Scuba Diving Okinawa

[Sym]

Hi!

I'm trying to get information concerning scuba diving in Okinawa, Japan. I'm currently a renewed PADI Divemaster and I'm going to Japan for a year next year as part of my university degree. Does anyone know anything about the cost of scuba diving in Japan, or, better still, possible employment opportunities for when I'm out there? I'm hoping to spend a couple of months or more diving in Okinawa, so obviously I'm not going to want to pay tourist prices - with any luck I'll be able to get free diving by leading fun divers or even better just get a paid job as a DM whilst out there. But again, I know very little about the opportunities in Okinawa for this.

Obviously I'm getting in contact with companies in Japan but some of them are not very responsive - so anyone who knows anything about costs/employment for a DM like myself going to Okinawa please get in touch as I'd be very grateful!!

Thanks!
Sym.

 

[WaterDawg]

Your gonna love it in Okinawa! When you get here ck out www.goatdawgs.com were a small dive club w/ the best dive forum. There are many oportunities for you to dive and maybe work here. contact Doug at www.reefencounters.org, he can hook you up.

 

[neophytediver]

The SCUBA bug first bit me on Okinawa. At 11 years old I couldn't dive, but I snorkeled the h-e-double hockey sticks out of that island. Watching divers go out and under for so long set in my head that I wanted to do that. Sure, it took 14 years to realize my dream of diving but now the top of my dive destination list is Oki. Flying into Kadena on the Freedom Bird after my time was up in the ROK was tourture. We were stuck in the terminal and all I could think was "I'm home." I had half a mind to call my family that would be waiting for me at the airport and tell them that I'd be a week late....

I'll make it back someday, just not someday soon enough.

 

[Sym]

Interesting story - looks like I have much to look forward to, nes pas?
And thanks for the info WD - will check it out and swing by when the time draws nigh!

 

[phoen1c1an]

Sym, give this website a run through. Has lots of information. If you don't mind me asking, what degree involves you going there? I was stationed there and now going to college and really want to go back. I loved it. Get ready for some great scuba diving!

http://www.okinawascuba.com/

 

[jagfish]

Hi Sym
Just spent 3 weeks there, stayed in Sunabe near the seawall there. A lot depends on where you will stay and what youraccess is to water. WHere I was, all shore entry, I was able to walk to the wall with my gear, rent a tank for 5 bucks and walk into the water. Most dive sites there are eslf access, as opposed to almost anywhere else in Japan (mainland). So two tanks a day will cost you 10 bucks (most shops have Al80s and steel 10L).

If you can make a connection with someone on base at Kadena, you could get your tanks at the Scuba Locker. Rental is 1 dollars for 1 or 2 days and refils are free. That brings your diving down to almost nothing. The Goat Dogs link that was posted above was put together by the people in that shop. They are DIR if I remember right.

In the PADI camp, I would recmmend hooking up with Lawrence Byerly, he might be able to point you in a useful direction as well, in terms of diving and the possibility of work. You can tell him that I referred you (Jim Goddard). His website is:
http://hstrial-lbyerly.homestead.com/About_Us.html

I envy your opportunity. You can really dive your a** of down there, and it is world class in my opinion!

JAG