Moving to DC in May, need a good shop

[Marlinspike]

Just back on topic here a little bit. I've heard good things about National Diving Center in DC. I've never been there, but talked to a couple dive buddies who have been and had good service by people who knew what they were doing. Apparently, the prices were even decent for services.

National Diving Center 4932 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016 202-363-6123

Chris
PS: Welcome to all of the new divers. And quarry diving isn't bad at all. Not the amount of life you get in carribbean or tropical locales, but it's good to get under and work on skills.

uhh... in other words, you have never been in that shop, have never done business with them, and have no firsthand knowledge but are willing to recommend it? Nice.

 

[occrider]

Ok thanks for the tips, I'll check them out. All my friends think I'm insane for wanting to dive around the mid-atlantic (they think I'm crazy for wanting to dive even NC), but I think I caught the diving bug ... I should be able to buy my equipment in another month .

Hey occrider,
There are plenty of dives out of oc MD. that are neither technical nor low vis. The rub with the mid atlantic is you could have 15 to 50 offshore, or you could have 1. Life is like a box of chocolate. The charter boat ocdiver goes out of oc inlet, and the boat to dive for goes out of indian river. Both of these boats offer ocean diving from 25fsw to full on tech. Good luck.
both operators can be found on the web
Eric

 

[idratherbedivin]

I did my OW at the National Dive Center. I thought it was a pretty good shop. I learned a ton in my class and had plenty of pool time, so the class was great. The actual shop is a little bit small and is not really friendly but is not a bad place at all. I prefer Splash Dive Center in Alexandria. I have also heard great things about The Dive Shop in Fairfax and will be going over there to check it out this week. I have a friend who is loyal to that shop and I trust him so I'm sure it will be a great shop.

 

[SteFord]

There are a good number of shops in the "DC Area" depending upon how larger a circle you draw around DC proper.

It's a cheap shot to say all of the dive shops in the area are bad or their attitudes are bad or that they don't do what you want. Much better to say Shop "A" gave me a nitrox mix of 75% when I asked for 32 and wouldn't fix it when I analyzed my tank, Shop "B" told me that only their Kool Aid is approved by the national scuba police association, etc.

Not very helpful to tell someone moving to a rather large metropolitan area that there's no one to fulfill their diving needs - when they're already on their way and looking to continue diving. Certainly there are several shops within a reasonable drive of the Pentagon that could provide for his EEE's.

Like some of the others above, I've been to most of the shops in the area. At any given moment any one of them might be too busy to cater to my every whim, but I think they all try. The owners of the shops would appreciate knowing when they don't meet your needs, or when their employees treat you wrong. If "Jimmy" isn't toeing the line, it's not fair to tar the entire community - everyone suffers, except "Jimmy."

 

[msav]

FWIW, I'll add Sterling Silver Scuba (http://www.silverdivers.com, out near Dulles Airport) to the list. Ended up there because my wife wanted to try/buy a Bare wetsuit and were very pleased with their attitude - Dan at the store was very helpful for us newbies (unlike a number of the other shops we visited in the Columbia/Baltimore area whose 1st approach was to steer us to the most expensive thing in stock!). My son and I did our class and pool with them (did OW in Ft.Lauderdale...) just recently and loved it so much we bought a bunch of equipment even before our OW.

 

[cornfed]

FWIW, I'll add Sterling Silver Scuba (http://www.silverdivers.com,

There website has these really annoying bubbles that float across it. I think I'm going to puke...

 

[aprils0909]

Yes to The Dive Shop in Fairfax. Got my cert through them. Great group, very nice people. They have lots of theme dives like BBQs, underwater pumpkin carving, etc. Every Sunday are the "Fun Dives." I plan to go to those once it gets warmer.

 

[NAVY21]

hey guys I just wanted to thank you again for all the help! haha Dive shops up here aren't always the nicest and customer friendly places either (or they are filled with dive shop owners and employees that like one brand or style and are shut off to everything else)...hope to be diving with you guys in just about 2 weeks!

Drew

 

[cmalinowski]

uhh... in other words, you have never been in that shop, have never done business with them, and have no firsthand knowledge but are willing to recommend it? Nice.

Nice attitude. What did I say that was so wrong? I never said it was a great shop. I said I heard good things about it. I Figured it was worth the person checking out. I trust what my buddies with first hand knowledge tell me. I met one of the people that works at the shop at bainbridge last week. Seemed decent enough for the five minutes we talked.

Since we know that you hate all DC shops and have looked at them, we know your opinion... and it was thorough. My suggestion is for this guy to possibly check out Nat'l Dive Center on his own. Don't take mine or your word for it.

I've also heard good things about splash, but that was already mentioned in the thread. And since I haven't actually been there, the opinion is worthless to you anyway. But since NAVY21 is willing to take third-hand accounts and opinions, does it make a difference if I say it or my buddies say it? It's just as anonymous to him.

Chris

 

[Marlinspike]

Since we know that you hate all DC shops and have looked at them, we know your opinion... and it was thorough. My suggestion is for this guy to possibly check out Nat'l Dive Center on his own. Don't take mine or your word for it.
Chris

Yup, I agree, and if you look at my first post on this thread, I mention how I am glad people have had experiences different from mine.

Personally, I am driving my gear down to NC this weekend to get it serviced by people who know what they are doing, will have my gear back to me when they said, and wont give me attitude. That is 5 regulators, 4 sets of doubles and 5 stage bottles. Do the math on cost. Thats my money being spent somewhere other than a DC dive shop.

~Marlinspike