Resort Course Dive Recs in PDC

[Skipraha]

In Feb, I'm headed to PDC with my wife and another couple. The other husband has gotten me into diving and I've done 3 dives so far; all on resort courses. I'm hoping to get my classroom cert. done so I can do my OW referral course in PDC, but I doubt my job is going to ease up enough to allow it.

It sounds as if Coz diving is better, but since our wives don't dive, we're staying at Adventura Spa Palace 15 mins N of PDC, and taking an entire two days to head across probably is not an option. With this background, here are my questions:

1) I've seen Divemikes, ScubaCaribe, and Sealife Divers mentioned...any other shops to be recommended in PDC...especially for resort course diving?

2) Will any shops do the course & shallow water dive combo followed by a two-tank later in the week? It sounds like Tortugas is awesome, but probably too deep. Am I wrong? If not, any recommended <60ft dives out there?

Thanks

 

[BrettM]

Skip,

I have not dove in PDC so I cannot comment on specific dive operators there. I can tell you that you should have no problem getting your certification class completed in PDC and then doing two tank dives later in the week as you feel like it.

Open Water Certification classes tend to take 3 to 4, half days. You may spend part of the first day in a pool but are likely to spend the rest of your class time in the ocean actually diving.

It is a good idea to book your certification class with the operator prior to your vacation. Determine which organization the cert will be with (PADI, NAUI, ect...) and you can purchase the basic open water certification manual from a local dive shop prior to your trip and read up.

Enjoy!

 

[yak]

Skip,

I did a PADI referral in PDC last year. I then dove a bunch including two 80 foot and one 100 foot dives. I think it depends on how comfortable you are in the water (and your skills). Many of the deeper dives (including Tortugas) also introduce you to diving in currents - requiring an additional level of awareness, but it's definitely a fun dive.

Here's my trip report - you can get a sense for the local PDC reefs (and how bad a writer I am. :34:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t26707.html

Let us know how it goes!