AOW in Riverside / San Bernardino Area

[cadiver67]

Hi All,

My wife and I are looking to sign up with an AOW class in our area.

We got our basic through SDI but have had a few noses wrinkled at our SDI card. One guy turned the card over and over looking at it as if it was fake or like he had never heard of SDI before. Has anyone else had this experience?

So we want to get our advanced cards through PADI or NAUI.

We have Sport Chalet in Riverside that does PADI and there is Empire Scuba in Redlands that does PADI and NAUI.

Has anyone had any exerience with instructors at these locations - or a really good instructor at another location not terribly far away - we are willing to drive a bit.

Thanks for your help

cadiver67

 

[LauraLynnee]

Hi CaDiver-

My husband & I live down in Corona and have been to the Sport Chalet in Riverside also because we were thinking of getting our AOW. One thing that I noticed right away when speaking with their SCUBA staff is that they didn't seem very knowledgeable or experienced. One of the instructors was talking about how he just bought his first piece of equipment last week, a BC (not the type of person I want teaching AOW courses) and he had always just rented previously. Seems like someone teaching AOW should at least own their own gear. We're still in the process of looking for a place. We may end up down in O.C., there are a lot of good dive shops down there. Let me know if you find anything closer and good luck!

LauraLynnee

 

[voodoodiver]

I dive out of Scuba Schools of America (SSA) in Montclair. The stafff there has always been great give them a try.

 

[cadiver67]

Thanks Laura

I got a similar feeling when I called Sport Chalet to ask about the classes - the guy didn't know when or what classes were being offered.

I was hoping I had reached a non scuba employee filling in at the scuba department and thats why he did know what was going on, but apparently not.

Let me know if you guys find a good one in OC

Thanks
cadiver67

 

[moeronn]

I can't personally vouch for the instruction, but there is Wiley's Scuba Locker right off the 215, just north of the 91/215/60 interchange. Can't remember the exact location, but you can see it on the SB side of freeway.

I went in there and talked to Wiley one day to wait out a bit of traffic. He appears to be a "real" diver as opposed to your Sports Chalet instructor. I'm not out there all that often and didn't end up buying anything there. It might be worth checking out if you're not far.

 

[mark99]

I took a Nitrox class with Empire Scuba. I get air fills and have bought eqpt at both Empire and Wiley's. I'd say Empire is the place to go if you want to go PADI and Wiley's is the place if you want to go NAUI.

 

[cadiver67]

I can't personally vouch for the instruction, but there is Wiley's Scuba Locker right off the 215, just north of the 91/215/60 interchange.

I love Wiley's - Thats where I got my SDI basic - Thats where I buy all my gear.

Tony is great - the instructors I worked with there were wonderful.

But I don't think they do NAUI anymore - they only offered SDI when I got my basic. I will have to stop by and ask again.

 

[JodiBB]

There is a great instructor at the Sports Chalet in Rancho Cucamonga/Redlands (she teaches at both!)....If you are interested, PM me and I can give you all the details. She was my OW/AOW/Wreck specialty instructor and I would advocate her to anyone!

 

[cadiver67]

I also found Scubadoo in San Bernardino -

The owners name is Ralph - he was really cool and very knowledgeable on the phone.

They only do SSI and SDI there.