A friend wants to get OW certified...

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scubajen
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A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by scubajen »

I know I may get a lot of replies to this question!

A friend/colleague wants to get certified before a trip to Hawaii in November. So it's getting to where she's not got a lot of time to fit it in. Her boyfriend dives locally, so she wants to do her open water dives here so she may dive locally in the future.

I told her I'd get some recommendations for excellent instructors. Feel free to private message me if you'd like to keep your opinion confidential. I'd love thoughts on who she should consider.
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BillZ
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by BillZ »

Here's a link from a conversation a few weeks ago.

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21623
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LCF
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by LCF »

A lot depends on where she is in the area. As you know, traffic in the evenings can preclude attending classes very far away.
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Peter Guy
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by Peter Guy »

Depending on timing (both the friend and the trip), she should also consider doing her confined water work here and the open water dives in Hawaii as a referral.

Then, after some dives in warm, clear water, when she returns, she can be introduced to our life filled "cooler" waters.
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seattlepaul1975
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by seattlepaul1975 »

Peter Guy wrote:Depending on timing (both the friend and the trip), she should also consider doing her confined water work here and the open water dives in Hawaii as a referral.

Then, after some dives in warm, clear water, when she returns, she can be introduced to our life filled "cooler" waters.
I would vote for all dives here than go enjoy a warm dive trip.

i was talking to my wife last night about this exact idea. We both did our certs here in Seattle area and than did a trip to Thailand. She was sold on not diving here after that. She said that if she did warm first than here, she would never want to dive here again. So I would say get them hooked diving here first ;)
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scubajen
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by scubajen »

I am all about doing the open waters here. Makes a person a better diver, for one... and plus she does want to potentially dive here with her boyfriend after the trip.

Thanks for the responses! Including the link to the other recent discussion.
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BillZ
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by BillZ »

Just an heads up - If your friend wants to get certified for a trip in November she needs to get signed up ASAP. Most of the dive shop classes run for 4 weeks so that doesn't leave much time to meet her schedule.
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ljjames
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by ljjames »

you are such a crack pusher. ;)
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BillZ
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by BillZ »

If your friend is still looking for a class, I just found out that Brian (bdub on the NWDC) and Jeanna are teaching an Open Water class in October. They are two of the best instructors in the PNW. You can contact Brian on this board or their through their website at frogkickdiving.com.
Ferninster
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by Ferninster »

Sorry this is so late. I'm doing the same thing, but the best deal I found is to take the dive classes in Maui, at the Scuba Shack. For the same price as a referral class here, I'm getting a full class there with the confined dives on the beach in Kihei and the boat dives at the Molokini Crater and Black Rocks. I've also signed up for the PADI online classes for the classroom stuff. It's an additional $125, but it buys me a 1/2 day of touring the island.
KneeDeep
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Re: A friend wants to get OW certified...

Post by KneeDeep »

BillZ wrote:If your friend is still looking for a class, I just found out that Brian (bdub on the NWDC) and Jeanna are teaching an Open Water class in October. They are two of the best instructors in the PNW. You can contact Brian on this board or their through their website at frogkickdiving.com.
+1
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