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Really...hmm. I need to look into this! This would be the perfect hobby to irritate the ex with.
ASF, when I did my PADI Open Water course (That's the certifying body I originally went with) in Minnesota 10 years ago, I knocked out the class work and pool time in a weekend. The checkout dives just happened to coincide with a dive trip to Bonaire that winter. I would imagine that in SA checkout dives (done on another weekend) would take place at either Canyon or Travis (deeper water there).
Really...hmm. I need to look into this! This would be the perfect hobby to irritate the ex with.
This pictures cracks me up everytime. It looks like I just discovered the world's largest Barracuda
That looks like an Emperor Snapper under you there.
I had one once in a sal er aquarium I used to have. It cost me $40 and it was gorgeous, but as it got bigger it suddenly started devoring its tank mates. Stupid $40 fish ended up costing me $200+.
I've always wanted to learn as well and after reading this makes me want to go try it all the more. I contacted Dive World on Thousand Oaks and they quoted almost $800 for me and my son. Does this sound like a reasonable price?
$800 for two people does sound a little high to me.
I don't know the prices in the US (over here this would be expensive), but AHF is a PADI instructor, I'm sure he knows more about pricing.
Nice pic AHF
and here I am scared of the water... Would you show me how to swim?
THanks ol' school - if you come topless I'll be more than happy to help you get over your fear of the water
Um, yeah, two words.I contacted Dive World on Thousand Oaks and they quoted almost $800 for me and my son
1. Rip
2. Off
I don't know about SA prices off the top of my head, but up in Dallas where rich people love to blow money it costs about $250 to get certified. It shouldn't cost double that in SA.
I've also heard the Dive World guys work on commission and the higher the rate they get you to agree to, the more it means for them. Stay away. One of my buddies in that part of the world likened Dive World to a used car lot for divers, lots of pressure to buy, etc.
The two I've heard good things about are Deep Blue Adventures and Duggan Diving over in Universal City.
I'd check out prices with both of them, but would stay away from Dive World.
Also, post before you buy gear, a lot of shops try to pressure you to buy gear and try and pitch "good deals" when you can typically find better.
Damn. Y'all are seriously getting me hooked on this idea. Thanks for the thread!
Really, AHF? $250 in Dallas? That's like $75 in SA money...
One thing I've always thought would be cool is the opportunity to go on a dive and catch fish for a sal er aquarium setup. I've heard of people doing this, but is it common, and are there any kind of special permits or gear you would need?
I haven't done a salt tank in a while, but I've been itching to get back into it in a big way.
Worked for that Aussie fella in "Finding Nemo"
Sort of.
yea but Kathy and her father .. the Dive World on 1000 oaks. .she is one of the best PADI instructors around. They have been in business a Looong time in San Antonio and it might seem expensive but I would recommend them. She was my instructor so I am biased hhehe.
Alamo- You would only do that like if you lived in Key's or Virgin Islands. If your talking about catching and shipping then yea you need to deal with a local exporter to do the paperwork. Just go to Texas tropical if he don't got it he will order it for you.
But yea its' a good fantasy. One of the Hotels.. which are now like really messed up after Rita in Cozumel. It's called Hotel Cozumel now, though it has had many changes. They used to have a wall right at the hotel. It was wierd to wake up.. walk outside and get in (snorkle) and be surrounded by purple octopus, queen angels, puffers etc. Like a dream.
Edit: Here is a pic of Comal Springs in New Braunfels. Nice dive but very shallow 6-8 avg. Used for Cozumel drift dive training. Also commonly used for basic training / gear checkouts.
Last edited by Vashner; 03-26-2006 at 09:36 PM.
Yeah, I know. I've done plenty of business with Texas Tropical. They're good people. Alamo Aquatics and Fintique are good folks too. My interest would be in the fact that I could say "See that fish? I caught it!"
Hey if you can find a C-card cheaper do it. I really think a lot is up to the diver and how much research you do and attention to training materials etc. Duggan has been around a while too.
Nice Texas Cichlid pic. I used to have one, that, incidentally, I caught at Landa Park. With a minnow net.
Medina Lake is a nice dive.. no matter what anyone says..
Here is why. There are cars, train rail tracks (from the building of the damn to move materials), catfish the size of people and swimthru cave holes.
It's cold as but with good wetsuit it's not shabby dive on clear days. It's good place to hit 130" for couple minutes (once you are used to it **).
It's frigging cold and dark down there... spooky.
I think I should have been more specific. Dive World's pricing included books, mask, fins, boots and snorkle. The equipment varies in price and books were $70
I just figured out what you meant by catching and shipping. For some reason last night my beer soaked mind thought you meant shipping as in catching the fish and then selling them. It would be nice to be able to catch the fish and get them into my tank here in SoTex.
I wonder if that's an overly expensive operation. Also, I wonder if there are any fish off the Texas coast that would be interesting in an aquarium. I caught a cool looking orange filefish off the boat slip at the UT Marine Science Center in Port A on a Marine Biology trip back in high school. They put it in their aquarium and I went back a couple of years later and it was still there.
[QUOTE=Aggie Hoopsfan]The two I've heard good things about are Deep Blue Adventures and Duggan Diving over in Universal City.QUOTE]
First off thanks for the plug on Duggan, secondly I have found a great deal, Duggan will be instructing a class on base at Randolph for $200 complete. I'll soon be on of the fellas!
Very good advice. There's loads of very good equipment out there for very reasonable prices - but it's usually not the first thing you get offered in a dive shop.
An English magazine called Dive actually has a column about undercover divers that go from dive shop to dive shop and play dumb or act as novices - then report the whole experience in the magazine. Funny stuff and useful info rolled into one
The sometimes catch French Angels on the rigs right off Port A. They are migrating north with the warmer waters.I just figured out what you meant by catching and shipping. For some reason last night my beer soaked mind thought you meant shipping as in catching the fish and then selling them. It would be nice to be able to catch the fish and get them into my tank here in SoTex.
I wonder if that's an overly expensive operation. Also, I wonder if there are any fish off the Texas coast that would be interesting in an aquarium. I caught a cool looking orange filefish off the boat slip at the UT Marine Science Center in Port A on a Marine Biology trip back in high school. They put it in their aquarium and I went back a couple of years later and it was still there.
See, that's crap. You can buy the open water diver manual for approx. $25-30 (depending on your instructor level). They're making 100% profit on the stupid book.I think I should have been more specific. Dive World's pricing included books, mask, fins, boots and snorkle. The equipment varies in price and books were $70
And on the mask, fins, etc., you're getting stuck with what they want to sell you in the shop, no doubt it also has at least 100% margin on it as well.
I hate when shops pull like that. Total ripoff.
After diving some springs over the weekend, I discovered what was causing my U.S. Divers Wraparound to "bite". I've got a split in the skirting under my nose. In lieu of having it repaired, any suggestions on a replacement?
The Mask? I would just replace it. You might just put some silicon on the tear and toss it in your bag as a backup mask.
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