Certifications in Utila

[Swamp_monster]

Hey everyone, I am new to Scuba Board. What brings me here is my love of diving, I currently have my open water and am working on my advanced open water. I would like to go up to divemaster (I know I have a long way to go). Anyway I really liked what I saw about Utila at first sight, then at second site it seemed to be a drug ridden island, and I read horror stories about instructors being on drugs while teaching and all sorts of stuff. It also would be important for me to go somewhere where I like the islands culture, for I am not into the party seen at all, I am into the diving seen. Basically what I am hoping to find out is, good idea to get higher certifications in Utila? Is the island more into drinking and drugs than diving? If Utila is not the place for me I am open to suggestions of other places particularly in the caribbean that has cheap diving certifications, cheap housing, and nature. Also I am really interested in Guanaja, does anyone know about the diving there, is there shore diving, are there good instructors there?

 

[Lorenzoid]

Where did you read these "horror stories"?

 

[Swamp_monster]

Where did you read these "horror stories"?

I read this on a blog about Utila no idea the credibility, I have read a lot of positive stuff, also a few negative that's why I am asking on here.

 

[Swamp_monster]

A simpler way to phrase this is are the dive shops there legitimate?

 

[Doc]

When I think of any Bay Islands dive professionals, I do not think of drug users. Drug use in general doesn't lend itself to longevity of stay in this area, very much-so casting one as a pariah pretty quickly. A bit different elsewhere in the Caribbean, but in general, the big problem is alcohol.... The Bay Islands is right in there.

It's kind of endemic in the dive industry. Even in the heyday of Instructor schools, a lot of would be dive pros showed up and tried to drink all night and show up for class in rare form. You should make your own way by choosing your own path.

Guanaja would not suit what few criteria you have provided.

Rather than collecting certifications, why not just show up and dive your brains out? All you need for DM qual is a few prefunctory safety related certs and your developed dive skills- which you really don't get from Specialty Courses. Examine the actual benefits and costs of a Dive Master Internship versus the value of what you're really getting.

Most DM "internships" are thinly veiled marketing tools to keep a starry eyed wanna-be housed cheaply and paying to dive a little and carry tanks. Do some math. If you're worried about a drinking problem crowd, maybe act like that's what you want, see how they react at the bar that night. See what their "graduation ceremony" entails. The ones that involve snorkels and booze should be a tip off. They even post them in social media... A source of pride?

If you want a serious, no partying, professional atmosphere, have a look at Dockside Dive Center (Roatan). There may be others, but after becoming a proficient diver, I went through the DM program there in ten days, then breezed through the IDC and attained the exalted status of Instructor.

Learn to dive first, Read the Encyclopedia of Diving, buy a set of DM manuals, then go take the test.

 

[Oldbear]

A simpler way to phrase this is are the dive shops there legitimate?

Yes the dive shops are legit...

They produce a lot of divers and dive professionals. Some are go and some could be better. You are going to get that everywhere you go.

I did my Divemaster there a "few" years ago and I had a great time. I came into the program with dive experience. There were classmates who were on the "zero to hero" program. That is were a new diver shows up and dives their buts off and trains all the way to Dive Pro. In the end you have to met the training standards for that particular certification/rating.

Like Doc mentioned above...Utila is a great place to just dive, dive and dive.

 

[Oldbear]

Kfay...I noticed you are from Florida based on your profile. Why not dive there?

 

[Lorenzoid]

A simpler way to phrase this is are the dive shops there legitimate?

Utila dive operators handle a constant stream of students, from Open Water to Divemaster and Instructor, and have been doing so for decades. My impression--though I was there 10 years ago--was that most students were there first to get trained, and partying was secondary. As I recall, while lots of them enjoyed a beer and some camaraderie in the evening, most nights of the week the bars cleared out rather early, because people had to get up in the morning to get back to the business of being instructors or students. If drugs were common, I sure didn't know anyone who was into that. If you have questions or concerns, I would suggest speaking with some of the dive professionals who actually work there. Maybe talk to Andy Phillips, the Course Director at Utila Dive Center: Andy Phillips - Utila Dive Center

 

[Lorenzoid]

Kfay...I noticed you are from Florida based on your profile. Why not dive there?

It's cheaper to do the training on Utila, where the cost of living is low, you don't need a car, etc.?

 

[Swamp_monster]

Kfay...I noticed you are from Florida based on your profile. Why not dive there?

I dive here all the time, I love Florida its awesome diving. But as Lorenzoid said training in Utila is cheaper, I also like traveling and the price makes it very possible to travel there for a long time for me.