halocline
Contributor
What's disturbing about this situation, and it is not uncommon, is that some dive shops do exude the attitude that the customers have a moral obligation to be exclusive to them. The only reason they can get away with this is because in the recreational dive industry instruction is tied to gear sales, and instruction is required to participate. It gives the dive shop a position of authority (at least in their minds) with beginning divers. Eventually I hope that this business model disappears and the industry is dominated by separate facilities for training and gear sales. I'm pretty sure we'd see a big drop in BS on both fronts.
Yet another reason why I always recommend to my friends to get OW certified in the caribbean, at some place that specializes in dive training, in a beautiful environment with easy conditions, and best of all, nobody's trying to to ram gear down your throat while they're teaching you how to stay alive under water.
Yet another reason why I always recommend to my friends to get OW certified in the caribbean, at some place that specializes in dive training, in a beautiful environment with easy conditions, and best of all, nobody's trying to to ram gear down your throat while they're teaching you how to stay alive under water.