orlando area technical dive training recommendations

[rick00001967]

Are you going to be in Orlando for something other than taking AN/DP? Dayo is fine, but not the end all be all of dive instruction. Are you planning for salty dives (Open Water), or cave dives? What is your objective for AN/DP? Wrecks or to just complete the class and learn some new skills?

the idea was to head to florida for a two week holiday. we haven't been there in a long time. i am interested in doing some advanced level training to widen my knowledge/skill base. i am only cavern certified and will want to do the adv nitrox/deco combo in open water.
originally i thought i might have to drive up north to cave country to train with someone up there until i was told that the open water sites were not avail in that area and i would need to do these courses in overhead. since i do not feel i am qualified to do that, i need to find somewhere i can do it in open water. i thought i had read there were deep enough spots fairly close to orlando. so i figured it would be better overall for myself and the wife to stay in the orlando area if it was possible.
i will continue to research this but any help you can offer is welcome

EDIT.....i found on dayos site that they primarily do the adv ntrox/dec courses at hudson grotto (as mentioned) and at "blue springs"

 

[Wookie]

If I were taking AN/DP for wreck diving, I'd do it on a wreck. I would head for Key Largo and have a chat with Jim Wyatt, or Horizon Divers (Jim is at Rainbow Reef). Jim can teach you anywhere if you run out of weather in Key Largo, he also has a place up in High Springs. I have no personal knowledge of Jim's teaching abilities, but he is very popular, so there is that.

I know nothing about Hudson Grotto. I do know that if you need to be in Orlando so your wife has something to do while you are out spending your kid's inheritance, Orlando is a nice spot. So is Key Largo. High Springs is only nice if she likes to read or watch TV.

 

[rongoodman]

I had a good AN/DP/Helitrox course with Denise, but we had access to 40 Fathom Grotto then. I returned for trimix but had some disagreements with TJ and left the class. Hudson Grotto did indeed suck. I would look for someplace with better dive locations. (I ended up doing my trimix with Protec in Playa and had a ball.)

 

[tbone1004]

Hudson Grotto is over in Tampa and is basically an enormous pool.

If you want to do deco on the wrecks, go down to Pompano and take the class down there, if you want to do it in the caves, go up and take it up there. With scuba training you have to look at your end goal and work backwards. If that is sidemount cave training, you should go to Cave Adventurers and take AN/DP in a cave, with them, in a cave, in sidemount.
If you want to do recreational stuff and just use accelerated deco to not limit your bottom times, or you want to do wreck diving in doubles, you should find an instructor that specializes in that.

Personally though I'd do ART/DP thru IANTD so you can put some helium in the mix for narcosis management, but that's just me.

 

[packrat12]

I thought you were moving to Orlando. If I had options, I would do my training in the Keys. Might cost a little more but has great diving. If not in the Keys, it is basically Pompano (lots of good wrecks) or maybe West Palm Beach.

Think of it this way, I wanted the pure skill building so a dark mud hole was great to learn in and also build a relation with a tech shop. We begged to train elsewhere but the seas were running 8'+ during my training. if you train in the Keys, you will get to train on dives like the Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb etc. There are few wrecks that would be better and more impressive to learn on and the water is great down there also.

 

[rick00001967]

thx for the replies guys. at this point i guess i will have to give up on the idea of doing any training in combination with a trip to the orlando area. i am not liking what i am reading online about dayo and i was told today by dive station to contact dayo. go figure.
on to plan B......

---------- Post added October 13th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ----------

(I ended up doing my trimix with Protec in Playa and had a ball.)

i also have a very good instructor avail to me in mexico. but the two courses together will run me $1700u.s. so it is just too much for me to be able to justify. i don't want to sacrifice quality training just to save a few bucks but i have limits financially.

 

[kensuf]

I think some good questions were asked above. What type of diving would you like to do that you want to pursue AN/DP?

Jupiter/WPB/Pompano may be the closest option if you're looking for deco diving on wrecks/reefs.

Hudson may be suitable if you're looking for deco diving in lakes.

 

[Wookie]

Hudson may be suitable if you're looking for deco diving in lakes.

Does someone do that? Besides in Austin, TX, that is.

 

[kensuf]

Only if they don't live near the ocean.

 

[Doppler]

Personally though I'd do ART/DP thru IANTD so you can put some helium in the mix for narcosis management, but that's just me.

For the record, I teach these courses through TDI with helium in the mix for both OC and CCR divers... it's called helitrox deco.

And there are several options in central Florida for teaching and getting the depth required to make the program real... especially with a diver already cavern certified.