Scuba certs??

[in4aride]

Anyone have or done scuba certs locally? (Front range). Trip to Hawaii in June and would like to have it knocked out before then. Is that possible with our water temps here? Thx

 

[old_man]

Don't know if they are still there, but there was a scuba shop just south of Prospect on College in FC. We did our lessons in the pool at Loveland High and I did my open waters down at Blue Hole in NM.

 

[in4aride]

I'll look into it. Trying not to have to do it in Vegas.

 

[planefixer]

Had a friend that was an instructor for these guys years ago: http://www.uwcscuba.com/

They're in COS and have been around for a long time.

 

[xj-grin]

I did mine in college (last credit before graduating)... good times. I need to do that again, though I will need to re-cert as it has been longer than I care to admit. Let me know if you find somewhere you like!

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Seems like there have been a few "new" scuba cert shops popping up around the metro area. There's one on Belleview just east of Santa Fe that seems to be VERY popular and runs specials all the time. They have a deep indoor pool to do the certifications in. I think there is another one in lakewood up off of Union at about 2nd-4th ave. somewhere in there that alot of the cop-shop guys have gone to before their vacations.

 

[Kittrell]

I was certified by Underwater Phantaseas in around 2001. They are a PADI certified shop, which is the more popular of the two certifications and the one I would recommend. Open Water Diver is what you will be shooting for. With many advanced certifications obtainable past that point if you really get into it. They used to have a shop off of I-25 and Arapahoe, I think it was bought out. The main shop is the one Troy is thinking of, around Union and Cedar, just south of 2nd. You can get certified in Colorado. My certification dives were in the Aurora reservoir and yes it is very cold. Something I would seriously recommend for diving in the state is purchasing a DRY suit. They cost more but are well worth the coin. I think this time of year they do certification dives in Utah at Homestead Crater.

http://www.uwphantaseas.com/

 

[Kittrell]

As an aside, if you find you cannot get certified in time, SNUBA is an option. You basically dive with an air line from a surface mini craft. Obviously less freedom with this system but it is a worthwhile option to still get you down and enjoying the ocean floor.

 

[David_Bricker]

I got both my Open Water and my Advanced certs while in Hawaii. The package was reasonable, and it got me the opportunity to dive while training in Hawaiian waters. In fact, it was actually cheaper to get my Advanced certs than it was to schedule two 2-tank dives with the same shop.

Another alternative is a program called Discover SCUBA. Many of the PADI shops in Hawaii offer the program. You get a few hours with an instructor, then do a 2-tank dive the next day. Depths limited to 40', 4 students per instructor. It's more expensive than a regular 2-tank dive, but an easy way to get in the water.

David Bricker / SYR

 

[Xhavier_5478]

Another alternative is a program called Discover SCUBA. Many of the PADI shops in Hawaii offer the program. You get a few hours with an instructor, then do a 2-tank dive the next day. Depths limited to 40', 4 students per instructor. It's more expensive than a regular 2-tank dive, but an easy way to get in the water.

This is what I did when I went in St. Thomas, and you can actually take take the card that they give you to a dive shop or training facility after and it counts towards your actual open water dive cert. Also if your lucky and do it on a quiet day they will do the instructions on the boat to the dive area and not have to bother with the in pool time and go straight to open water diving.

 

[SolarBell]

To many years in the volunteer fire service... I keep thinking you misspelled SCBA.

 

[in4aride]

Thanks for the info guys. Lots to look into

 

[AvsXJ99]

Here is the facebook page for the one on Bellevue - A1 Scuba

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-1-Scuba-Travel-Aquatics-Center/299066874461

 

[XCastleXJ]

take your classes locally and then do your cert dive in hawaii. if you have questions on how it works llet me know. I used to live on Maui.

 

[xj-grin]

agreed -- I took my classes locally in college (UNC -even got one hour of credit ), cert'd in Florida on spring break.