Recommend me a dive school

[Waltha]

Hi guys,

Have been thinking getting certified for open water scuba diving and now i'm doing my homework.

After looking around some website, most people will recommend to get friendly instructors and fun learning environment - instead of the cheapest available. Even certification from agencies doesn't matter. But i think i'll stick to PADI or NAUI.

Here's the question: Which dive school?

There was a previous thread spanning 19 pages but most of it is talking about weights and gathering for dive trips. A few kind souls did recommend a few but the rest of the people didn't endose the dive school.

The most recognised school there was Orpehus and the thread began to look like a commercial.

If i'm lucky enough, perhaps you guys can just name the school you would recommend and i'll keep the votes. The way, future divers-to-be can just look at the thread and see the top few schools?

[Waltha]

Anyways, i have a friend who just joined Friendly Waters at Riverwalk for open water course. I asked the staff there and revealed that, "The international standard ratio of instructors to student is 1 instructor, 8 students"

You gotta be kidding me!!

The fellow added to say the if there were 8 students, they will add an assistant to the instructor. So i asked what if there were 7 students? Does it mean that only 1 instructor, no assistant? The answer was a blunt YES!

So i advised my friend not to join but she happened to know some people there. Anyways, gonna wait for her to get back and see whats her experience like. If it was enjoyable and safe, perhaps i could give it a try...cuz i saw quite a number of chio bus

BTW, the class room is the size of 2 HDB toilets put together...serious!

Anyone got experience with them?

[nleong]

been there once to look for wetsuits and it surely doesn't impress me at all. Maybe they are the kind who you gotta know them before you find them friendly.

Anyhow, good luck in your find.

[reefer guy]

guess, yazid n i would recommend orpheus.....friendly, competitive price n fun!!!! yazid, proj aware???

[yazid]

In Singapore, land is scarce. 2 HDB toilets put together to form a classroom looks like norm. Realistically, I can't expect a size of NUS classroom when most of the time only 2-6 students taking theory at one time. UNless you are taking lesson in a resort.

I have no comment on other dive shops cos' I've been to one only . I find no reason to find others when this one shop have shown enough quality and service to make me want to dive with them always.

Jon, I'll be in visiting the Great Barrier reef this June. Going to miss Project Aware in Perhentian. Hope there will be another one later.

They are going to find a suitable dive site and start epoxying acro frags. They will collect frags from broken ones found at other dive site. This will be fun to do. I was thinking doing a talk to the divers on how to frag acros, mushroom, leather corals, etc... Imagine the next coming years, that site will be great.

Maybe SRC can adopt a reef.

[reefer guy]

yeah, thats what orpheus wants us to do actually, but i myself not sure if i can make it, too tied up w busy work... anyway, it would really be fun planting corals.

guess its a good experience for you to take a dip in the great barrier, good luck n enjoy bro, n take pics to show us

[kelstorm]

yes.. international std is usually 1:8.. but for most dive operators, they are going for 1:4..

The end of the day is that, u wun wan to pay for peanuts and get monkeys.. also, the skills demanded from the instructors are generally the same, regardless from where u get your cert from.

Find out what is included in the package that u are paying for. As for classrooms size, u dun need a very big classroom or lecture rooms coz each time they conduct classes, it will not be more than 6-8... errr.. i'm speaking from my experience from another dive operator (Blue Reef Scuba) that i go with and usually with that number, u will confirm get 2 instructors or at least a Dive master to supervise the training.

At the end of the day, it dun matter if u pay S$400 or S$500 for the course. U must enjoy it.

Some dive operators offer u at $350 but without rental of gears and certification or that u must purchase the manuals. S$350 is considered cheap but when they slap on the rental for the entire duration, u realised that u might end up paying more.

Frankly speaking, i dun think much divers here own the manuals but it is a good to have thing coz from time to time, u might want to revise from it.

Also, for your own hygiene purpose and starting out, it is good for u to get your own mask and snorkel, so that even if u dun want to dive after the trip, u can still use them for snorkelling sessions when u visit resorts for holidays next time and u can be sure that it is clean from diseases and germs except from ur own mouth.

[kelstorm]

Here's the question: Which dive school?

The most recognised school there was Orpehus and the thread began to look like a commercial.

at the end of the day, be open to the suggestions.. u dun have to follow the crowd. U can check them out.

The best thing is good with your gut feel. Do u feel comfortable with them? U dun have anything to lose since u have not started with any dive operator..also, your OW dive group, good to have good rapport with them.. they can chio u go diving next time.. if not, u learn alone.. very difficult to chio buddies next time.

Trust me, divers can be a bit bias at times.. hahaha.. they will always claim that their dive operators are good, their fins are good etc... be objective lor..

I personally have tried with other dive operators and from experience, i will only go to a few from now onwards.

Initial trip, dun matter lor.. after that, try different operators and if u are comfortable abt the way this particular dive operator handle the dive trip, then stick with them.

[Dispar_Anthias]

I am going for my first diving course this june... The diving school is call gill divers

[Waltha]

Kelstorm,

since u have been to serveral dive centres, which are the fwe u would recommend?

at the end of the day, be open to the suggestions.. u dun have to follow the crowd. U can check them out.

The best thing is good with your gut feel. Do u feel comfortable with them? U dun have anything to lose since u have not started with any dive operator..also, your OW dive group, good to have good rapport with them.. they can chio u go diving next time.. if not, u learn alone.. very difficult to chio buddies next time.

Trust me, divers can be a bit bias at times.. hahaha.. they will always claim that their dive operators are good, their fins are good etc... be objective lor..

I personally have tried with other dive operators and from experience, i will only go to a few from now onwards.

Initial trip, dun matter lor.. after that, try different operators and if u are comfortable abt the way this particular dive operator handle the dive trip, then stick with them.

[kelstorm]

U got PM... anyway, what i have given u is just my views from the various dive operators which i had experience with.... u can choose to use it as reference or discard it... like i have mentioned, divers can be bias too...

[Waltha]

My friend just gave me his 2 cents worth. since open water diver course will be training most of the time. no free time to roam around. might as well pay 199 go pulau hantu suah...

any suggestions?

[nleong]

not entirely correct. whiel u wait for your turn to perform the skills, you can take your time looking around the reef. Hantu ? the best you get maybe 3-5m. Thats what I read, haven't been there

suggest you go for adecent one. Who knows, a good OWD might get you stuck with diving forever, on contrary, a bad experience might make u give up totally.

n the vis now in and around tioman area is reported to be up to 25m lately. so give it a go. Treat it as a holiday lor.. u will never know, u get to dive rengis n meet the resident turtle

[hammerhd]

the recommadation for padi instructor is 1:4

only with a assistant instructor or DM then they can increased their students to 8

I personally dont recommended fri*nd*y W*ter*.

Sometimes even if u dont pay peanuts u still get monkeys

Juz shop ard and ask ur friends. Btw ur course fees should include a course book, the diving table, OW card.

It should also include at least 1 session(full day) of studying, 1 confined water(pool) and 4 training sea dives.

[kelstorm]

not entirely correct. whiel u wait for your turn to perform the skills, you can take your time looking around the reef. Hantu ? the best you get maybe 3-5m. Thats what I read, haven't been there

suggest you go for adecent one. Who knows, a good OWD might get you stuck with diving forever, on contrary, a bad experience might make u give up totally.

very true... pay a bit more, enjoy the first 4-5 dives. Then once u are more comfortable, go to hantu to experience diving in "sugar cane" waters. I will still go hantu coz that is the only place where u can see seahorses and octopus in their natural habitat.

hammerhd Posted on May 25 2004, 12:18 AM

Juz shop ard and ask ur friends. Btw ur course fees should include a course book, the diving table, OW card.

It should also include at least 1 session(full day) of studying, 1 confined water(pool) and 4 training sea dives. 

I think it depends on the package that u are getting. some of us chose not to get the manuals. But he OW card will be given to u. Ask for a dive logbook (usually given too) The dive table is not cheap and should be included inside the package, if not, ask to be included. It is one of the basic equipment u should have.

[hammerhd]

not should..

MUST have..

to give u a rough guide tioman OW should cost ard $450-470..

Aur ard that price too.

For $199 i think i knw which Dive shop offering..

Either it Wa*ki*i or Fr***dl* W*t*rs..

1 advice for u check for hidden costs...

Usually so cheap u have to pay for equipment which can cme up to 70-100

then they will "forced" u to buy the course book($70) etc

[yazid]

I wonder how many of us actually use a dive table after you got your OW.

I personally have not.

[nleong]

I wonder how many of us actually use a dive table after you got your OW.

I personally have not.

me!

[kelstorm]

I wonder how many of us actually use a dive table after you got your OW.

I personally have not.

me... coz i want to find out my pressure grp as i log my dives.

[Waltha]

wah. still got so many things ah. gear like goggle, snorkle, fins, bootie la. weight blets and weights la. wet suit and tank la. dive card, log book, certification card, textbook, dot dot dot...

now scared kena ripped off nia. hidden cost this and that.

[hammerhd]

goggles????!!!!!

Mask lah.

so wat u looking for???

U tell us maybe we can recommand(other than Dive Shops) where to get it cheap etc..

BTW no body buy tank unless stage/pony or doubles....

Or filthy rich

[terryansimon]

is it cheaper to purchase diving equipment from Australia? and are the diving schools there reliable? don't want some half quack ones...

[hammerhd]

Wat type of equipment???

If u r looking for homemade BP system they got quite a good price.

But generally singapore dive equipment is cheaper than AUS

[terryansimon]

serious? hmm. okay. I'll consider then. thanks (=

[kelstorm]

wah. still got so many things ah. gear like goggle, snorkle, fins, bootie la. weight blets and weights la. wet suit and tank la. dive card, log book, certification card, textbook, dot dot dot...

now scared kena ripped off nia. hidden cost this and that.

aiyo.... before u sign up for the course, ask whether such basic gear are included inside the package, if not, do a mental calculation on how much it will cost in total.

u dun have to buy booties and fins, weight belts and wetsuit lah.. until u are more comfortable, then consider getting them lor.. can always rent mah.

But it is good to have your own mask and snorkel.. u can also use it for snorkelling next time.

Reason for why i advocate getting own mask and snorkel, coz we have this special anti-fog solution which we regularly apply on the mask..

our spit!!! not phlegm...