Referrals and getting OW Cert. in Maui

[dsteding]

Another option in the Lahaina area is ScubaBoard's own kidspot. He's an IANTD instructor, and I'm not sure about the crossover issues, if any, but he's a superb instructor, a beautiful diver, and I dove with a couple of his newly certified students the last time we were over there, and I was impressed.

He's handling my GF's NAUI referral, so I'm pretty sure he could do PADI.

GREAT guy. I specifically tracked him down when my girlfriend said she wanted to get certified-but didn't want to do her checkout dives in the cold water of the PNW.


Aloha Shore Divers


He'll be a bit more intense and comprehensive than most OW instructors, but you'll get a good education moving forward.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Thanks guys.

We looked at both Doug and B&B and the wife liked B&B better, so we'll be contacting them to ensure they can do our PADI OW cert.

Again, thanks for all your help!

You will be very happy with B&B as you would have Doug. Enjoy, you're in very good hands.

 

[Nogard13]

It's about a 45 minute drive from Kaanapali to the Kihei boat ramp. And B&B leaves around 6AM - most boats do since the tradewinds kick up around noon for the trip back. As good as B&B are, I can't see doing that for the several days it would take you to get certified.

Also Shaka Doug can't pick you up that far north due to his permit, afaik, he can't work north of Maalea (or maybe farther south?)

A couple of options in the Lahaina area are Extended Horizons or Lahaina Divers. Since you mentioned motion sickness - Lahaina has the biggest stable boats. They mostly go to Lanai. Not that that's bad, one of the top dives off Maui is the Cathedrals off Lanai. And they're 50' so will be within your certification range.

Extended Horizons typically does a more advannced dive in the morning followed by classes/shallow diving in the afternoon. You can also try a shoredive with Pacific Dive in Lahaina. Old Airport Beach is a good site. Or dive Black Rock at the Sheraton - they have their own on-site operator.

Wow, that early? I guess I didn't know about the trade winds and such. It's good to know that there are options closer to where we'll be staying, even if it only takes 45 mins to drive to the options further south. Thanks for the info!

Another option in the Lahaina area is ScubaBoard's own kidspot. He's an IANTD instructor, and I'm not sure about the crossover issues, if any, but he's a superb instructor, a beautiful diver, and I dove with a couple of his newly certified students the last time we were over there, and I was impressed.

Kidspot, what are you trying to say? LOL

Actually, the wife would feel more comfortable in a closer location, and maybe even with a shore dive. I'll look into this as well!

 

[KrisB]

FWIW, B&B also does some training off the shore, and I suspect it's a later than 6am start for that -- since their instructors are finishing up at the beach the same time as the rest of us that start between 7 and 8am. Providing they schedule things as efficiently as everybody else, it's only two days that you'd have to drive down for a referral -- with two dives each day.

I, too, would be more than willing to take you diving -- I sent you a PM about this already.

Cheers,

-kb

 

[FailedExistence]

I, too, would be more than willing to take you diving -- I sent you a PM about this already.

I have been going back and forth about getting the certification completed here, or getting the referral and going to Hawaii to finish it up. As we have only a week there, and it's our first time, I am leaning towards finishing it up here - but I'd be interested in knowing if anyone has used Kris's services. Seems like a more one on one type thing if I am not mistaken, but I don't really understand it so I could be WAY off.

 

[KrisB]

I have been going back and forth about getting the certification completed here, or getting the referral and going to Hawaii to finish it up. As we have only a week there, and it's our first time, I am leaning towards finishing it up here - but I'd be interested in knowing if anyone has used Kris's services. Seems like a more one on one type thing if I am not mistaken, but I don't really understand it so I could be WAY off.

Since I don't know if they're reading this, I can refer you to two separate Scubaboard members that I've worked with: "Oside Jimc" and sfbarry

Typically it ends up being an exceptionally small group -- the most I'd usually take is 4 divers at a time unless they approached me together wanting a family of 5 to dive together.

 

[Nogard13]

I have been going back and forth about getting the certification completed here, or getting the referral and going to Hawaii to finish it up. As we have only a week there, and it's our first time, I am leaning towards finishing it up here - but I'd be interested in knowing if anyone has used Kris's services. Seems like a more one on one type thing if I am not mistaken, but I don't really understand it so I could be WAY off.

We were the same way. We thought that the cert dives were all about doing the techniques we learned in class but our instructor here told us that we might spend 5-10 minutes doing skills and techniques and then the rest you just enjoy the dive. That's why we decided to get our cert there, where the water is war, as opposed to here were it's still quite cold.

Kris,

I've spoken to the wife and she asked for some referrals. I'll contact the two people on this board who you've mentioned and get back with you about the dives.

 

[KrisB]

We were the same way. We thought that the cert dives were all about doing the techniques we learned in class but our instructor here told us that we might spend 5-10 minutes doing skills and techniques and then the rest you just enjoy the dive. That's why we decided to get our cert there, where the water is war, as opposed to here were it's still quite cold.

That's pretty much accurate. A couple of the dives (2 & 3) have more skills than the others, but as long as you've got things mastered in the pool, at least half of our time underwater is part of the tour. With each dive being 45-60 minutes usually (depending on air consumption), we usually get plenty of time to check out the reef and marine life.

I've spoken to the wife and she asked for some referrals. I'll contact the two people on this board who you've mentioned and get back with you about the dives.

Sounds good. Sean (sfbarry) will actually be back in mid-July and he's already scheduling more training with me, so you may get to meet him, too!

 

[TudorMatt]

Nogard,

My Wife and I took our Nitrox course with Kris and were very pleased. In fact when Kris gets back from the freezing cold I plan on calling him for continuing education! PM if you would like more info.

 

[NudiHuntrs]

I have used the scopolamine patch for seasickness and it was very effective for me. One patch lasts about 72 hours. Last I checked, you still need a prescription to get it. The patch needs to be applied several hours before boarding the boat to get a decent level of the drug in your bloodstream.

I have found over-the-counter dramamine to be equally effective when taken at least an hour before boarding the boat.

Of course, everyone is different, but this has been my experience.