Dive centres to recommend?


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Gymrat76

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May 10, 2004
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Hi all,

Am thinking of taking up a new hobby -scuba diving! :)

Can anyone recommend any good dive centres, preferably in the west as I'll only be able to make if for classes afrer office hours. Looking for centres which provide good training in the fundamentals and in safety, not those cheaply priced but "lets get this over with ASAP" type of centres. Thanks :)
 

google is great for such things!

you might want to consider which certification agency (PADI, NAUI, SSI, GUE, etc) you want your certification. essentially there's you get the same basic skills that allow you to dive, but each agency has a slightly different focus.

Of course, the diveshop and instructor plays a very impt role as well. don't just go for the cheapest (there's a vicious price war going on now), and do check for any hidden costs.

good luck, and see you underwater soon!
((=
 

Thank you, I know what google is for, but nothing beats a recommendation from someone who has tried out that particular centre right? ;)

Been wanting to dive for a while, but always got caught up with work and such and never found the time. I guess I realized I'm not getting any younger, and if I wanna do it now, there's no time like the present right? :)
 

yup, you're right... do it quick before they all disappear!

well, i did my rescue+DM course with orpheusdive, which is at tanjong pagar.

the only one i know in the west is probably seaborne, at RSYC. most of the dive shops are in the central area.

here's a great list compiled by divers: http://www.sgscuba.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=448&st=40 you'll have to sign up for an account though. don't worry, its free.

basically, you'll see that everyone loves the centre they went with unless something bad happened. haha. you can always go down to any shop and look around, chat with the crew to see if you like the way the do things, and how they answer your questions. i'm sure you can tell when someone is trying to smoke you!
 

Well its really nice to heard that there are people really looking for dive centre with good safety culture and provides good training. Most of the time, if not all the time, when my friends ask about diving courses, the 1st thing in their mind is "how much is the cost of the Open Water course?" And my reply <How much are you willing to pay for the safety of your life?>

Just too bad that my instructor has gone overseas for his job. He used to teach part time and do it mainly for the passion in the sport. He sometimes even teaches 1 to 1 and will not hesitate to give the new diver extra pool session if he/she is slower to adept. Of course he can do that because this is not his main line of job.

I hope you can get a good dive center and many safe dives ahead. Don't forget to bring you camera to shoot the beautiful underwater world..
 

Thanks everyone! Hi sean, heard about Friendly Waters before. Are they good? Will check out their website and see when the schedule for May/June is going to be. Thanks!
 

I am with Orpheus Dive and i am totally satisfied with thier service. Friendly yet professional.
 

For a little bit more, try a live on board for the comfort & safety. The boat departs from Singapore directly to Malaysia & back. You can eat/sleep/watch DVD straight away once you board. You can save the hassle of Woodlands/JB customs, long bus journeys/mid night ferry transfers.
 

I am with Orpheus Dive and i am totally satisfied with thier service. Friendly yet professional.

Thanks, looks very professional (the website I mean) :) But they are priced $100 over every other operator. I know some other dive centres state $399 for the course, but charge you $100 for rental of mask, fins etc. Is the $520 from Orpheus inclusive of everything already?
 

For a little bit more, try a live on board for the comfort & safety. The boat departs from Singapore directly to Malaysia & back. You can eat/sleep/watch DVD straight away once you board. You can save the hassle of Woodlands/JB customs, long bus journeys/mid night ferry transfers.

Any operators to recommend that do this? Thanks
 

Thanks everyone! Hi sean, heard about Friendly Waters before. Are they good? Will check out their website and see when the schedule for May/June is going to be. Thanks!

I've been to their resort quite a few times already. The training is pretty good. I was trained by this guy called Richard. He's extremely strict which really helped me get a little bit more disciplined about maintaining my equipment and getting ready quickly on the boat so that I don't hold other people up. He's also a real nice guy. Check it out. They also have live aboard.
 

Well its really nice to heard that there are people really looking for dive centre with good safety culture and provides good training. Most of the time, if not all the time, when my friends ask about diving courses, the 1st thing in their mind is "how much is the cost of the Open Water course?" And my reply <How much are you willing to pay for the safety of your life?>

Just too bad that my instructor has gone overseas for his job. He used to teach part time and do it mainly for the passion in the sport. He sometimes even teaches 1 to 1 and will not hesitate to give the new diver extra pool session if he/she is slower to adept. Of course he can do that because this is not his main line of job.

I hope you can get a good dive center and many safe dives ahead. Don't forget to bring you camera to shoot the beautiful underwater world..

Oops, missed your post just now.

Well, I think good fundamentals and a good safety culture are essential to any sport and a slightly higher cost is not that big a deal when you are putting your life on the line.

Prob will not venture into underwater photog... normal photog can already make me bankrupt liao :bsmilie:
 

ANyone can give me an estiate if I wanna buy some of the basic equipment? Things like mask, fins, snorkel etc. :)
 

ANyone can give me an estiate if I wanna buy some of the basic equipment? Things like mask, fins, snorkel etc. :)

For hygine purposes, I bought my own mask, snorkel and fins. You may also want to get your own suite. Sometimes when you are down there, you need to 'go'; no choice have to do it like the fishes.:bsmilie:

For the mask, we sometimes clean the interior with spit. This removes the layer of oil that causes it to fog up. So better to get your own. Don't want somebody else's spit in my eye.

Get a pair of gloves as well but check if the dive site that you go to allow gloves. Some places do not as you are not supposed to touch a thing. But pratically speaking, gloves are important to protect your hands if you make a descent on a buoy line.
 

for dive courses and safety training,

there's only one name....BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club)

I've done NAUI open water diver(which is ...."okay lor"....) and converted to a Sports diver (BSAC equivalent) and then went on to do a Dive Leader qualification and O2 admin and rescue Diver with BSAC which if u look across the charts, is already more qualified than PADI or NAUI's DM. If u reach the top of the ladder in BSAC "Advanced Diver" u're equivalent to NATIONAL diver in your country oredi.....

what i like about the courses is that almost everything that is conducted by them is all about SAFETY, alot more indepth and detailed than NAUI/PADI. Being a more medically inclined person, i'm quite surprised and astonished that during the O2 resus/admin course as well as the rescue training, the training was almost like what i've gone thru previously as a paramedic short of infusions.

the Cons of the BSAC or CMAS courses are that they are expensive (but i once had student rates long time ago) ....

iirc, the British SAS divers were either trained by BSAC or they formed the BSAC......can't remember liao
 

Mine is
P - ay
A - nd
D - ive
I - mmediately

:


:bsmilie:

or

Pay And Die Immediately......okay lar kidding ;)

different strokes, different takes...or the otherway round? :D
 

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