Scuba certified

Cane Bay Dive shop is very good and have great staff. N2theBlue is another shop in Frederiksted with a good reputation but I haven't personally been there. I think an open water course is around $500 from a shop now - you might be able to find an instructor working on their own that would charge less, but make sure they are current with a legitimate certification agency (PADI or NAUI) and insured.

Thanks!

You have a few months before your move so check out your local area as there is a lot of the initial work and book-learning you can do before you arrive. A lot of visitors do exactly that so that when they get here for their vacation they've already done a lot of the "grunt work" involved.

You can take the PADI courses online and then do an open water certification in St. Croix.

You can take the PADI courses online and then do an open water certification in St. Croix.

My son-in-law did it this way. Worked out well and turned out to be cheaper. He used Dive Experience here.

Definitely do the PADI e learning. The open water course is $169.00 and you can get it done in about a week. Otherwise you'll spend more than that in a classroom. I don't know anyone who doesn't do the e learning. You can do it at your own pace too.

Personally, I have always preferred a classroom situation where you have interaction between students and teachers. I find it way more fulfilling and educational. Plus, if you're not sure of something you can ask questions. Just my preference.

WOW it has gone up for Open Water cert.....

It was about $120.00 just a few years ago. PADI Put Another Dollar In.

Personally, I have always preferred a classroom situation where you have interaction between students and teachers. I find it way more fulfilling and educational. Plus, if you're not sure of something you can ask questions. Just my preference.

Here's the problem with classroom especially here. If all the instructors are in the water they'll have to wait until one is available. That's why most if not all do the e learning. A dive shop is not going to cancel dive trips just to teach one student in the classroom. It will take forever.

I did elearning online and the dives on St Croix. I use St Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventures (SCUBA). They have bigger boats so they can go to any dove site and great instructors. Plus you get a cold beer if you want when you are done diving for the day.

I know two PADI staff IDC instructors, husband & wife, that are insured and do over 100 certifications per year.....They both have many years of experience
If interested PM me and I'll give you their contact information

Personally, I have always preferred a classroom situation where you have interaction between students and teachers. I find it way more fulfilling and educational. Plus, if you're not sure of something you can ask questions. Just my preference.

Here's the problem with classroom especially here. If all the instructors are in the water they'll have to wait until one is available. That's why most if not all do the e learning. A dive shop is not going to cancel dive trips just to teach one student in the classroom. It will take forever.

We took classes in the evening. Everyone worked during the day.
Same thing when studying for ocean operators license. Evening classes, work all day, study, take classes, work.

Here's the guy that originally certified me for SCUBA.
Armando Jenik
http://www.blurb.com/b/3665463-british-virgin-islands-living-waters

I was lucky to have someone of his caliber and knowledge back in
the 70's as an instructor. He ran his own dive business and as you can see became extremely successful.

Here's another example of his photography.
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/armando-jenik.html

Aaaah yes. Armando as in Armando's reef. Very lucky indeed.

Armando was part of the zany cast of characters back when we all played volleyball every day at Morningstar back in the 70's - he was fearless underwater and going out diving with him was always a highlight - he was certainly an inspiration to all of us to appreciate the beauty of the underwater VI. He has achieved phenomenal success since those days!

http://armandojenik.com/resume/

A zany cast, indeed!

ZANY - I actually had to use a thesaurus to find the word that fit best and wouldn't offend my old friends - not that any of them are easily offended by much!

I don't think those times or people could be duplicated, today.
I learned to play chess from Bobby Kane. Remember the guys parachuting and landing on the beach.....most of the time anyway?

I vote cane bay also. Unless Jenny at N2theblue does it personally.

I would for sure do the relearning UNLESS you've never been diving (DSD) before. I did dozens of snuba, DSD dives and I freedive so I felt VERY comfortable in the water. So I just needed to go through the motions. As a matter of fact when I got my OW certs my instructor did all the advanced skills and boyancy skills with me too.

But for me... I'm meant to be under water. Actually rather that than on land 🙂

If you go to N2TheBlue and you're unfortunate enough to get those 2 prima donnas it will take you twice as long. If you fall an inch short on a PADI standard they will fail you and you get to do it all over again. Then they'll complain that you're wasting their time and want to be paid again.

For what its worth, if you fall short of any PADI standard, an instructor can not certify you. I would think twice before recommending someone who will let things slide.
That said, there's no need to start over from scratch- unless its the final written exam. Then you'd have to take the exam over.

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