dr_katie

Hello all... this is my 1st post & hopefully my new & exciting hobby

I'm off to Belize this summer, and I have 2 weeks free to learn to dive. I was planning on doing this in the Cayes in the North.

I am a total beginner and have no knowledge at all. I a looking to complete the PADI open dive course, possibly doing the theory and pool dives here in the UK before I go.

I'm looking on the net for a diving school, but there are too many to choose from!

Does anyone have any recommendations?

How much should I be looking to pay?

Is there a school to definately avoid?

Many thanks guys!!!

Katie xxx

petershank

To have the most fun and become the happiest, safest diver, the most important thing is the personality match between you and the individual instructor. Go to as many local operators as you can, and ask a lot of questions, and choose the place (and person, if possible) that you're most comfortable with. It's hard to know which instructor is "the best," although you could ask how many divers they've certified. It's easier to know whether their temperament and style will be a good fit for yours. It's your money and time... interview them! Even if they don't know they're being interviewed.

In a related topic, choose the instructor, don't choose the organization. PADI, NAUI, SSI... it doesn't matter. Any reputable operator in Belize or around the world will accept any of those three cards to rent you a tank. Of course, if you're going to start your training at home, and finish with an operator in Belize, you have to organize that ahead of time. You might be most likely to end up with PADI, simply because of the numbers game. I don't know the UK market at all. My instructor (in the US) offered both PADI and SSI certifications, and maybe even NAUI.. I can't remember. But he recommended SSI because in his experience SSI was simply the easiest and fastest to deal with as a bureaucracy when you need to replace your lost c-card in a few years.

Have a great time!

petershank

Of course, it's now August, and you're probably already there. How did it go?