Looking for Miami & Hollywood dive shop info

[ReneeC]

Thanks for the recomendation. I pulled Dive Stop and Southeast Oceanics names off of PADI's website. I know nothing about either. I spoke with Tony last week and he was going to check with the boat captains and see if they have posted their schedules yet. As of this morning I have not heard from him. I'll drop your name when I do a followup call this week. I know I may be trying to schedule things a little early, but in the spring I brought my PADI certified teenage son down to do some diving and waited too long to schedule trips as everyone was already booked when I called.

If I wasn't hooked on completing these specialties I would take you up on your offer. I have already purchased the PADI books and tapes for these courses (and a few others as well), completed the written course work, and might as well follow through on them. Some PADI instructors have told me the specialites mean nothing other than you showed up and performed the bare minimun requirements. One went as far as tell me the specialties are a waste of money and just another revenue avenue for the LDS and PADI (they said the true meaning of PADI is "Put Another Dollar In"). After I get my PADI Dive Master I will get cross certified with Naui, SSI or both. At that point I'll decide about an agency for instructor training. For now I am stuck with PADI.

Stay in touch and if you get thoroughly frustrated you can get credit for you current PADI status and cross over to NAUI. Send the books back!

 

[wmspdi]

Stay in touch and if you get thoroughly frustrated you can get credit for you current PADI status and cross over to NAUI. Send the books back!

I would but I have already written out all of the exercises in the books. All I need to do is the classroom sessions (if any), dive briefings and then DIVE! I'll stay in touch. If I decide to only do one of the Padi courses I may contact you regarding additional dives. Thanks.

 

[DaveO]

Have you considered Key Largo? It's a bit of a drive from Lauderdale and about an hour south of Miami, but if you get any more grief with hotels or unreturned phone calls, Brent at Blue Water Divers in Key Largo (http://www.bluewaterdiver.net) is a PADI instructor, and offers a full range of courses. We dove with Blue Water and were impressed with their operation; Brent and Glenn (the Captain) were very customer-focused and professional. (We considered advanced training with him, but the distance and twins babies have changed our plans a bit.)

Going to Key Largo would likely resolve your hotel problems, if you haven't resolved them yet.

Hope it all works out!

 

[wmspdi]

I have been to Key Largo and Key West on past trips. I looked into the Keys for this trip but my budget wouldn't allow it. I would have been forced to sacrifice the specialty courses to cover the increased hotel costs. Maybe next trip.

It looks like my attempts to get prices and info for LDS will be on hold until next week. It looks like everyone in south Florida will be busy picking up the pieces after the visit of their unwelcome overnight guest Katrina.

 

[ReneeC]

I'm planning on stopping by Dive Stop tomorrow anyway. I'll talk to Tony and have him give you a call so at least you'll have an answer.

 

[adrisen]

You could call Tropical Divers in Hallover (i think) Peter is a great guy and tell him Ashley sent you. I dive with him on a regular basis when I am in Miami.
305-949-2800