AOW in FL: Key Largo, West Palm Beach, etc.?

[Barnaby'sDad]

I'll be visiting FL next month. I'll be down in Key Largo for a few days and may stop in West Palm Beach and Daytona on the way north. One thing that I want to do while I'm down there is get my AOW certification. I did my OW through NAUI. I'd be fine to do AOW through a NAUI, but that's not a requirement.

The requirements for me would be: 1. Good instructor, and 2. Knock it out in two days, if possible.

Which shop would you recommend? The only place that I've had anyone vouch for (first person feedback) is Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo. I would be fine going with them. I'm just looking to see what other options I should consider.

In case the specialty dives that I'm interested in would shape potential responses...I'm interested in:

-Search & Recovery
-Wreck Diver
-Drift Diver

Thank you.

 

[Key Largo Dive Center]

Hey there!

We are a NAUI shop based in Key Largo, we can also do PADI if you'd like. Give us a call, or check out our website for more information about AOW through either agency.

Amber

 

[sportxlh]

Did my AOW with these guys.... The Scuba Club

And my Rescue with these guys...... (no title)

And some TDI courses with these guys..Jupiter Dive Center

Was happy with the instruction at all the three shops

 

[noj3333]

I'm diving with RR all week... if you have any specific questions ask away and i'll try to get answers to them on the down low

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Hey there!

We are a NAUI shop based in Key Largo, we can also do PADI if you'd like. Give us a call, or check out our website for more information about AOW through either agency.

Amber

Amber, the schedule for 1/15-1/16 is solid gray. Does that mean that you're booked solid for those days?

Did my AOW with these guys.... The Scuba Club

And my Rescue with these guys...... (no title)

And some TDI courses with these guys..Jupiter Dive Center

Was happy with the instruction at all the three shops

Thank you for throwing them out there. Unfortunately, my dates aren't going to work out with any of their course offerings for this trip. I'll keep them in mind for my next trip.

I'm diving with RR all week... if you have any specific questions ask away and i'll try to get answers to them on the down low

I appreciate that. I would be curious to know what their average class size is for the AOW course.

I see that they list "Student/Class Trip" on their schedule . I don't see any classes (AOW or others) listed for the middle of January yet. I'll have to give them a call.

 

[uncfnp]

It has been a number of years but I did AOW with Jeff Nelson amd Force-e in WPB. He taught the class for just Eric and myself. Highly recommend. And although I have never had a class from him Mark Kosarin is another instructor I have dove with an recommend. They have a number of other good instructors as well. Don’t know the days or dates.

Riviera Beach Scuba Shop - Force-E Scuba Center

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

It has been a number of years but I did AOW with Jeff Nelson amd Force-e in WPB. He taught the class for just Eric and myself. Highly recommend. And although I have never had a class from him Mark Kosarin is another instructor I have dove with an recommend. They have a number of other good instructors as well. Don’t know the days or dates.

Riviera Beach Scuba Shop - Force-E Scuba Center

They don't have January class dates posted yet. I'll check back with them. Thank you.

Force-e Scuba Centers - Advanced Open Water Scuba Training

 

[uncfnp]

They don't have January class dates posted yet. I'll check back with them. Thank you.

Force-e Scuba Centers - Advanced Open Water Scuba Training

I don’t know if they still do it but we arranged the class to fit our schedule. But if its just you that might not be possible.

Pura Vida is another good option.

I recommend calling the shops to see if anything can be arranged.

Check with David Finch and Narcosis. He could do a solo class on your schedule if he still teaches and has the dates free...

David Finch

 

[Billy Northrup]

I forgot, my friend Amber's shop above does NAUI.. I think Halls diving does as well.

Having allot of friends there I don't like to recommend too much.. Where do you see your scuba destiny taking you? Wrecks, caves, deep tech, rebreather? I could toss some names to you if I knew where you wanted to end up.

That being said, don't go with any cattle boat company

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I don’t know if they still do it but we arranged the class to fit our schedule. But if its just you that might not be possible.

Pura Vida is another good option.

I recommend calling the shops to see if anything can be arranged.

Check with David Finch and Narcosis. He could do a solo class on your schedule if he still teaches and has the dates free...

David Finch

Yup. I understand that. Where this is essentially a last minute trip, my options will likely be limited.

I'll give him a call. Thank you.

I forgot, my friend Amber's shop above does NAUI.. I think Halls diving does as well.

Having allot of friends there I don't like to recommend too much.. Where do you see your scuba destiny taking you? Wrecks, caves, deep tech, rebreather? I could toss some names to you if I knew where you wanted to end up.

That being said, don't go with any cattle boat company

I would like to go beyond the OW certificate, as I'm interested in wreck diving. All of the wreck dives that I'm aware of within a five hour or so drive from my location require an AOW cert. That and I'm interested in searching for fossils (ex. "Meg Ledge" in NC). Most of those dive are in the 70'-105' range.

I would be curious to check out caves with partial overheads (so not really "cave diving").

I can see myself getting into tech diving at some point, but I doubt that I'll go to the expense of getting into a rebreather.

The size of classes is one thing that puts me off with some dive schools. I went with an independent NAUI instructor for my OW. The second student was a no-show, so I got one on one instruction. I got a lot more out of it than I would have if I'd been in a large class.