Recs for Big Island instructor for Checkouts?

[GoBlue!]

Hey all,

I posted another thread asking for instructors near Hilo, but the friends that I'm helping out are willing to pretty much drive anywhere (well, 3hrs or so) on the big island for the right shop.

Needed: Recommendation for a great, thorough instructor to do the checkout dives for a couple of awesome, intelligent, fun-loving folks who will have received NAUI classroom/pool training prior to coming to Hawaii.

The closer to Hilo the better, but they'd be willing to drive quite some distance to spend a weekend on the water on the other side of the island, if that's where the great instructors are. A reasonably priced shop (for charters) would also be nice, and they'd probably prefer to avoid cattle boats....

Suggestions?

Jim

 

[Wildcard]

There is only a couple of dive shops on the Hilo side and the surf there limits diving a lot. Expect to go to Kona for open water instruction. Not sure who deals with NAUI there. The market is tight so most shops go out of there way to do a good job. Avoid Kohola divers.

 

[GoBlue!]

Yep, that's what I've heard....that they should head to Kona.

Not sure it really matters if the shop is NAUI/PADI....seems that PADI shops would take a NAUI universal referral, don't ya think? Anyway, recs for Kona or anywhere else along the way would be great.

Jim

 

[ryt]

I would recommend Philip Caporusso at East Hawaii Divers, 808-965-7840. He dives most Hilo. If you are bent on going to Kona though, I would recommend Kona-Honu Divers, Kohala Coast Divers, or Big Island Divers. All are great places. But still, of all of those I would recommend Phil.

The problem with Hilo is that there is no dive boats, its all shore diving. Of course I only shore dive, and usually, when I go to a kona spot, end up shorediving next to a dive boat (lame if you ask me).So if you do go with Phil it would only be shore dives, but thats not that big of a deal in hawaii since there just really isn't that many more places you can go with a boat since the island drops off pretty quick. Phil is also Naui if that actually makes a difference...

 

[friscuba]

Not sure it really matters if the shop is NAUI/PADI....seems that PADI shops would take a NAUI universal referral, don't ya think?
Jim

Be aware that PADI didn't sign on to the universal referral program. If the shop has a universal referral instructor on board (many instructors are affiliated with several agencies), it won't be a problem, but definitly check first. some shops may want to pull a switch and switch their agency certifications.

 

[ryt]

wildcard: hate to got off-topic, but why avoid kohala divers? I have had all positive experiences with them, although I really only go there for fills when i dive around puako/mahukona