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Find another shop to dive with !!!
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Since you deleted my last response, you must not have liked what I said. So, I can only think you have already made up your mind and just want validation. Go ahead and do what pleases you and you let us know how it works for you. I hope it works in your favor. We hate to lose people in the hobby due to shady operators. But, it does happen. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Dale Hall (DiveBuddy Moderator)
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Sam, where were you certified, local or the tropics? Where do you intend to dive, local or the tropics? If you got certified while on vacation with 100’ viz and now want to dive in cold water with 5’ viz then there is a big difference but I would think taking an AOW locally would do, not starting from scratch.
As for no one diving with you, we have had newbi divers come on our Shark River dives. Tag along with a photographer who points out the finds and does the navigation. It’s a good intro to low viz and night diving and expands your skills. Don’t let this instructor shatter your confidence.
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Sam, if you are currently certified, then why do you need to re-certify? Like LatitudeAdjustment stated it depends where you where certified and plan to dive. But the main thing is your question "Can anyone help me become a better diver?" this is entirely up to you. Dive more, but dive SMART and learn with each dive. There is a lot of information providers (PADI, DiverAlert, Dive Medic, etc) for tips and knowledge facts. In closely, it all comes down to knowledge and experience.
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You’re being screwed. My certification class through SSI was 500 total. If his on sale price is 450 that doesn’t sound right. Basically he is saying you arent experienced in the conditions local to you and hes trying to con you into an entire new cert class to teach you how to dive in current conditions. Example:
I was certified at Vortex springs florida. I live in Chattanooga, Tn. and Wanted to dive the local river which is murky and has a visibility of 6.......Inches. The local dive shop told me I needed to take a river diving course and a boat diving course to know how to properly handle the conditions. I knew this was a scam so I went with an EXPERIENCED friend and have now logged more than 20 dives in that river. The best way to become a better diver is by diving.
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Some instructors or more thorough than others. Not necessarily one agency over the other. For that instructor to say all of that without seeing you in the water is utterly ridiculous. It sounds like he is full of himself. I would be VERY cautious in dealing with him. The fact that he said you would have to start all over without seeing you in the water would cause me to not ever use him. Who is he to say how good of a student YOU are without diving with you? If his cost of $700 INCLUDES all of your checkout costs (including hotel) then that would be a decent price. That being said, and like it was mentioned above, why re-certify when you have already certified? I personally would have laughed at him and told him to kick rocks in a MUCH, MUCH more impolite manner. Good luck.
Jerry Reese (also, a DB moderator).
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I would heavily advise going to a different shop. I could see taking anrefresher or an Advanced Scuba Diving course, but not a whole recertificaton course.
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If you feel your training was adequate to begin with instead of starting over with NAUI find another shop and continue to further your training instead of going backward.
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Find another shop that doesn’t have an instructor with such a big ego. There’s no room fo it in diving.
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