Greetings

[don_ky]

Hi all,
I am not yet certified but plan on doing so this summer.
I joined the board looking for advise and suggestions.
Here in KY they do the open water training in rock quarries.
The local centers are SSI and not PADI.
Can anyone comment on if that is a plus, minus, or irrelevent?

Thanks and I hope to get some saltwater dive training the next time I make it to FL.

DKY

 

[PePaw]

Welcome Aboard !
Where are you at in Kentucky ?

 

[Ocean One]

Welcome to the ScubaBoard! KY meant Kentucky...Had me worried there for a monment!
Find an Instructor that you like and trust the system will take care of it's self. They'll all get you underwater......

 

[nkydiver]

Hello and welcome to the board.

Where abouts are you at in Kentucky? I'm up in Florence, near Cincinnati. If you're ever up this way, just let me know. We have groups that dive pretty much every weekend, year round. Around here we do mostly quarries, but we do have trips that run down to Florida, North Carolin, and pretty much everywhere else.

As far as SSI vs. PADI vs. anybody else, the instructor is more important than the affiliation. The cards are universal. What you really want to do is talk to the shop, then talk to the instructors, find one you like, and go with them. For example, I was certified as a SSI open water diver, did my advanced open waters through PADI, came back to SSI for my DiveCon rating, got my solo diver card through SDI, but now I'm an NAUI instructor.

If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask, and again, welcome to the sport.

John

 

[center10]

In the end, "interview," the dive shop and staff. These are the people you will be diving with, you hsd better like them. As for PADI/SSI/NAUI....as stated before, doesn't make a difference as long as you are comfortable with the instructor. BTW, I am also a DiveCon with SSI and my daughter went through both the SSI and PADI children's programs .... she is now 10 and a certified O/W diver.

 

[Diving Doc]

as center said, talk to the guys and see who you are most comfortable with. IMHO, and there will be those who choose to argue this, there is no such thing as one agency being better than the other, its the instructor and dive centre that count!

PS welcome to the site from sunny England!! and good luck with the course

 

[Land Locked]

Welcome to SB Don! If you're near Lousiville for the July 4th weekend, come on out to FRP and meet up with some other KPP divers! We would be glad to meet you and discuss some diving. Just ignore the riding the donkey comments in the 4th thread, it will not apply to you until KPP diver initiation!

 

[don_ky]

Thaks to all for your kind welcomes.
I am in the Louisville area.
Any suggestions on training centers?
I've looked at Paradise Divers and Ky Diving HQ.
Land Locked, is FRP Falling Rock Park in La Grange?

D

 

[Land Locked]

Land Locked, is FRP Falling Rock Park in La Grange?
D

That would be the place! Come on out this weekend and meet some of the locals.

Shops on this side of the river,
http://www.louisvillescubadive.com/
http://www.paradisediver.com/
http://www.kydivinghq.com/

I'll be driving a white Pontiac van with a "Got Water?" sticker on the back. You can ask many of the local divers about their choice of shops and instructors. Hope to see you there!

 

[Scuba Sciences]

Hi DKY,

There are many different agencies for teaching scuba classes (PADI, SSI, ANDI, NAUI, etc.). You need to make sure the class that is offered will make you comfortable with your diving skills. The Instructors and Dive Masters have a lot to do with that, not the agency's name.

At my store, any diver is welcome for trips and/or classes. As long as they have a recognized card, we're good to go!

Good Luck with your classes!