Longshot...

[HardcoreRobot]

Trying to get beginner/open water certified. I have found a few places, one in DC, one in Chantilly and one in Manassas... all look OK and are in the same price range. I would love some customer opinions though... I know there are some other NOVA people on here.

 

[purbeast0]

How much are these in the area? i plan on getting certified around here before I go on my vacation to Belize in february.

 

[cirrhosis]

I always thought it would be cool to take Scuba lessons. Don't know of any in the area (Fairfax/Loudoun). Would think one would need to go south, say Norfolk.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

funny, im going to belize over xmas...

the pricing is all whacked, bc some places are all-inclusive, others are cheaper but charge for rentals etc...

roughly, they are about 450 for lessons and SCUBA rental eqiup + 100-200 for other equip like fins mask watch gloves knife etc.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Watch out for those killer dolphins

 

[ys]

Look for scuba classes in community colleges and universities. It cost around $250.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

well i just found another one in vienna which is right down the road from my house.

its also only 350 for lessons and rental (still not including the personal equipment)

http://www.thediveshop-va.com/entry_level_training.htm

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
well i just found another one in vienna which is right down the road from my house.

its also only 250 for lessons and rental (still not including the personal equipment)

http://www.thediveshop-va.com/entry_level_training.htm

How did you go about getting your trip setup? I'm just doing the research right now about all of it. We plan on staying at Ambergris Caye probably. I haven't dont much research yet though, just kinda browsed over the area. We went to Aruba in June and loved it! We just wanted to try another exotic place as well and chose belize.

What are the other personal equipment pieces you are talking about as well?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

I will be meeting up with my family in Houston and travelling with them. We have one night in Belize city, then are spending 8 days on Ambergris Cay at the Coral Bay Villas (http://www.coralbaybelize.com/) My mom is great with this stuff and we like to travel over the holidays (previous destinations = Maui and St. Martin), so she organized it all. That being said, I don't really too much more, just that I am looking forward to it.

For the place I linked, the extra equipment was listed as: bathing suit and towel, mask and snorkel, fins and boots, and diving gloves. From another site I found these prices:

Masks range $ 60 - $ 90
Snorkels range $ 25 - $ 35
Fins range $ 60 - $ 120
* Dive booties range $ 35 - $ 45
* Gloves range $ 30 - $ 40

Other schools also made a dive watch and knife required, but thats not mentioned here.

 

[purbeast0]

holy crap that place looks so nice. The places are literally right on the damn beach. :shocked:

i might have to look more into that place. have you ever been to belize?

 

[conehead433]

Check for classes available through your local YMCA.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
holy crap that place looks so nice. The places are literally right on the damn beach. :shocked:

i might have to look more into that place. have you ever been to belize?

no i havent been down there before, nor to mexico. a coworker of my mother recommended that she look at it so she did