Overseas Diving and SSI

[Scubasw]

I teach with Al at the same shop. I've been all over the carribbean for 12 years and have never had a problem with an SSI cert no matter what the logo on the Dive shop has been. If the shop only accepts one agencies cert, then move on, as they probably only accept one point of view also. (It's my way or the highway). Guess they do enough business they can turn away paying customers. As far as I can tell, the Equipment a shop sells has nothing to do with the Agency they teach for. It's up to each shop owner to decide what equipment he wants to sell. Some do it by selling equipment they would use and recommend to their own family, others do it by how much mark-up can I get and what's my profit margin.

 

[ahava]

I teach with Al at the same shop. I've been all over the carribbean for 12 years and have never had a problem with an SSI cert no matter what the logo on the Dive shop has been. If the shop only accepts one agencies cert, then move on, as they probably only accept one point of view also. (It's my way or the highway). Guess they do enough business they can turn away paying customers. As far as I can tell, the Equipment a shop sells has nothing to do with the Agency they teach for. It's up to each shop owner to decide what equipment he wants to sell. Some do it by selling equipment they would use and recommend to their own family, others do it by how much mark-up can I get and what's my profit margin.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[peterbj7]

Here in San Pedro there are no SSI dive centers, with every one (I think) being PADI. Sometimes plus other agencies - eg. we are IANTD and BSAC as well as PADI, and there is another that is SDI. So far as I am concerned, diving is diving, and I don't care what your certification is so long as you're at least safe in the water.

If anyone wants further qualifications I recognise SSI ones (and all others), and I think everyone else here does as well. I'm much more concerned with a diver's skills in the water than what card he carries, or what level.

I also sell Scubapro gear, amongst others.