As a suggestion from @Wookie I booked three days with Quiescence. Thank you, sir!! One day doesn't make a scientific sampling but I thought I'd briefly write up our day.
First of all, I was a bit concerned about having a 30 minute window between check-in and departure. My family isn't usually that organized and the other shops we have used haven't seemed that organized either. Not to worry.
Three of my four got EAN certified this spring. Those three of us were diving today. This was going to be our first dives with nitrox after the class. I had called ahead to verify that they would have an analyzer. Which of course they did, but I figured if you don't call, you get what you get. When we arrived, I was open about our experience and the newness to nitrox. They were gracious but unaffected. They described how they'd check us through their process and assured us that we would be pleased. (Which we were.)
After signing paperwork and checking cards, we were shown to the back. Immediately we were staged near the nitrox bottles. The tech showed us the analyzer, the MOD chart and their log book. We all watched and verified the readings. Each diver signed the log and marked their own tanks. We were then spec'ed out for our weights. Tanks, and weights were loaded onto a trailer and driven 60-80 yards to the boat.
We were assigned Captain Steve. We did the normal safety stuff, and then he had us all set up our gear and verify our gear. I really liked this. It only took a few minutes and we all knew we had everything that we needed. He said he could fix anything at the dock; he could fix much less once we left. Different but I looked at my watch and we were leaving the dock at 8:07. I think that a person could be annoyed by being micro managed so to speak, but the efficiency of the entire process made it just seem like another step in their quest for a good time by all.
When asked about dive sites, I requested the Benwood because I wanted my wife to dive where her youngest son would be diving this summer. Captain Steve said that was what we needed to do then. Benwwod dive was all good. He then motored us over to French reef. After mooring to the bouy by the stern, he explained that he wanted us to try a slow drift dive!! He had moored by the stern so that our backrolls would put us closer to the mooring ball where we were to make a quick descent. I had wanted to ask for a drift dive, but folks mentioned that there was rarely enough current and so they usually just don't happen. And here, un-requested, Capt. Steve delivered! It was slow and easy navigation, which was exactly what I wanted for my family's first drift. I could not have designed it better.
The Quiescence desk staff was on point.
The tank tech was on point.
I believe that it was the shop manager that sorted out our weights and loaded our tanks, then drove down to the dock. He was also on point.
Granted, it was an easy day for them to get it right. I guess we are a couple of weeks before the season really cranks up. But they did get it right. At a lax time in their schedule, they were not lax with their routine. Easy in, easy out, concierge/valet type service. We are very much looking forward to our upcoming dive days with them.
First of all, I was a bit concerned about having a 30 minute window between check-in and departure. My family isn't usually that organized and the other shops we have used haven't seemed that organized either. Not to worry.
Three of my four got EAN certified this spring. Those three of us were diving today. This was going to be our first dives with nitrox after the class. I had called ahead to verify that they would have an analyzer. Which of course they did, but I figured if you don't call, you get what you get. When we arrived, I was open about our experience and the newness to nitrox. They were gracious but unaffected. They described how they'd check us through their process and assured us that we would be pleased. (Which we were.)
After signing paperwork and checking cards, we were shown to the back. Immediately we were staged near the nitrox bottles. The tech showed us the analyzer, the MOD chart and their log book. We all watched and verified the readings. Each diver signed the log and marked their own tanks. We were then spec'ed out for our weights. Tanks, and weights were loaded onto a trailer and driven 60-80 yards to the boat.
We were assigned Captain Steve. We did the normal safety stuff, and then he had us all set up our gear and verify our gear. I really liked this. It only took a few minutes and we all knew we had everything that we needed. He said he could fix anything at the dock; he could fix much less once we left. Different but I looked at my watch and we were leaving the dock at 8:07. I think that a person could be annoyed by being micro managed so to speak, but the efficiency of the entire process made it just seem like another step in their quest for a good time by all.
When asked about dive sites, I requested the Benwood because I wanted my wife to dive where her youngest son would be diving this summer. Captain Steve said that was what we needed to do then. Benwwod dive was all good. He then motored us over to French reef. After mooring to the bouy by the stern, he explained that he wanted us to try a slow drift dive!! He had moored by the stern so that our backrolls would put us closer to the mooring ball where we were to make a quick descent. I had wanted to ask for a drift dive, but folks mentioned that there was rarely enough current and so they usually just don't happen. And here, un-requested, Capt. Steve delivered! It was slow and easy navigation, which was exactly what I wanted for my family's first drift. I could not have designed it better.
The Quiescence desk staff was on point.
The tank tech was on point.
I believe that it was the shop manager that sorted out our weights and loaded our tanks, then drove down to the dock. He was also on point.
Granted, it was an easy day for them to get it right. I guess we are a couple of weeks before the season really cranks up. But they did get it right. At a lax time in their schedule, they were not lax with their routine. Easy in, easy out, concierge/valet type service. We are very much looking forward to our upcoming dive days with them.
