Stuart Cove's OW Class Size?

[Whi_Tan]

Greetings board readers.

I have a specific question regarding Stuart Cove’s Open Water Certification classes. I understand that their regular tour dives (cruise ship and hotel guest) are often crowded affairs, but are their certification classes normally crowded as well - do the students join the regular masses for their cert dives?

Here is the situation: I am a certified OW diver. I did a SSI course in 2001 in Vis, Croatia (fantastic!!), then in 2006 I completed a PADI OW course here I Ontario with my check dives in Cozumel, Mexico. Alas, I’ve not been in the water since.

My wife, who I met in 2007, is not certified. She snorkels and has agreed to finally get certified, as I always go on about how much better diving is than snorkeling. Since her parents have a house in Sandy Port, Nassau makes for a fairly inexpensive vacation / OW cert spot. There is also another couple joining us.

The plan is for my wife and our friends to do the 4 day OW cert, while I complete my AOW (after doing a local refresher prior to our trip). Then, we would schedule a 5th day for the 4 of us to dive together, and perhaps a shark feed dive.

Edit - We're looking at early May for this trip.

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? Do the students get separate boats for their cert dives than the cruise crowd? What is the instructor to student in water ratio as Cove’s?

It has also crossed my mind that instead of doing my AOW, I’d just do some regular dives while my wife and friends are in class, then do a 5th day together. That way my wife and I can do AOW together - if she decides to continue diving. Along those lines, do you think there is a possibility of actually joining my wife on her OW cert dives?

Edit 2 - I am somewhat familiar with Stuart Cove's in general, as I treated the couple mentioned above, as well as myself and my parents to the Sub Bahamas trip last May, on the morning of my wedding. (She was my 'Best Man') My wife, of course was getting papmpered at this time, and was not on the trip.

Any insight, suggestion or criticism is welcome.

 

[mikediveguy]

why dont you have your wife and friends do their class and pool at home , then just 2 days of diving class in Nassau ? more time together!

 

[Whi_Tan]

Mostly due to time committments and scheduling restraints. That and the fact that our friends are 450km away from us, and my wife would prefer to do all the classes and sessions with them.

Everyone can get together in Nassau!

 

[SoccerJeni]

Hi! I was certified at Stuart's Cove! It was a great experience. I did all my pool & class sessions in Kansas City, then did my OW dives with a young man at Stuart's Cove. It was January 2007 when I was there. We only dove 2 days, just the OW classes with them.

Both days there were other divers on the boat. And both days my friend and I were the only OW students there. There was plenty of room on the boat, more than enough! I want to say there were about 6-8 other divers that were already certified, plus a photographer. But the boat was huge, and we even went on the upstairs area several times to do some of our discussions & log books between dives. All and all I was VERY HAPPY with them!

I'm not sure about your wife...but I thought I would mention that for me, doing the shark dive right after my OW dives would have been a little much for me. But, everyone's different.

 

[underachiever]

Couple of suggestions. or more maybe?
(1)Contact the dive operator with your questions about them.

(2)You may want to get a few more dives in before doing your AOW. And also to do the AOW with your wife.

My wife and I got our OW together and about 50 dives later got our AOW and nitrox cert. together. We are both approcahing 200 dives together as well. I have about 10 more than her since she allowed to go to Cozumel last year alone to do my Rescue cert.

Have not been to Bahamas yet but really want to go. We want to go on the dolphin trip. Not sure if it from the same island as you are on.

Also agree with the doing the class room portion of the classes ahead of time if at all possible. You can even do them online. Or if your wife is wanting someone she knows to be in the class a local dive shop MIGHT let your audit the class for free. (especially since you stated you could use a refresher) Then all of you do the checkout dives together. I am sure they would let you tag along on the open water checkout dives for the other 3 students. Do not waste precious island time in a classroom.

Either way. Have fun and dive safe.