted my first deep to be personally guided - and as each of the 3 days started with a deep dive, I actually got to do three of them as part of my AOW (deep, PPB/deep, and wreck/deep). And the water is a heck of a lot warmer down there than up here in New England.
I don't see why it is AOW or Nitrox. You can do Nitrox online. Requires no dives nor should it. (At least SDI does it that way). Just need to meet an instructor to verify you can test your tank. Nitrox should be relatively cheap to get. In shopping around no reason to not compare agencies. I am not an online fan but Nitrox is the exception.
I just did nitrox for $150 (SDI). Did the online bookwork over a week due to my schedule, but it could be done in a couple of evenings. Classroom session one evening.
Bubblesong
Contributor
Kids are fun to dive with, but they lose heat faster, so warm water will give them a happier first experience. I bought the AOW books and dvds at LDS and studied during long flight down to Florida to be ready for class on Merrit Island. But I paid LDS for CPR/FA/O2 classes before Bermuda Rescue class, plus I buy gear local, so I am still supporting lds.
Perhaps someone on this forum can give reviews on Panama City dive instructors specifically?
Perhaps someone on this forum can give reviews on Panama City dive instructors specifically?
I received my OW in Roatan and feel I received good training. I received my Nitrox from a local shop in the Fort Worth area and it was a joke. After going over the review questions we took the test, open book. Their analyzer was broken so we just skipped that part. I learned what I needed to learn to use nitrox safely but it wasn't due to the class. During a surface interval in Mexico I watched a dive master working one on one with a student working on their nitrox cert., this was at a beach club overlooking crystal clear water. For the same price I paid this operator included a dive. I wouldn't just trust a dive shop without checking on them but I would much rather be taught by the ones that do, not just teach.
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