Keys Shop Recommendation for 11 yr old check out dives

[cindy0519]

Looking for recommendations for a dive center for my 11 year old grandson to do his check out dives with while we are in the Keys the first week of July. He will be doing a week long scuba camp here in Ohio to complete all the course work and pool work but rather than doing the check outs in a cold quarry - we thought we'd take him with us to the Keys!

We have dove in the Islamorda area few times but it has been a couple year since our last trip there and the shop we used then is not longer in business. Any suggestions or advice???

 

[sportxlh]

The shops I like are Conch Republic and Silent World; but that is the view of a diving customer and watching their instructors with adults being trained. I think you'll want to ensure any shop you use has some level of experience with younger divers: but I'd not hesitate to start the seach with a phone call to either of those shops.

 

[cindy0519]

Thanks sprotxlh. We hvae dove with Conch Republic once and had a great time. I have a call into them and a couple other places now - just waiting for return calls. I agree with wanting a shop with experience with young divers.... this is critical and why I thought I'd see if anyone here has an experience with this or recommendations.

I appreicate the input!

 

[billinwilliamston]

where in the keys are you going? wouldn't want to recommend a shop or instructor that's 105 miles from where you're going.

thanks.

 

[heydn62]

Rainbow Reef in Key Largo certified my daughter when she was 11. Ask for Jardin, but lots of others there are good as well.

 

[F106A]

Looking for recommendations for a dive center for my 11 year old grandson to do his check out dives with while we are in the Keys the first week of July. Any suggestions (snip>?

Quiescence!
Some time ago my wife wanted to get certed. We researched extensively and picked Quiescence. Turns out they had concerns about some of her answers on the medical questionaire and wanted a stress test before proceeding. TMALSS, we c/w the stress test but couldn't coordinate with Quiescence and ended up going elsewhere. However, after speaking with local (Key Largo) medical people we found Quiescence was very conservative in their philosophy. The point being if I were to have my grandkids certed I'd want an outfit like Quiescence. (I did get my nitrox cert, private course, from them years ago and they were thorough yet sensible.)

FWIW, I've been diving with Conch Republic and they are g-r-e-a-t, but I never did any training there so can't make an informed judgment.

 

[WB2GLP]

Second the Conch suggestion. My son (11 the first trip, now 15) and I will only go with CRD. I'm sure others are good, but after 30 years of diving,you find the hidden gems and stick with them.

 

[cindy0519]

Thanks for the replies everyone! We booked his check out dives with Conch Republic. He is so excited! We asked him if he wanted to think aobut whether he wanted to do the dives in the quary here or the ocean and he instantly replied "ocean" - no more thinking about it required.