Looking for best place to get certified

[peterbj7]

For years I've done it rather differently. Before there was PADI eLearning I would get people to buy a PADI Open Water manual at a local PADI dive operation and read it themselves. They completed the "Knowledge Reviews" and emailed them to me, and I marked and commented on them. Usually we'd have at least one telecon during the process. Then when they arrived in Belize we'd get in the water for confined water training straight away, and in the margins they'd take the exam here. I didn't charge any extra for this, so all they paid was my normal complete OW course fee, plus certification, plus the book that they'd bought at home and brought with them. I did that for quite a few years and found it completely satisfactory, and much cheaper for the student than paying PADI's fee for eLearning. I do agree with Ralph and others that it's highly desirable to do the book learning before you arrive in Belize, and equally highly desirable that you get to know your instructor in the confined water sessions (which I also usually did in the sea) before embarking on the four course dives.

Incidentally, I did hear recently of a dive center that apparently conducted all four dives in very shallow water (15 ft!) and in pairs with no surface interval, so the boat only went out twice. That is quite improper and in breach of PADI's standards. Unless the weather and sea state are completely unsuitable, I ensure that during every course, PADI and others, the student experiences the most arduous conditions he will become certified to dive in. An adult is certified to dive to 60ft in the OW course, so every one of my adult students will go to 60 ft during their course, and children to 40 ft. Similarly, I will always take students to 100 ft more than once during an AOW course, and to 130 ft several times during a Deep Diver Specialty course.

 

[Oldbear]

... we prefer is that people do e-learning at home (so they can get into the water asap when they arrive here rather than the classroom). Our prefered method is for the student to do the confined water sessions here. We prefer to do them at Laughing Bird Caye (a national park and a World Heritage Site) but can do them in our pool. That way the student and the instructor are very comfortable with each other before we start the open water dives... The PADI e-learning lets the student work at the theory at his/her own speed and at times convenient to the student.

Regards
Ralph Capeling

GMP,

I think this is equally an excellent way to learn Scuba Diving...whether you have time to do the confined diving training at home or locally at least you re in the water which is the enjoyable part.

Laughing Bird Caye - National Park and WOrld Heritage Site...sound super cool. Sure beats the Rec Center's Swimming Pool.

 

[ScubaSchoolBelize]

Like Ralph mention's, it is best to do you theory with the E Learning in the comforts of you own environment.
But if you have not done the E learning before you come you can do the E learning here. We have several note book computers for students to use and most of the resorts have wifi so that is not a problem.
The E Learning course takes aprox 7 to 10 hrs to complete and you always have the access of the most current Manuel.

To answer Ralph's question about the DoE and being recognized as a education institution, we have applied for this as it will help give the high school students credit.
In the US several dive centers have become recognized with the dept of education in their local states. In Fl to be an IDC center it is a Must.