Finding another dive shop?

[wetb4igetinthewater]

There is Aqua Hut in Toledo OH and Michigan Adventure Diving in Milan, MI.

That’s what the SSI website gave me as closest to your location.

 

[diversteve]

You can't start OW with SSI and finish with PADI although you can probably switch to PADI after that for other courses - although they will issue a PADI card for each if you do.

One option since you're having scheduling problems is to start over with PADI - you could sign up and do the E-Learning on your schedule then finish at a PADI location.

You'd have to write off what you've already done and paid for but some of it should be pretty easy the 2nd time.

If you did get some vacation - you can actually do the E-Learning then show up for the cert dives - usually that's done over at least 2 days since there's 4 dives. At the end you get a PADI OW card.Some shops will likely have a knowledge/skills review session first also.

It used to be that you signed up for the E-Learning with the shop where you planned to dive - they provide a code that allows them to access your info plus I believe gives them credit. So check to see if that's still the case.

 

[oly5050user]

You can't start OW with SSI and finish with PADI although you can probably switch to PADI after that for other courses - although they will issue a PADI card for each if you do.

One option since you're having scheduling problems is to start over with PADI - you could sign up and do the E-Learning on your schedule then finish at a PADI location.

You'd have to write off what you've already done and paid for but some of it should be pretty easy the 2nd time.

If you did get some vacation - you can actually do the E-Learning then show up for the cert dives - usually that's done over at least 2 days since there's 4 dives. At the end you get a PADI OW card.Some shops will likely have a knowledge/skills review session first also.

It used to be that you signed up for the E-Learning with the shop where you planned to dive - they provide a code that allows them to access your info plus I believe gives them credit. So check to see if that's still the case.

Should be able to start with one agency and finish with another. If going got from SSI to PADI need a pool session to possibly go over skills that ssi does not cover and for the PADI instructor to assess skill level, complete and pass final exam with PADI, on to the 4 certification dives.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Get a universal referral form from your shop. Then find an independent instructor that will work around your schedule. I usually have divers with the form come in and do a classroom and pool session or two to verify skills and knowledge. then we go for checkouts. I do OW checkouts frequently at Circleville and Gilboa in Ohio. I'll likely be doing some stuff at Whitestar as well this season. If you're willing to spend a weekend in SW Pa to go over classroom and pool skills, we can work around your schedule for checkouts. I try to work with people so they don't have to wait for a group to be going. I like to go to Ohio and dive so I have no problem doing checkouts for one person.

 

[boulderjohn]

You can't start OW with SSI and finish with PADI although you can probably switch to PADI after that for other courses - although they will issue a PADI card for each if you do.

First of all--finding dive shops. If I Google "scuba Colorado," I will get the web sites of pretty much every shop I know.

Next, going from one agency to another: SSI participates in the Universal referral system, and PADI does not OFFICIALLY participate in it.

In the universal system, you do your pool work with one agency, get a referral, do your open water dives with a different agency, and the certification comes from the agency that did the pool work. PADI believes very strongly that the person (and agency) on your certification should be the one that saw you demonstrate your skills in the open water. They believe there is a potential liability issue for someone who signs off on a certification without even knowing for sure that the student did the OW dives. Consequently, if you take a universal referral to a PADI instructor, PADI recommends that the instructor certify the student through PADI rather than through the referring agency.

HOWEVER, that is not an ironclad rule. An individual instructor can choose to certify the student through the universal system, giving the certification to the agency that had the student in the pool rather than in the open water.