Seeking referral suggestions for 10-year-old junior diver, finishing PADI cert.

[kbCreative]

When my son turned 10, we asked him if he wanted to get certified. He said he did, so we signed him up. He's a smart kid, so the classroom stuff was a breeze for him, but he struggled a bit with the confined water skills at first and built up some frustration with the process. He finished up his confined water portion last weekend and we'd like to take him somewhere in the Caribbean for his open water certification dives. We're thinking it will get him more excited for the sport and help him overcome his past frustration more easily than diving in a quarry (the usual locale in these parts).

So, any suggestions for a place that can accommodate his junior restrictions and still have fun things to see at shallower depths? We were thinking perhaps Grand Cayman? But definitely open to suggestions. Also would love recommendations for dive operations that will be okay with taking his referral and have kid-sized equipment available to rent.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Alex777]

When my son turned 10, we asked him if he wanted to get certified. He said he did, so we signed him up. He's a smart kid, so the classroom stuff was a breeze for him, but he struggled a bit with the confined water skills at first and built up some frustration with the process. He finished up his confined water portion last weekend and we'd like to take him somewhere in the Caribbean for his open water certification dives. We're thinking it will get him more excited for the sport and help him overcome his past frustration more easily than diving in a quarry (the usual locale in these parts).

So, any suggestions for a place that can accommodate his junior restrictions and still have fun things to see at shallower depths? We were thinking perhaps Grand Cayman? But definitely open to suggestions. Also would love recommendations for dive operations that will be okay with taking his referral and have kid-sized equipment available to rent.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I hired Sally at Don Foster's on Grand Cayman to teach my 10-year-old earlier this year and I am glad I did. She did a great job and I can recommend her without reservation. I imagine she would be fine with a referral. Don't know if they have kid-size gear for rent.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Sunset House at Grand Cayman has a familiarity with kids. Also consider Akumal dive shop, Akumal MX. And finally, don't overlook the Florida keys. The upper keys diving in Pennecamp park is almost all 40 feet and shallower.
DivemasterDennis

 

[kbCreative]

Much appreciated.

 

[mikeycanuk]

NONONONONONO on the Akumal dive shop!!!!!

Luis Ramon lost our just turned 10 son on our first open water dive. Our son surfaced 20 minutes later when his air got low. He had taken the Padi seal team five pool lessons at home so he had more experience than us.

Our first OPW dive was in rather rough seas so the vis was probably lower than usual. We got in the water and me, my wife and son descended. Luis then proceeded to swim away at speed leaving us to follow. My son said he saw something -stopped- unknown to us, and when we turned around a minute later our son was gone. Luis had no idea, as he was barreling along ahead of us. I had to grab his leg to let him know our son had disappeared. We had never even heard of the Buddy system in our training at Akumal Dive shop. My wife and I were completely panicked and surfaced immediately, screaming to the boat captain. We were sure our son was going to die in this choppy sea. My wife was completely traumatized and I was throwing up over the side. An agonizing 20 minutes later, we saw our son's head pop up in the waves a long distance away. By the grace of God he had remembered the 5 Padi seal team lessons about surfacing at 500 PSI. He had kept his cool, and that kept him alive. Do not under any circumstances trust your child to this dive shop, or for that matter any where in Mexico. Not only did we go through this trauma because of incompetence, we never received any log book. We had to contact them when we returned to Canada to get a scan of our Padi file, showing our classroom work and dives.




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[koozemani]

I've been looking into Hawaii for my son's jr ow next summer. Our reasoning is that we are looking for somewhere with great easy snorkelling to keep his younger brother, who is only 8, included.

---------- Post Merged at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:12 PM ----------

And they relly want to see volcanoes

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

I know a lot of suitable dive operators who would be suitable. I myself have been teaching for 20 years, just hung up my fins.
I have now made it my profession placing divers with suitable resorts for their diving needs. Let me know if you would like suitable suggestions. Important in selecting your destination
1) What time of year do you plan on going? weather effects diving a lot throughout the Caribbean.
2) What is the most convenient international airport for you to travel from.

Take a look at my website
Bryan Cunningham
SCUBA DESTINATION DEALS - HOME

 

[supergaijin]

Do not under any circumstances trust your child to this dive shop, or for that matter any where in Mexico.

That's a pretty broad brush stroke just there. Did you have similar diving experiences all over Mexico?

 

[tkaelin]

What about Bonaire? We took our kids 12 & 15 for their open water dives in Bonaire and it was perfect. We dove thru Capt Dons and having the shore diving in shallows in calm protected water made the diving safe and comfortable. They had 50s and 63s. Just a thought.