Searaider 2008

[subkrawler]

Sounds like a great time, sent in my reservation this evening.......

That's great! Glad you made it official. Now comes the real challenge.....waiting for ten months.

[Caribbean Soul]

That's great! Glad you made it official. Now comes the real challenge.....waiting for ten months.

Me, too! Thanks for organizing the trip and fielding the questions!

I did hear from Lesley that I'm confirmed, I'll spend the ten months working on getting comfortable to 100 ft and Nitrox.

Looking forward to the diving, meeting everyone and checking out all the Doxas!
--Keith

[Caribbean Soul]

<snip>

$350 actually seems a little low to me, but understand I'm not in a very competitive market. Being that you're in S. Florida, $350 may be about right.

It would be great if others could chime in, who have recently certified to state how much their Open Water class cost. Regardless, I'm glad you're taking that first step toward a lifetime of adventure.

The local NAUI outfit lists "at least 24 hours of training with a minimum of 6 pool sessions" for $250, then the 5 Open Water checkout dives as either: a) $100 if a local quarry, or b) head to Florida for $350 (includes lodging and 1 day of spring dives and 2 days of ocean boat dives).

The local PADI folks have Open Water for $300, which includes dives at Vortex Springs in Florida, but not the lodging and fees.

So, basically the minimum is NAUI at $350 and PADI at $300, locally.

--Keith

[T Bone]

The local NAUI outfit lists "at least 24 hours of training with a minimum of 6 pool sessions" for $250, then the 5 Open Water checkout dives as either: a) $100 if a local quarry, or b) head to Florida for $350 (includes lodging and 1 day of spring dives and 2 days of ocean boat dives).

The local PADI folks have Open Water for $300, which includes dives at Vortex Springs in Florida, but not the lodging and fees.

So, basically the minimum is NAUI at $350 and PADI at $300, locally.

--Keith

Keith, do the above prices include equipment rental (or are you going to buy right away)? If not, there'll be a bit additional there. Usually, a shop will rent fairly inexpensive at least for the pool sessions, as their ultimate goal is to sell you an equipment package, travel, etc. They gotta hook ya first .

BTW, whether to support your local dive shop with these purchases is up to you, and in some markets they can be very competitive. But sometimes, especially if you are mainly price driven, you can do better with one of the large mail order sellers- but if that's your intent, might be best not to let on at the local dive shop right away.

[Caribbean Soul]

Hey, T-Bone, as you say around here they basically provide equipment for the initial training, equipment that you will need to rent for the other classes ... gotta keep the supply of students flowing in!

I hope it didn't sound like I was telling folks how much it cost to dive, I was really responding to Subkrawler's request for quoted basic course rates due to his concern that lagrinin may be getting short-changed with a low rate for low quality ... around here the basic instruction quotes are in line with what lagrinin was quoted, but we do have competition here that helps keep rates low.

--Keith

[lagrinin]

Thanks Guys,
The price I was told is for 32 hrs of classroom and pool diving plus open water dives(1 full day in the ocean).Equipment includedfor the classes only, need to buy my own after. does that sound ok? I am not sure who the cert. was through, need to find that part out still.
Again thanks
Lonnie

[subkrawler]

I'll spend the ten months working on getting comfortable to 100 ft and Nitrox.

That's a good idea and something that everyone who isn't Nitrox certified yet, should consider. For this trip, I'll probably dive the first dive on 30/30 trimix. There's nothing like the mental clarity that you get when diving with helium.

[Frogman]

There's nothing like the mental clarity that you get when diving with helium.

Or the super suave voice effect...j/k.

I've never gotten around to taking the certification classes for nitrox, heliox, or tech diving in general. I've gone fairly deep on compressed air, and I can attest to the fact that it does affect you.

Ty, what's the deepest dive out there? I don't recall from the posts, I'd appreciate it if you refreshed our (my) collective memories.

Thanks,

Avi

[Jason71]

Or the super suave voice effect...j/k.

I've never gotten around to taking the certification classes for nitrox, heliox, or tech diving in general. I've gone fairly deep on compressed air, and I can attest to the fact that it does affect you.

Ty, what's the deepest dive out there? I don't recall from the posts, I'd appreciate it if you refreshed our (my) collective memories.

Thanks,

Avi

I don't know if you were referring to Ty's deepest dive or the world record.........But here is the later of the two-----318.25 Meters.

Set Friday June 10, 2005 in the Red Sea

Click HERE

[Frogman]

I don't know if you were referring to Ty's deepest dive or the world record.........But here is the later of the two-----318.25 Meters.

Set Friday June 10, 2005 in the Red Sea

Click HERE

Thanks Jason - I should have been clearer. I was wondering what the deepest dives were during Searaiders 2007.

318 meters? Crikey. I don't even drive that far...