Deep Blue Divers (not the resort)

[DiverMikeK]

Deep Blue Divers in perfectly located between the two major bars in Utila (Coco Loco and Tranquillo). Most of the staff is quite helpful and nice...DM "G" is the true gem of the shop. She is a wonderful divemaster, she has a good eye for wildlife, and is actually fun in the water. Once you get to know "Jaki" you learn that she is incredibly nice and accommodating. I wasn't too impressed by the Course Director Phil, who doesn't seem like he wants to be there.

This was my second trip to Utila, and I have to say that on my last trip was I incredibly impressed with Utila Water Sports. The only reason I chose Deep Blue Divers because they had double tanks, which I wanted to dive with because that is all I dive with in NYC. This leads me to my little cautionary note for all of you:

NOTE:
Certainly do not expect to use their double tanks (only ones on the island as far as I know) unless you enroll in Phil's PADI tech courses. I had made arraignments ahead of time, and he had offered them to me at $10/dive extra....so I brought my backplate, bladders, dual regs, etc. with me from New York. I was greeted by countless excuses the entire time I was there and never was allowed to use them. As long as you know this ahead of time, you won't feel led-on.

 

[GoProHonduras]

For future reference Utila Dive Centre also have a full service technical diving facility and rent doubles and stages.

 

[PJP]

The countless excuss as you put it, was I was actually teaching a tec course at the time and using the twin sets. Yes you did contact me before you arrived, and I did say yes if they where available. I also mentioned that I did have a tec course the week you coming.

 

[DiverMikeK]

I may have been a little brash in how I stated my first post. You did indeed give me a warning that at some point during my stay there would be a tech course. However, I did still feel led-on at multiple times throughout my trip (mostly because the tanks were clearly not being used all the time I was diving with you and while you told me in advance that you had three sets...one was broken when I got there).

I am not saying you purposely misled me and I may have used the wrong tone in the first message. And, of course, it is not your place to bend over backwards to make it able for me to use double-tanks if you don't want to - it's your business.

What I am saying is that the whole situation would have been solved if you had told me up front "probably not" when I called. And the only reason I bring this up is because I would not have dragged my doubles gear to Honduras, had you given me this kind of information. (And, I actually didn't know that UDC had tec classes/gear.)

This is why I wanted to post here, I wanted others to be a exercise a little more due diligence in the future...I mean perhaps I should have asked more questions. Since this forum is all about helping others be better prepared, I wanted to post about it.

And, on the other hand, this should not discourage, or even affect, 99.9% of divers. As I state earlier, the two DMs I interacted with were quite good.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

One point that is worth noting - when a set of Doubles appear not to be being used it may be that they still contain an expensive Trimix blend and are therefore not available to drain to provide someone else with a chance to use them.

 

[DiverMikeK]

That is a fair point as well...which does take a long time to blend.