We are planning a GC trip in mid June with our two boys 12 and 16 yo...They will have completed their classroom and pool instruction here in San Jose, but my husband and I are softies and have decided they will complete their Open Water Ocean work in GC rather than in Monterey...When we were here a few years ago, we dove with Danny Kupkowski with Off the Wall Divers, but I understand he has sold the business...Any recommendations as to who we should go with to get the boys certified...would need all equipment as well? We plan to be in GC for 8 days and intend to do at least another 6-10 dives or so as well...We are staying at the Beachcomber in Central SMB and will, of course, have a rental car...Thanks so much!!!!
Open Water Certification - Dive Operator Recommendation?
- Thread starter DeDe711
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Wimp! On a great day, Monterey is far better diving than Grand Cayman. If your boys do their open water dives in GC, they will probably never learn to dive cold water and so will miss out on the great diving you have right in your back yard. They really should finish their course in San Jose, then go have fun diving on your vacation rather than have to give most of it up by doing drills while kneeling on a sand bottom at 25'.
I just got back to the bay area after 3 months of living and diving on Little Cayman and now I can't wait to get in the water at Point Lobos.
I just got back to the bay area after 3 months of living and diving on Little Cayman and now I can't wait to get in the water at Point Lobos.
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If you liked Danny, my first choice would be the people he's now affiliated with - Lobster Pot Dive Center. He's co-owner with Nick from Deep Blue and Giles from Wall to Wall - I recommend them often. All of them are instructors plus several others including one IDC Staff Instructor on staff. Lobster Pot Dive Center - About Us | They probably certify on Cheeseburger Reef since it's off their dock. Rental gear is ScubaPro and Aqualung Titan's.
Another recommendation might be Ambassador - they're at Comfort Suites so the pool is convenient as needed. Jason has a good reputation. Lastly Happy Fish Divers teaches at Turtle Reef. No personal experience with them. You could dive there while the kids are certifying.
Another recommendation might be Ambassador - they're at Comfort Suites so the pool is convenient as needed. Jason has a good reputation. Lastly Happy Fish Divers teaches at Turtle Reef. No personal experience with them. You could dive there while the kids are certifying.
I agree with the recommendation of going with Nick (Deep Blue Divers). I have two sons (12-15) who both received their certs from Nick and his crew. They are patient and go out with about 6-8 divers max.
My oldest, who has over 50+ dives, got cert'd, we chartered the boat for his cert. It was a bit more expensive than going out with a group but at his age, I wanted to make sure my son, at his age (then 12) had at least one DM dedicated to him. Since then, we have dove with Nick 3 other times, while on vacation, all with a group and my son handles himself well.
We have been several other islands in the Caribbean and I can say that they Nick and his crew were better than the others for what I wanted and expected.
We are heading back to the Caymans in a couple of weeks and again scheduled with Nick for two weeks of diving. My youngest (11 -soon to be 12), with the support of Nick and crew is able to safely and comfortably dive with a group. He only has about 15 dives and is comfortable in the water as well.
Golfer38 (Jim)
My oldest, who has over 50+ dives, got cert'd, we chartered the boat for his cert. It was a bit more expensive than going out with a group but at his age, I wanted to make sure my son, at his age (then 12) had at least one DM dedicated to him. Since then, we have dove with Nick 3 other times, while on vacation, all with a group and my son handles himself well.
We have been several other islands in the Caribbean and I can say that they Nick and his crew were better than the others for what I wanted and expected.
We are heading back to the Caymans in a couple of weeks and again scheduled with Nick for two weeks of diving. My youngest (11 -soon to be 12), with the support of Nick and crew is able to safely and comfortably dive with a group. He only has about 15 dives and is comfortable in the water as well.
Golfer38 (Jim)
shrop3483
Cayman Aggressor IV
Sorry to see that you did not research your final decision. I (Tom Shropshire) am the new owner of Off The Wall Divers and have been in/around Cayman since the '60s and in the dive industry since 1995/96.
Danny K. is still a partner in OTWD although, he does not live on-island. Danny is also a partner in the Lobster Pot Dive Center.
I do hope you'll take time to say "hello" to myself and the staff when on the dock. We'd love to meet you.
Safe diving and best wishes! Tom Shropshire/Off The Wall Divers
FaceBook: Off The Wall Divers
Website: Off The Wall Divers - Grand Cayman Scuba Diving for small groups.
Danny K. is still a partner in OTWD although, he does not live on-island. Danny is also a partner in the Lobster Pot Dive Center.
I do hope you'll take time to say "hello" to myself and the staff when on the dock. We'd love to meet you.
Safe diving and best wishes! Tom Shropshire/Off The Wall Divers
FaceBook: Off The Wall Divers
Website: Off The Wall Divers - Grand Cayman Scuba Diving for small groups.
Doctorfish
Contributor
When did this board an advertising vehicle for commercial interests? I see that shrop3483 has been promoting his operation in several replies.
I personally would recommend Happy Fish up at Turtle Reef. I've watched them teach several times and think they are excellent.
I personally would recommend Happy Fish up at Turtle Reef. I've watched them teach several times and think they are excellent.
Look at it from Tom's point of view. The OP said she used Off the Wall previously and liked them. DiverSteve and Golfer38 then recommend several other dive ops which are for all practical purposes indistinguishable from Off the Wall. Nothing they mention provides any real advantage over the dive op she used previously and liked. So, why not recommend Off the Wall? Or, if you are unfamiliar with OTW, would it not be better to say so? The (no doubt unintended) implication is that there is something inferior about OTW.
For the record, they all do a competent, professional job.
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Agreed - so does just about every other dive operator on Cayman. I could've suggested the OP consult the entire list of 50 but she was asking for a recommendation. So I gave her three - two I personally know.
I don't have any personal experience with Tom at Off the Wall. I do with Giles which is why I recommended them. And unlike Lobster Pot, there's no clear indication that Danny is in fact still partners with Tom on the Off the Wall website - he's not listed on About Us. Op posted that he sold out. Since I don't pretend to know the ins/outs of Cayman dive shop ownership, I took that at face value.
The flpside of your argument is that she specifically mentioned Danny as well as Off the Wall. My impression was she was more interested in him than them. Actually I didn't even know of Danny unbtil the OP mentioned him - while looking at the Lobster Pot website I noticed his name. So I thought she might be interested in going where he was a partner now.
Why would I mention that I don't know Off the Wall when I don't? Maybe because I don't...
For the record, nothing Tom did was inappropriate. With the elimination of the Trips & Local Marketplace forums threads like this asking for suggestions are the appropriate place for them. Unsolicited threads started by the business are not.
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