First time to Hawaii.

[bgillis]

Hello.
My wife and I are thinking about a trip to Hawaii this coming October. I would like to get my Dive Master certificate while we are there. I would of course have done all of my book work in advance. Any suggestion has to what island or dive operator? First time to Hawaii.

 

[fishb0y]

Hello.
My wife and I are thinking about a trip to Hawaii this coming October. I would like to get my Dive Master certificate while we are there. I would of course have done all of my book work in advance. Any suggestion has to what island or dive operator? First time to Hawaii.

1st, what island?
2nd, how long? Divemaster is one of those certs that take a while to complete.

 

[KrisB]

I would recommend Maui. I'm not sure if your wife is a diver or not, but if she isn't, she'll still have plenty to do while you complete your DM.

On Maui, I'd suggest staying in Kihei and working with Maui Dreams Dive Co. (http://www.mauidreamsdiveco.com) -- they're a great group of people, and can work a DM cert into 2-3 weeks.

As fishb0y mentioned, it does take a while to do the DM cert, because of the interning process, etc.... but if you're committed, I think it can be accomplished in a dive-every-possible-moment setting over 2 weeks.

Your best bet would be to contact a dive shop -- MDDC has the advantage of also being an IDC, so you could go on to do Instructor with them at some point, if you wanted to.

 

[bgillis]

We have not decided on what island to stay at yet. Which one has the best diving? My wife also dives but is happy being AOW. She would need a dive buddy while I was training. We would be there two weeks. Our usual destination is Cozumel but the reefs looked so bad last month we decided to try someplace else this fall. You can do the Divemasters course there in one week with some of the dive shops but I have always thought that would be pushing it and you might not be learning everything you should.

 

[fishb0y]

You can do the Divemasters course there in one week with some of the dive shops but I have always thought that would be pushing it and you might not be learning everything you should.

I would look into a deco class or even doing the Kona Aggressor over taking Dive-master. If done correctly, dive-master should be a much more rigorous class than even instructor, it has the basic skills needed to become a dive professional. Do yourself a favor, find a LDS you want to work with and do your stuff from there.

 

[KrisB]

We have not decided on what island to stay at yet. Which one has the best diving? My wife also dives but is happy being AOW. She would need a dive buddy while I was training. We would be there two weeks. Our usual destination is Cozumel but the reefs looked so bad last month we decided to try someplace else this fall. You can do the Divemasters course there in one week with some of the dive shops but I have always thought that would be pushing it and you might not be learning everything you should.

I'd definitely say a 1-week DM is pushing it. Keep in mind that the quality of your experience here will determine the quality of a dive professional you become. Also consider whether you are the sort of person that can "pull off" an accelerated program that intensive.

I haven't been to the Big Island, but from what I understand, as far as Hawaiian dive destinations go, it's between it and Maui -- Maui has more topside activities, but the diving isn't quite as good (as far as I've been told).

That said, the diving on Maui is excellent, and I don't think you'll find a shortage of dive-buddies for your wife while you're in class. In fact, if you're going to Maui, let me know when you're going to be there (once you have that figured out) and I will likely be able to take that role for at least one day, as I expect to be there for a while starting early/mid July.

Cheers,

 

[bgillis]

The LDS is not really an option here. It took over a year to get a Rescue Diver class set up with the LDS that was the best. They closed shop. Of the two other shops one is a hole in the wall that does not even have a compressor and the other told me “We don’t do that here” the nearest decent dive site is a three hour drive and the dive shops are 60 miles away. I did my Rescue class it a 20 foot lake that you could not see your hand 1 foot from your mask and you could not see light lying on the bottom. Actually good conditions for the class.
Has for going pro this is just more of a goal for me and if I did any dive shop work it would be more likely equipment and compressor servicing. I do not want a dive shop to sell me the certification I want to know that it was earned.

 

[Wildcard]

A more realistic option would be to do it in parts. A week each visit. You would need to comit to the same destination but you seem to do that anyway. As far as your wife, DMs in training need students to play roles for them if you don't have real classes.
Both big isle and Maui have there pros and cons. It just depends on what you like I guess. Good luck!
PS, just a thought you could hire your own private instructor and take me along to some warm exotic location!

 

[bgillis]

Two weeks is not a problem. One week is just too short. But doing the certification in two trips might be an option, just not Cozumel, Great diving still even after last year’s hurricanes but not for training.

 

[Wildcard]

I was there in January, still good but not OMG good. You do understand this is Hawaii and not El Carib? People have preconcived notions about what things are like here but it's not like that. It is great diving but we do lack the big corals and sponges that other oceans boast. DM is the hardest class offered, it does take some time to do it.