good OWD course in Florida?

[drmrouha]

Hi,
I am new to this forum, so I apologize if this is the wrong section for this question.

I am going to go to Fort Lauderdale/Key West, Florida, in June and am considering to take an OWD course to do something meaningful while there

Does anyone know of any good OWD course/instructors in either of the places? I am a non-diver, yet , so I really have no idea where to look... Considering a PADI course, but I am also open to other suggestions.

Thanks in advance for your answers:vintagediver:
Mike

 

[BCscubadive]

hi mike, any dive shop with padi with padi certified divemasters is a good bet, the training is universal and you can really go wrong with the instructors and such. the florida keys is a beutiful place to dive and im sure there is a ample amout of dive shops there, just choose one with reputable status and equipment good luck! btw im new to diving to

 

[drmrouha]

Thanks for the answer. I am planning on choosing a good PADI certified dive shop... Most probably in Fort Lauderdale. Just wanted to know/test, if someone here has had a great experience with a particular place and would recommend it.

 

[SeaHound]

hi mike, any dive shop with padi with padi certified divemasters is a good bet, the training is universal and you can really go wrong with the instructors and such. the florida keys is a beutiful place to dive and im sure there is a ample amout of dive shops there, just choose one with reputable status and equipment good luck! btw im new to diving to

I would strongly disagree with that.

I hate to name businesses here especially with the lawsuit that scubaboard is facing, but I was a believer in your philosophy myself until I got stung!

For my AOW course I went to Fort Lauderdale and chose a dive shop without recommendations from anyone. This shop knew I was coming from afar and would not be a returning customer. Here is what they tried to do:

You need five specialities to pass your AOW course and these have to be separate dives. The dive shop tried to teach me ALL five specialities in 2 dives! Later they tried to squeeze three specialities in three dives but the first dive was a shore dive. These guys were so hell bent upon saving money that if it was up to them they would have taken me for a shore dive to a wreck that was 90 ft and come back and said, "You have successfully completed ...

SHORE DIVE
WRECK DIVE
NAVIGATION
DEEP DIVE
PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY

and ...........since we encountered a drift on the way back so you also got

DRIFT DIVE

plus ..........you saw a Manta ray on the wreck so

UNDERWATER NATURALIST

plus ..........it was getting dark on the way back so

NIGHT DIVE

and ..........you dropped your knife and later picked it up therefore

SEARCH AND RECOVERY

By the end of the day the scuba industry has its share of crooks. It is best to do a lot of research before choosing an instructor especially if you are taking courses while on travel. My honest and most sincere advice to the OP

 

[TMHeimer]

drmrouha, I know you didn't ask, but a majority of folks would advise doing at least the classroom and pool sessions where you live before going if you can. If you do the whole thing down there the minimum no. of days is 4. If just the check-out (ocean) dives needed it would be 2 days (4 dives). Depends on how long you'll be in FL & if you don't mind spending your time doing it there.

 

[drmrouha]

Thanks for the honest answers:cool2: Yeah, I thought there might be some that only want to save money and just give the papers to whomever pays for them, and that's also the main reason for my questions...

I am going there for a wedding that's on a weekend and consider to stay there probably one more week. Wouldn't mind spending my time learning and so on.

I am in Nashville, TN and reckon, it would be more fun to learn in Florida. But if someone has good suggestions of shops/instructors in Nashville, would surely welcome them.

Mike

P.S.: If someone has suggestions where to go or where NOT to go, you can also PM me if you like :snorkel2: To avoid lawsuits and that kinda stupid stuff. Thanks

 

[Doc]

These guys don't have to make any excuses: Pro Dive - Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba Instructor Training

Fort Lauderdale, just off A1A and the Beach. All the bells and whistles.

 

[drmrouha]

Thanks. Will check them out :admin:

 

[NYCSurfer]

These guys don't have to make any excuses: Pro Dive - Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba Instructor Training

Fort Lauderdale, just off A1A and the Beach. All the bells and whistles.

+1 for Pro Dive*



*I haven't used them for any course work, but did several dives with them while I was in S FL for a week in February. Totally professional and exceedingly helpful on every front.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

hi mike, any dive shop with padi with padi certified divemasters is a good bet, the training is universal and you can really go wrong with the instructors and such. the florida keys is a beutiful place to dive and im sure there is a ample amout of dive shops there, just choose one with reputable status and equipment good luck! btw im new to diving to

I also agree with this, strongly. All instructors are NOT created equally.

I'd give a nod to Kevin Metz of Underwater Explorers in Boynton Beach, FL (a bit North of Fort Lauderdale) https://securec7.ezhostingserver.com/diveboyntonbeach-com/indexs.cfm

He will take the time to teach you correctly so that you will be a safe and competent diver.