georgec02
Registered
Hi all,
On a recommendation from Nick @KauaiScuba, we ended up booking our kids (13 year olds) for their open water certification with Makana O Kauai scuba / Scott. (Here's the original thread searching for input)
Summary: Highly recommend Scott if you want your kids (or yourself) to get certified by a very kind, calm instructor that's good with kids, and takes the time to insure they learn learn and master the required skills vs. just checking the box to get an open water card. His rates were very reasonable for 3 days of private instruction for our kids.
On a recommendation from Nick @KauaiScuba, we ended up booking our kids (13 year olds) for their open water certification with Makana O Kauai scuba / Scott. (Here's the original thread searching for input)
Summary: Highly recommend Scott if you want your kids (or yourself) to get certified by a very kind, calm instructor that's good with kids, and takes the time to insure they learn learn and master the required skills vs. just checking the box to get an open water card. His rates were very reasonable for 3 days of private instruction for our kids.
- Pre-trip -
- Communication was easy with Scott
- Option to do PADI online course or purchase materials and do coursework with Scott. We opted to have them purchase materials and do the coursework with Scott. There were online quizzes set-up via Google forms and an in-person Zoom final with Scott. This was nice because it gave the kids a chance to actually meet Scott, get to know his personality, and he did a review of any questions that were missed.
- Certification:
- Location: Scott typically meets at the Kaloa landing dive site on the south side of the island, but unfortunately the resevoir gates for the creek that drains in the area had been opened that morning and the area was brown and murky. The first two days were done at an alternate location (I believe Hoai bay near Beach House).
- Gear:
- Scott has a van with all the gear, as well as a portable patio heater for those cooler days/surface intervals
- All the gear (wetsuits, BCDs, etc...) looked like it was well kept, in good condition
- Process:
- The kids had fun with Scott and we felt they were in safe hands with him.
- My daughter had a rough end to her first day with the swimming with mask off skill, but Scott helped her through it the second day without missing a beat.
- Scott took as much time as needed each day and didn't rush the process. He had a card with a long checklist of items that he was working through and referencing each day
- They completed their core skills by the end of day 2. Day 3 was more of a "fun" day to continue to fine tune their skills, and Scott took them a little further out to a better viz location using a scooter for their dives.
- Each of the afternoons, we came back to smiling kids (usually enjoying some tasty snacks and drinks)
- Result:
- We have 2 newly certified divers - who both are excited about diving after completing their certs. My son, who was a bit hesitant about it before actually doing the course was loving it after day 1.
- We did a boat dive on the day after their certification with Explore Kauai Scuba (review coming on that). However, I mention the dive, because Jessie, our DM mentioned she was surprised how good their skills were, even compared to some adults she's had, and that she could tell they definitely had taken the time to learn things right. I was actually surprised at how good their boyancy control was.
- From the kids: "He's nice... he brings lots of snacks... he's definitley a good teacher..."
