Help! Check off dives before May 8th ???

[katiehulback]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me out with a predicament I've found myself in. I am leaving for a trip to Sipidan on May 8th I have my Advanced Cert but my dive buddy for the trip still needs to get his OW check off dives. When I booked the trip I thought there would be no problem getting this done before we left but Mother Nature had other ideas. I live in Minneapolis, MN and it is looking highly unlikely that there is going to be any open water around here any time soon. So I’m looking for any shops that will be having check of courses in the next two weeks that are within driving distance from Minneapolis (hopefully within 8 hrs)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[diversteve]

Has he finished the classroom/pool portion? If so he can probably get a Universal Referral to do the dives in Sipadan. Are you on a liveaboard? Most have instructors on-board also. IDK anything about that area but someone in the forums likely does. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/malaysia-singapore/

Otherwise I think you're probably going to have to pay for private instruction to get the dives done in your timeframe locally.

Here's some options - mostly within about 8 hrs:

The closest possibility might be Quail Run Quarry in Malvern IA. Our Dite Site Info on that can be found here: Your Scuba Center - Underwater World

I wonder if Haigh Quarry is open yet? It's in Kankakee IL. - south of Chicago. Home - Haigh Quarry - The Place for Scuba Diving in Northern Illinois They should have opened the first weekend in April. DJ's in Brookfield IL, teaches there. They offer a one weekend complete certification program. Also an executive program - pay more and they'll work around your schedule. DJ's Scuba Locker

I grew up near there so am familiar with the area. The problem might be that there's massive flooding going on right there now - I just saw photos of my old neighborhood - it's all underwater. Don't know what that will do the the viz at the quarry.

Mermet Springs in Southern IL is open - afaik they never close. They teach there also. They have a O/W checkout dive class this weekend - might see if they can squeeze you in somehow. Mermet Springs Scuba Diving, Training and Travel It's SE of St. Louis so maybe you could drive there in 8hrs.

Gilboa Quarry is open. It's in western Ohio, probably closer to 10 hours drive plus. Going thru Chicago will probably slow you down. They work with shops nearby but there's no on-site operator afaik. A friend dives there occasionally. Gilboa Quarry Scuba Diving Click on Dive Services - there's about 5 pages of shops listed that teach/train there.

I also found this - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mid-west-region/383874-go-scuba-club-dive-event-may-28-a.html Maybe PM ScubaGal and see if she knows of any local training options. Atlantic Quarry is in Atlantic IA - about an hour from Des Moines - probably the closest to Minneapolis.

Midwest Muck Diving also lists just about every regional option down the left column of their website. http://midwestmuckdiving.com/

good luck...

 

[UWImagingRandy]

I wonder if Haigh Quarry is open yet? It's in Kankakee IL. - south of Chicago. Home - Haigh Quarry - The Place for Scuba Diving in Northern Illinois

You can contact davehall@underwaterimaging.us ...Dive Master who is always looking for students and dives every single week. Haigh Quarry is open as we will be diving there first week of may for Drysuit certs.

www.facebook.com/underwaterimaging.net

@underwaterimaging on instagram

Good Luck!

 

[T. Bix]

is Wazee open yet?