SSI shop in/near Wilmington?

[cra2]

Is there an SSI shop in or near Wilmington that anyone recommends?
thanks,
cra2

 

[The Wanderer]

www.ssiusa.com

 

[herman]

A quick look at the SSI site looks like the closest ones are Fayetteville and Raleigh. I don't know anything about the one in Fay but the one in Raleigh is first rate.

 

[Kriterian]

A quick look at the SSI site looks like the closest ones are Fayetteville and Raleigh. I don't know anything about the one in Fay but the one in Raleigh is first rate.

Right on! Gypsy's rule!

 

[jdh]

Is there an SSI shop in or near Wilmington that anyone recommends?
thanks,
cra2

Out of curiosity, why do you only want an SSI shop?

Check out http://www.aquaticsafaris.com
Not SSI afaik, but so what?


John

 

[cra2]

I got cert'd SSI and would like to continue training (wreck course) with them.

 

[jdh]

I got cert'd SSI and would like to continue training (wreck course) with them.

If you are still in Central Florida, I'd suggest doing cavern/intro-to-cave as a precursor to any wreck stuff.

John

 

[Cape Fear Divers]

Is there an SSI shop in or near Wilmington that anyone recommends?
thanks,
cra2

Hi cra2--The info you've received so far seems right. The SSI shop in Raleigh is Gypsy Divers, and it is a good. one. Aquatic Safaris in Wilmington is not SSI.

Another option is my outfit, Cape Fear Divers. We are in Carolina Beach, which one of the two beach towns adjacent to Wilmington. We are primarily a dive charter boat (which we modestly think is the best in NC--a 50 foot Newton), instead of a brick-and-mortar dive shop, but we offer instruction, rental gear, etc. We can easily set you up with the wreck diver course (might be nice to do the deep diver course at the same time, if you want to). My regular instructor is PADI, and he (an excellent instructor) could do it for you through PADI, or i could line up an independent SSI instructor (that is, one not affiliated with any shop) for you, and you and the instructor could do your check out dives on our boat.

Email me if i can help.

Jim Conner
Cape Fear Divers LLC
http://www.capefeardivers.com
jimconner@earthlink.net
910-547-7620

 

[jdh]

My regular instructor is PADI, and he (an excellent instructor) could do it for you through PADI, or i could line up an independent SSI instructor (that is, one not affiliated with any shop) for you, and you and the instructor could do your check out dives on our boat.

From the SSI website:
"SSI is the only agency that requires instructors to affiliate with a full-service Authorized Dealer. "

I can understand the SSI thing from a shop owners perspective, it locks your instructors to your shop. I don't understand why any instructor or student would want to limit themselves so much though.

John

 

[Cape Fear Divers]

From the SSI website:
"SSI is the only agency that requires instructors to affiliate with a full-service Authorized Dealer. "

I can understand the SSI thing from a shop owners perspective, it locks your instructors to your shop. I don't understand why any instructor or student would want to limit themselves so much though.

John

Good catch, John. Oh well. Raleigh is only about 2 hours from Wilmington, cra2, Gypsy is a great shop, and you can certainly do the checkout dives with us in the Wilmington area. Or, again, we can do PADI course for you.