Certifying in Maui

[mrdre]

Fixed it for you.

Never dove in NJ, but what's so crazy about it? How is it more difficult than night dive somewhere around here?

 

[NorCalDM]

Oh Please...

I learned to dive in SoCal. (LaJolla and Coronados) The only thing harder about it is fighting all that exposure protection on and then fighting it again during the dive. I suppose learning to dive with a drysuit is harder but that's why Hawaii is ideal - you don't have to.

All these opinions - even mine - are pretty useless until the OP tells us what he wants to do. I'd hazard a guess that since he mentioned Bonaire and Hawaii he's going to become a warm water diver. So learning in Monterey is really of no relevance if he is. He's also going next month so maybe the easiest thing is just do it all there - except maybe the e-learning which cuts down the time/cost a little.

November water temperature Monterey - 56^o
November water temperature Maui 78^o

Not a tough call for me...

Yeah right...

Then explain this: - quoted from the California Academy of Sciences website.

Not Hawaii but definitely the "tropics":

[vimeo]29974818[/vimeo]

Have dove Verde Island and your correct not Hawaii and if you compare the two Hawaii is a desert. I have enjoyed everywhere I have dove because each dive is a different experience and I can't say I have one favorite place to dive. As a diver if you say I'm only going to dive warm clear water you just greatly limited your diving opportunities especially for someone who lives so close to the ocean. I do agree that since he is going in November the window is closed for getting certified here in California.

 

[Keith.M]

Oh Please...

I learned to dive in SoCal. (LaJolla and Coronados) The only thing harder about it is fighting all that exposure protection on and then fighting it again during the dive. I suppose learning to dive with a drysuit is harder but that's why Hawaii is ideal - you don't have to.

All these opinions - even mine - are pretty useless until the OP tells us what he wants to do. I'd hazard a guess that since he mentioned Bonaire and Hawaii he's going to become a warm water diver. So learning in Monterey is really of no relevance if he is. He's also going next month so maybe the easiest thing is just do it all there - except maybe the e-learning which cuts down the time/cost a little.

November water temperature Monterey - 56^o
November water temperature Maui 78^o

Not a tough call for me...

Yeah right...

Then explain this: - quoted from the California Academy of Sciences website.

Not Hawaii but definitely the "tropics":

[vimeo]29974818[/vimeo]

I take it you are a warm water diver these days?

 

[RJP]

Never dove in NJ, but what's so crazy about it? How is it more difficult than night dive somewhere around here?

Compared to NJ, California is high-vis, warm-water diving. Someone cited 56^o in Monterrey in November? In NJ we don't see bottom temps that high in the SUMMER!

Dealing with NJ diving - and NJ divers - is not for the faint of heart. Deeper, darker, colder... mostly older wrecks. And that's the DIVERS!

Q: "How many New Jersey divers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: "***K YOU!"

 

[mrdre]

Compared to NJ, California is high-vis, warm-water, diving. Someone cited 56^o in Monterrey in November? In NJ we don't see bottom temps that high in the SUMMER!

Dealing with NJ diving - and NJ divers - is not for the faint of heart. Deeper, darker, colder... mostly older wrecks. And that's the DIVERS!

Q: "How many New Jersey divers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: "***K YOU!"

Now I want to dive in NJ

 

[diversteve]

I take it you are a warm water diver these days?

I prefer to think that I got smart as I got older . Although I would dive in cold water if there's a reason to do so. We're looking at Socorros as a longer range plan so obviously I will there. My buddy has a drysuit but I personally can't see ever owning one. He really doesn't use his enough to justify it either - just got a good deal at a DUI sale once.

 

[dkasper]

Not to threadjack, but I'm planning to do my certification in Maui in a few weeks. Does anyone have experience with Sammy Scuba (sammyscuba.com)? Seems like a small operation and he seems flexible with scheduling, but it's not listed on the PADI website so I'm wondering if that will be an issue when I try to dive other places?

 

[diversteve]

I believe - but am not positive - that's because Sammy is a private instructor without a local shop affiliation.

PADI Members are licensed to use various PADI Trademarks and to conduct PADI training. Individual, dive center and resort Members are not agents, employees or franchisees of PADI.

505 Front Street is a mixed use retail development so either he has an office there or gets his mail sent there. In case you need a place nearby to stay Lahaina Shores condos are next door. A lot of them are on vrbo.com also.

As long as he's a PADI Instructor in good standing at the time of issuance you won't have any problems using it anywhere else. If he's not - he actually can't get you a PADI card. If you wanted further confirmation get his instructor number and check that here: http://apps.padi.com/scuba-diving/pro-chek/

I don't think I'd bother. He's got enough PADI references listed on his website that it's unlikely he isn't one. I know of several private PADI guides on Maui that are similar - some work out of their homes.

 

[RJP]

Not to threadjack, but I'm planning to do my certification in Maui in a few weeks. Does anyone have experience with Sammy Scuba (sammyscuba.com)? Seems like a small operation and he seems flexible with scheduling, but it's not listed on the PADI website so I'm wondering if that will be an issue when I try to dive other places?

As long as he issues you a PADI card, you're fine.

 

[dkasper]

Cool that's what I was hoping, thanks for eliminating my concerns