Looking for NYC-area Open-Water Certification program on a weekend in July

[Cornflaker]

My cousin needs to get her open water certification some time this month, before she leaves for The Peace Corps (where she will be working on reef protection and preservation in the Phillippines). She is looking for a weekend program somewhere close to NYC. She knows about Dutch Springs but was hoping for something closer. She has been advised not to do it in the LI Sound. There is a place up in New Paltz but they do not have weekend programs.

Any suggestions? Part of why she wants a weekend is so that she and I can go together. I need a refresher before I go to Bermuda at the end of the summer.

Thanks!

- Cornflaker

 

[Twistedarts]

Any school here in the city can take you. Pan Aqua has a bus that will bring you you dutch for the OW dives. Unfortunately dutch is really the only place around.

 

[h2odragon1]

I agree. any dive shop could take her for training on a weekend.
Philippines? She's in for the best diving in the world. Do you know which region she'll be in? Each region has it's own signature, but all GREAT!!!

 

[oly5050user]

My cousin needs to get her open water certification some time this month, before she leaves for The Peace Corps (where she will be working on reef protection and preservation in the Phillippines). She is looking for a weekend program somewhere close to NYC. She knows about Dutch Springs but was hoping for something closer. She has been advised not to do it in the LI Sound. There is a place up in New Paltz but they do not have weekend programs.

Any suggestions? Part of why she wants a weekend is so that she and I can go together. I need a refresher before I go to Bermuda at the end of the summer.

Thanks!

- Cornflaker

Most LDS in the area will be able to help you, but on THEIR schedule.
I have access to a indoor heated pool at any time at a LDS.
I can work out pretty much ANY schedule needed to accomplish the desired goals.
As to the training dives you state "advised against LI Sound"? Why?
I can do the training dives off a boat in LI Sound very easily.There is life to see-lobsters-crabs -fish-invertibrates etc..if you never did it and only going on someones ill informed advise that could be a mistake. I will be going out later today in about 3 hrs to complete training dives for students,as I did over the weekend and the previous weekend.
If Dutch is desired as a training location it can be arranged,but it would cost significantly more than LI Sound,as she would most likely be the only student .As to a reference from another SB'r on this board that has had his gf take a class with me you can contact BlackRock from CT and ask him about the experience his gf had with my class here.Located in Westchester-Yonkers-NY.Contact me if interested.

 

[bfw]

From the sound of your post, and your emphasis on actual dive sites, I think you need to clarify - does she need to do EVERYTHING, or is she looking, referral in hand, to do the OW dives?

If she needs the whole course, there's no reason she can't start today with a shop that supports PADI's E-learning program. Don't wait - cramming the entire certification, start to finish, into a single weekend is not optimal, especially if she's going to be a working diver - she's going to be task loaded.

 

[Cornflaker]

She has the referral and just needs to do the OW dives. Thanks!

 

[oly5050user]

As an update ; Anna completed her training dives with me last weekend and earned her ow certification..Congratulations Anna.

 

[h2odragon1]

As an update ; Anna completed her training dives with me last weekend and earned her ow certification..Congratulations Anna.

Congratulations Anna.
Have a safe and fun time in the Philippines. The diving is great!