Hello I have been fascinated by diving since I was little and I now want to get certified. I live in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley to be exact and there are so many places that offer certification. I want to choose the best place possible, does anyone have any recommendations? Any info will help, also I have looked at a place called aloha dove in Woodland Hills wondering if anyone has any experiance with them?
Looking to get certified
- Thread starter adamkaye
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Diver_Jan
Contributor
Not familiar with Aloha Dive Center, but check out Reefseekers at http://www.Reefseekers.com They are very good and very reliable. I've been diving with them ever since I got re-certified 4 years ago!!!
Good Luck and welcome to the wonderful world of diving!!!
Good Luck and welcome to the wonderful world of diving!!!
Empty V
Contributor
I recommend Aloha(haven't been to the woodland hills store yet but TJ in Simi and Chris in Northridge rock), Hollywood Divers is a great shop, and Susan at the Sports Chalet in Thousand Oaks, I have only heard incredible things about her instruction and can't wait to dive with her.
I hope this helps
Billy
I hope this helps
Billy
Aloha is a good shop. Another good option for the valley is Hollywood Divers in Hollywood (this side of the hill up the street from Universal Studios). Both are good shops. Tell them Kalani sent you. 
Avoid Sport Chalet, except for fills and small accessories.
Where do you live in the SFV? I work just a few blocks from Aloha.
Avoid Sport Chalet, except for fills and small accessories.
Where do you live in the SFV? I work just a few blocks from Aloha.
Susan Grant at Sport Chalet in Porter Ranch has a fantastic reputation for instruction. She can expose you to the DIR philosophy of diving to see if that appeals to you. Her username on this board is coralcuts and you may want to send her a PM and see if she is instructing for any other shops that may have a better range of equipment choices.
Be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water when considering Sport Chalet for your Open Water class. Your class is about the instructor more than it is about the shop.
That said, I admit that I don't really buy anything at Sport Chalet anymore, since they don't seem to carry any of the equipment that I use.
Christian
Be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water when considering Sport Chalet for your Open Water class. Your class is about the instructor more than it is about the shop.
That said, I admit that I don't really buy anything at Sport Chalet anymore, since they don't seem to carry any of the equipment that I use.
Christian
Empty V
Contributor
headhunter:
Same Susan I mentioned earlier, she's at the new Thousand Oaks store.
Billy
I wasn't sure if it was the same Susan. I understand that she teaches out of the Sport Chalet stores in The Valley and West L.A. Maybe others, but I'm not sure.Empty V:
Christian
Empty V
Contributor
headhunter:
She might be instructing out of other shops but everytime I've gone in there, (which has been about once a week for the past month) she has been in there and had a class that weekend.
Billy
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