Moving to Utila...tips?

[Scuba-Jay]

John I appreciate your input, although i will tell you....

After spending countless hours researching IDC locations across the globe I discovered UDC and contacted Andy by phone (he didn't try to recruit me). Despite having what I could call a great "interview" I continued to do my research into his facility, as I'm suspicious by nature and want to have all my bases covered. After 2 weeks of emails, threads, boards, google searches and phone calls I am yet to find a single person (except maybe you) who had anything other than positive remarks for Andy Phillips and Utila Dive Center. In addition, most people have nothing but positive remarks about Utila itself...the diving, the "community" and indeed the general standards of living. It may be you had a poor experience when it comes to the Bay Islands, and its 100% your prerogative to share that here on the boards, but I for one am heading out there, and cant wait. Besides, Andy knows I'm brining my dog, and if Andy isn't as great as he seems ill just let my dog take a bite out of him!!!!

(=

Jay

 

[parrotheaddiver]

and PLEASE remember to have your dog tested for heartworms and if negative put him or her on a heartworm prevenative and never ever take him off....lots of skeeters in the tropics....:11:

 

[JohnTalbot]

I concur with parrotheaddiver about the heartworm medicine its vital once youre there& a tick collar, also if youre travelling in a cold country you may need a acclimation certificate from your airline, check it out.

My critique was on the dive industry as a whole, in fact it was BICD that did the most "damage" to me by not filing my instructor papers and PADI Americas in not processing them in a timely manner(May to October to process Instructor papers & December to get your Instructor cards is not acceptable in my books).

Perhaps Andy felt it was his dive shop in particular I was mentioning, my feeling is the whole dive industry is like that, if id had a specific beef with UDC id have named them by name, if i was going to mention any shop it would have been BICD due to the amount of $$$ involved.

True, i did go to UDC and cancelled my package, and Andy knows why i did, and im trying to take the high road here and not slag individual shops, but to comment on why im not there without knowing why is just inviting criticism. Its easier to attack the messenger than address the "real" concerns, to say that the dive industry could not improve on its service or that Utila could not improve its value and friendliness is ridiculous.

I would have loved the opportunity for my "attitude" to have prevented me from working, but as I mentioned, the delays combined with a slow summer and the tradional lull coming, like alot of instructors there, it just didnt make $$$ sense to stay.

But the reality is the dive industry, like real estate and others relies on turnover, diving in general has a big dropout rate and the average instructor lasts about 2 years, so they have to keep feeding the mill, and one of the ways they do this is on this site, think about the motives behind the words.

My intention is not to keep you from going to Utila, its just to have your eyes open, for example the two vets on Utila, though i think theyre great people, missed the fact that my dog had a simple ear infection for months, and my cat had filled anal glands that were causing him to lick his fur off, they said it was nothing to worry about. Both easily fixed back in the "real" world. So its things like that to consider when bringing your dog down, as services we take for granted wont be there.

I hope your trip goes well and some of the things that happened to me dont happen to you. But if youve booked all your courses up front, you'll see first-hand what im saying when the next crop of potential open water students come by.

By the way, the vet in sps name is spelled Sarynela.

good luck

 

[GoProHonduras]

Errrr maybe you should leave the dog at home Jay!!!! LOL!!!

And John, I'll choose the dive industry over real estate anyday!!!! I do agree with you on one point though, there is always room for improvement.

Warm regards,
Andy

 

[Scuba-Jay]

See, now we're all friend again! Hurray!! (=

 

[diver567]

Hi Jay,

Glad to hear you are coming to Utila - I am a dog owner on the island - although I didn't bring it here, the care he gets from the vets here (who offer a free service - donations only by the way) is wonderful. The talk of poisoning is true but you just need to be careful and use common sense. Try and find an apartment/house with friendly neighbors and you'll be fine.

Incidentally I am also a dive instructor and have been gainfully employed in the dive industry for 6 years now. I love it - I love the people, I love the lifestyle and I'll be honest - I like making money too. However, (and here's the secret John) I make money by giving a **** and looking after people! Isn't it amazing - people actually hang out and dive for longer (and spend more money) with my colleagues and I when they're having fun and seeing the value of the amazing experiences we offer as dive professionals.

Jay - I look forward to meeting you and hopefully your dog. John, spend a little less time on scubaboard and a little more with the divers and see what happens!

Cheers.

 

[ZenDiva]

Jay what diver 567 says is very true and I agree w/ that last statement about g iving a hoot.....like I told you in my PM..the thing that will make a BIG BIG difference...is for you to learn the fish, be able to find the fish, study the fish..........and also learn the dive sites like the back of your hand........

I know w/out a doubt that I can go diving anytime, anyplace around that Island w/ Steve or Matt and I am safe, they will find the most amazing creatures to point out to me, and after the dive, point them out in the book so I can read about them....

I have experienced 2 working w/ 2 other instructors...and I will do all of my future certifications w/ Matt or Steve.....becuase I know w/out a doubt that they will make sure that I am well prepared for the course, I"ll know and learn what I'm supposed to...and I'll be a better diver for having had the experience and the pleasure of diving w/ them........they are my Fav dive buddies!!! I would dive anywhere in this world w/ either one of them!

 

[annasea]

<snip>

I have experienced 2 working w/ 2 other instructors...and I will do all of my future certifications w/ Matt or Steve.....becuase I know w/out a doubt that they will make sure that I am well prepared for the course, I"ll know and learn what I'm supposed to...and I'll be a better diver for having had the experience and the pleasure of diving w/ them........they are my Fav dive buddies!!! I would dive anywhere in this world w/ either one of them!

Most excellent! Glad you found them, Diva!

 

[JohnTalbot]

Again, you people miss the point of my posting, my critique was on the way the dive industry treats its customers and my experiences with the dive shopS on the island, not on my current employment as a dive instructor. Its kind of hard to work when you dont have your approval from PADI(or does this board advise flouting PADI's rules and working as an instructor prior to PADI's approval) because your CD didnt file your paperwork, when you ask if hes faxed it to PADI he lies to your face and says 'YES", after PADI hasnt received it you go check his files, and theyre a motley mess of jumbled papers in a grapefruit box!!!

Had I received my papers in a timely manner, im sure id be working somewhere in the Bay Islands, and when i had divers with me i did give a **** because i had PLENTY of experiences where my DM's or shop didn't. Like i said, once they have your money, youre invisible. If you take the time to actually read my posts you'll notice I did not whine about shop X or Y not hiring me, I had to leave before i could apply to even one dive shop. I gave my experiences and opinion on the dive industry, not just on Utila, but since the question was about Utila, i focused on that.

As for the vet care, they did a good job with vaccinatons but to have a dog bleeding on his head for months from shaking his ears and after going online myself and finding the diagnosis of ear infection and ask them about it, and all they can say is they dont know, i find that strange. Not to mention what my cat went through, those glands would have burst and hed have died and wouldnt have known why.

 

[diver567]

The divers John, the divers!!!