Fundies and no more?

[Rainer]

$550 seems to be the local standard here (we have three NE instructors).

 

[pengwe]

I really want to take the GUE Fundamentals cost, but in Australia the cost of the course is $995 AUD. I've seen the course can be taken for around $249 USD in the US obviously. Why is there such a difference in price between taking the course here and the US? I know all dive gear costs a lot more in Australia, but geez, didn't expect that much of a difference for training courses! Hate to see what the tech or cave courses will cost over here!

Just guessing, but maybe because Australian GUE instructors have to train overseas, and it's a long involved process.

It is expensive, but I thought it was worth it. YMMV, of course.

 

[mangrovejack]

Yeh I think it will be worth it too and I will do the course in maybe a months time, but for me I also have to factor in airfares and accommodation due to the only GUE course in Aus being held down in Bondi, NSW.

 

[Rainer]

Yeh I think it will be worth it too and I will do the course in maybe a months time, but for me I also have to factor in airfares and accommodation due to the only GUE course in Aus being held down in Bondi, NSW.

Probably cheaper to have you and the rest of the class fly the instructor in if that's feasible.

 

[novicediver]

What other avenues or options are there for wreck or cave training besides gue?

 

[TSandM]

Scubadork, there are a bunch -- TDI, IANTD, NACD, NSS-CDS, NAUI -- but this is a pretty big hijack of the original topic, so if you are interested in discussing them further, it probably deserves its own thread.

 

[limeyx]

Took fundies, and that was it.

---
Ken

Maybe I am delusional (or just more delusional than usual)
I could have sworn you & Claudette took Rec Triox ???
scary.

 

[AndyNZ]

I just did Fundies last month, which in some respects was a step backwards - having already done some tech training with TDI and done a lot of deco dives, both deep dives and extended wreck penetrations.

Certainly, Tech 1 would be interesting - but financially makes no sense, particularly given that to fill my twins with 21/35 would cost me somewhere in the $300-400 range. Assuming we chipped together and got a few G's of He to bring that in at $300... at six deepish dives, $1800 plus $1100 or so for the course.... nah.

I'd also struggle to give up my VR3.... it's too good a tool to not use it.

Yeh I think it will be worth it too and I will do the course in maybe a months time, but for me I also have to factor in airfares and accommodation due to the only GUE course in Aus being held down in Bondi, NSW.

Liam from Dive Bondi flew over to do our course, a great instructor so I'd recommend him wholeheartedly. Worth every cent of the cost.

 

[BarryNL]

That would be me. Couldn't pay me to go into a cave and nothing deep particularly interests me. Great course, but not interested in going on. Also photography has pushed me to more solo diving than the team approach.

Hmm, so option #3: "Took fundies but failed to learn from it" would apply here then?

 

[JeffG]

Hmm, so option #3: "Took fundies but failed to learn from it" would apply here then?

I remember a guy saying he wanted to take Fundi's to be a better solo diver.