Heading to Provo - couple questions

[WetChucks]

Dive Provo was running night dives either Wednesday or Thursday...I was just too laxy to lug my gear off the boat

O'Malley - I'm going to have to commit to that night dive in advance. That cold Corona might be callin my name around 4 and I will have to be strong!!
beer is bad - beer is bad - beer is bad

Randy

 

[seastarr2]

I did my nitrox certification with Caicos Adventures about a year and a half ago. Richard was my instructor. He was great. I had done the book work/test at home so I just needed the check out dives which just means analyzing a tank before each dive and showing you know how to use your computer or tables. So really I just had to dive with the group. CA was wonderful, hope to get back again soon.

 

[WetChucks]

I did my nitrox certification with Caicos Adventures about a year and a half ago.

Seastar - did you find many dives during the week where the depth limit on nitrox interefered with the dive you would have made if you were using air? I havent been to Provo yet but it looks like many of the dives will be deeper - wondering if I should just dive air that week.
Also my wife will be diving air and so my first week of nitrox will just be diving it on an air computer - will be getting the extra safety margin but wont benefit from increased bottom time. i think it will still be good to spend a few dives working the tables, analyzing O2 etc.
Love to hear from anyone who has an opinion - maybe I should just encourage wifey to get certified.

Randy

 

[seastarr2]

Yes there were times that I would have maxed out on nitrox for the first dive, but I only ever use it on second dives. The certification is 2 dives (I think?) so I did the certification over 2 days with the certification dives as each second dive. If you have the time to do the certification over a couple of day then that would be the best solution. Hope this helps.

Also, from my experience with CA we left each morning around 8/8:30 AM and really did not get back until almost 3 PM in the afternoon. It was a long, full day with some of the best surface intervals I have ever experiences. We went cliff jumping and explored some of the caves on French Cay. I would definately do my course work at home because the time on the boat leaves little time to relax if you also have to do class work. Just my opinion.

 

[WetChucks]

Yes there were times that I would have maxed out on nitrox for the first dive, but I only ever use it on second dives.

Thats a great though about the second dive - I'll keep that in mind. I realized that PADI no longer requires the dives to get the cert so I will complete the classwork here at a local shop and have my temorary card in hand when I hit provo. I'll still dive EAN some during the week to get familiar with the analysis and dive planning. I think my wife has decided to get her nitrox cert as well so we can enjoy the extra bottom time later in the week when our breathing is fish like.

Randy

 

[scubalass]

Caves on French Cay??!!....never heard that one before...French Cay is a tiny flat little cay that is a bird sanctuary.....you are only allowed on the island if you have a permit.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Yes there were times that I would have maxed out on nitrox for the first dive, but I only ever use it on second dives. The certification is 2 dives (I think?) so I did the certification over 2 days with the certification dives as each second dive. If you have the time to do the certification over a couple of day then that would be the best solution. Hope this helps.

Also, from my experience with CA we left each morning around 8/8:30 AM and really did not get back until almost 3 PM in the afternoon. It was a long, full day with some of the best surface intervals I have ever experiences. We went cliff jumping and explored some of the caves on French Cay. I would definately do my course work at home because the time on the boat leaves little time to relax if you also have to do class work. Just my opinion.

I think you might be referring to the caves on the southern shore of Provo. There is a cave there that Fifi sometimes takes people to where there is graffiti from shipwrecked sailors. Definitely a great diversion from diving.

 

[Big Blue Diver]

I strongly disagree with the quote about Pine Cay & Grace Bay being the lesser dive sites of Turks & Caicos.....I have been working as an instructor in the Turk & Caicos Islands for over 4 years now & Football Field at Pine Cay has definately got to be one of my favourite dive sites...in fact I dived it just today and although we didn't see any big life today, we had an fantastic dive....great viz, lots of schooling fish, 4 huge channel clinging crabs, spotted & spiny lobsters, just to name just a few of the reef critters we came across. A couple of eagle rays have been frequent visitors just lately and there are usually one or two turtles hanging around and a passing visit by a humpback whale on Christmas Eve. The coral is in great condition an the topography is very unlike any other dive sites in the Turks. Also Grace Bay is a favourite site for many of the instructors on the island but is effected by weather an tides so is not always at its best. Yes I do love French Cay & West Caicos but I dont always see the big stuff there either....Sandbore Channel on the other hand...when the tides are right...is just about the best there is to offer. The great thing about diving here is that every area is different and everyone does have their favourites including the instructors.
Best thing for anyone new to the islands is to sample a few of the dive centres and make up your own mind...after all, everyone is different and what suits one diver doesn't always suit another.
I work for Big Blue and love it there but have no hesitation in recommending other dive centres if we cannot accomodate divers. My second choice would be Flamingo Divers (nothing at all to do with my great friends Mickey & Jayne who own the company!)
There is usually a bit of banter between all the dive centres but in reality we all know & love (well nearly) each other and can often be found socialising together somewhere on the island.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Welcome to Scubaboard! Viva la diference.

 

[WetChucks]

I work for Big Blue and love it there but have no hesitation in recommending other dive centres if we cannot accomodate divers. My second choice would be Flamingo Divers

Big Blue - I actually called Flamingo to inquire about availability for Feb 10-17 but they were booked. They speak very highly of your operation as well. We just had so much positive feedback on Fifi that we decided to book with them for this trip. I know we will be doing our night dive with a different operator due to the Hercules being in dry dock so maybe we can dive with big blue at least once - do you guys have a standing night schedule or just go when there is interest?

We are really looking forward to our trip. My wife and I are doing our nitrox cert next week with a local shop and plan on diving our 2nd dives on nitrox most of the week. Hoping we will have seas that allow us to get to a variety of sites during the week and with a little luck we will get to see the big stuff and the little stuff we love. Just being underwater for the first time in a while will be a great time for us. A hammerhead or humpback or whale shark would just be icing on the cake.

Now we have to decide on the right nitrox computers as our old suunto's just do air.
Thinking the Oceanic Geo - any thoughts?