Roatan Dive Academy Internship

[Julie S]

My son will be almost 19 and is planning on working as a Divemaster/Instructor. He will finish his Divemaster work in a few weeks here in the US through a local dive center. He then plans to do an internship in Honduras with the Roatan Dive Academy AKA Subway Watersports.

He applied and was accepted to intern and will go for about two months starting in September. He plans to work full time after completion of the internship. I am wondering what is known about this organization. And if anyone has thoughts about helping a 19 year old prepare to live on his own in Roatan for two months.

BTW- He is well traveled in Europe and the US but not much south of the US.

 

[GoProHonduras]

I'm bias as I work here but if you're not yet committed check out PADI Divemaster & Scuba Instructor (IDC) Courses & Internships | GoPro Utila | Bay Islands Honduras | Caribbean and Central America. Utila is very easy to set up and plenty of 18-25 year olds on similar training programs your Son is looking into.

 

[diver 85]

One of our sons---long ago in '98--moved to Roatan @ the age of 19 to get his DM..Got it then 2 months later got his instructors @ Guanaja....Said he was going for 1 semester but moved off the island almost 4 years later,ended up @ AKR for the last 2 years, & left as a water sports director for the Wind Star Cruises....Worked for them almost 2 years then 'came back' home & worked for Peter Hughes for 2 years in the Turks & Caicos then Grenada.....Had quite a run..............

It is doable.....Get back for more specifics if needed.....

 

[Doc]

....Had quite a run..............

Stuff to do when you are young. Now that Diver85 has broken the seal on this angle of the story, what their Son experienced is not the norm in such island dreams. It is a physically very tough life, not a whole lot in terms of retirement prospects, all that.

Encourage your Son, but also understand that he might be seeking from you long-term external sources of support income (or better yet- a wealthy heiress that he meets while she is vacationing) and may quite likely enroll in Barista School upon his return to wearing shoes. It's like a way-less-glamorous Hollywood Dream.

Why not?

 

[Julie S]

One of our sons---long ago in '98--moved to Roatan @ the age of 19 to get his DM..Got it then 2 months later got his instructors @ Guanaja....Said he was going for 1 semester but moved off the island almost 4 years later,ended up @ AKR for the last 2 years, & left as a water sports director for the Wind Star Cruises....Worked for them almost 2 years then 'came back' home & worked for Peter Hughes for 2 years in the Turks & Caicos then Grenada.....Had quite a run..............

It is doable.....Get back for more specifics if needed.....

Thanks! This is encouraging!

 

[Julie S]

Stuff to do when you are young. Now that Diver85 has broken the seal on this angle of the story, what their Son experienced is not the norm in such island dreams. It is a physically very tough life, not a whole lot in terms of retirement prospects, all that.

Encourage your Son, but also understand that he might be seeking from you long-term external sources of support income (or better yet- a wealthy heiress that he meets while she is vacationing) and may quite likely enroll in Barista School upon his return to wearing shoes. It's like a way-less-glamorous Hollywood Dream.

Why not?

Thanks! This is also very helpful!

 

[Julie S]

I'm bias as I work here but if you're not yet committed check out PADI Divemaster & Scuba Instructor (IDC) Courses & Internships | GoPro Utila | Bay Islands Honduras | Caribbean and Central America. Utila is very easy to set up and plenty of 18-25 year olds on similar training programs your Son is looking into.

Thank you. He has been looking at your materials and may be in touch.

 

[diver 85]

Doc---that son worked 6 days a week--& guess what he did on his 1 day off??.......You guessed it-----went diving........Left the island with almost 4000 dives(moved there with ~125---you can do the math).......Went in pretty good shape but left out in terrific shape----swimming & hauling tanks off trucks onto dive boats did the trick.........

 

[Shawnda F]

Be aware that Subway Water Sports is somewhat isolated towards the east end of the island. If he wants to socialize with kids his own age, he may be better to do his instructor training in West End where most of the dive shops on the island are concentrated. His chances of later employment are also much better there. The two dive shops that put out the most instructors and DMT's in West End are Coconut Tree Divers , and West End Divers. Both have excellent reputations.

 

[Oldbear]

I have not heard of Subway, but they may get very well be a good facility. I have heard good things about Coconut Tree and West End. I did my DMT at Utila Dive Center and loved my month there.