Sounds like Redleg is in Bens shop.
the joke there was that when you went into his shop, he would dive so deep and so fast into your wallet you would get the Bens, (BENDS).
I have been certified since 74 and have dozens of instructor certs. I stay as far away from dive shops as possible. I do not remember the last tiem I was in a dive shop or bought air from one. I live in Florida and one of my local dive sites is Morrison Springs. The shop has no gear for sale, and very little for rent. Thye provide air fills and diving. Often I fill tanks therer and take the boat out somewhere else. I have 7 tsanks due hydro. I have never taken one to a dive shop, I take them to to local fire safety/inspection place etc.
If you get involved in the local vol fire dept/rescue. they have a compressor. Normally a compressor that would darf a dive shops. After all when there is a fire, several truck have to get a hundred cylinders charged very quickly.
I am angry with that piece of garbage mag Dive Training. The crap on the back page about suportiing your local dive shop. It is not my responability to support a dive shop. It is the shops responability to make me want to come in. Unfortuantly, a lot o fland locked dive shops only chance at making money is to nail the first timer for gear and leasons. Shops in Hawwaii and the Keys have very little gear for sale. They know you will rent it regular when you go diving, even if only once a month. Email Dive training at
divetraing@spc-mag.com
Great places to buy gear online are divers direct and discount divers.they also offer instrucotr discounts.
the smae is bothering me about the expiration of c card garbage. Supported by dive shops to ofset their failing business ability. The industry started regulating itself with Open water certifications and instructor certifications to prevent the government from getting involved. If the shops do not stop,.. we will have to ask the government to step in to restrict the regulations!
You can buy the same gear online, scubapro sells online and in catalogs under the name of TUSA.
I am not asking for the 25 cent airfill to come back, but, perhaps it is time to bring back the traditional dive club. Dive clubs did not start with dive shops putting on a meeting trying to well trips. It begain with a group of divers pooling gear to dive. Perhaps we need to start a dive club and aquire a compressor.
Anyone interested in such a club in the Florida pan handle, please let me know.
The dive flags up and I think i have the bugs out of the outboard, so I amm heading up the Mills Pond run in Marrrianna, I havd to abort the past two days. An aborted trip on the water is better then dreaming of it in a landlocked/Midwest locations
Tanks
Drop me a line, go on a road trip and lets go diving.
Check out Vortex web site, they are about 7 miles from me, they have web cams.
www.vortexspring.com
Kris