Just saying hi!

[nogoslow]

I'm not certified yet but have been wanting too for a long time. Been snorkeling in Cozumel and Grand Caymen and I am a river rat and practically live on the water ( literally, I work on a dredge boat ) so I am seriously thinking about getting OW Certification but cant seem to figure out if I wanna go PADI OR NAUI. I am still doing a little research to see which route I will go and be satisfied with.
Anyhow, I just wanted to say hi! Been on the board researching and learning for a few weeks and figured it was about time I posted.
Be Safe

Jerome

 

[DMDavid]

Hi Jerome!

You should find a good shop with a great instructor and then you'll be ready to join us underwater.
Don't worry so much about the agency but rather the quality of your instruction.

First off, what area are you in?

 

[nogoslow]

Thanks, I am in South east Arkansas, near Stuttgart. I also spend a few months in Memphis TN and Baton Rouge Louisiana.

 

[scubamarketing]

I agree with DMDavid. I'm a PADI instructor and I love it, but fully realize that NAUI (or any other agency for that matter) also puts out great instructors. When I got certified, there was one well established, highly regarded shop and a few shops people laughed about in the town I was in. I went with the highly regarded one, which happened to be PADI, and never looked back. If there's more than one, visit them, ask questions, make sure you're comparing apples to apples regarding courses (some include everything, others charge for every little thing). Regardless, if you try one and it wasn't what you thought it would be, it's always possible to switch agencies down the road.