[email protected] Tel-727 804 7672
I am certified as a SCUBA instructor by the National YMCA SCUBA Program, National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), Confederacion Mondiale Activites Subaquatiques (CMAS), and have been a professional in the SCUBA industry since 1992. I was originally certified as a diver in 1977 as a teenager. I have instructed SCUBA both at YMCAs as well as at retail dive shops over the years. Presently I am a staff instructor at a local retail dive shop as well as at the N. Pinellas YMCA. I am also certified as an instructor with the National Academy of Police Diving and have been a past member of the Tampa Police department Dive Team. I am presently involved with two local Boy Scout groups in Pinellas County in ongoing SCUBA programs, including involvement with one of the scout groups monitoring the Gulf Gas Pipeline project in Tampa Bay in coordination with the state and USF.
Training
I insist on 100% compliance with NAUI/National YMCA SCUBA Program Standards for every course I teach. It is, in fact, the NAUI and National YMCA SCUBA Program Standards, which serve to distinguish our program from all other SCUBA instructional programs. It is a commitment to quality SCUBA education and safety rather than expediency which dictates program Standards. The competence and confidence exhibited by NAUI/YMCA trained SCUBA divers exceeds that of others trained in lesser programs. NAUI/YMCA SCUBA training is a more demanding and challenging training than that required in other nationally sanctioned SCUBA programs but that is what sets us apart, an unwillingness to compromise our standards to simply produce numbers of divers. It has been my experience that our students appreciate this when comparing themselves to divers trained by other organizations as they continue their diving careers in the midst of other divers.
Classes
You should know that the NAUI and YMCA programs are the oldest national SCUBA programs in the United States, strongly promoting diver safety and education. The regular public program consists of 32 hours of classroom and pool sessions followed by five open water "checkout dives" leading to basic SCUBA certification. There are usually six to eight students in the public class. For those with difficult schedules the program can be structured in a flexible fashion to accommodate your needs in a private setting where the student completes the academic work on their own and completes a workbook. Upon completion of the academic work arrangements are made for the pool work which usually takes about eight hours and are scheduled at your convenience. Similarly the open water dives may be scheduled to suit your needs if you are unable to participate in a public class. Trips for the open water dives can be scheduled locally for those wishing to minimize cost and time or can be arranged internationally to locations such as the Caribbean for those desiring a more exotic SCUBA experience. Successful completion of the course results in Open Water Certification card and certificate. The program is truly family oriented offering Junior SCUBA certification to members as young as twelve years old. I additionally offer continuing SCUBA education from Advanced Open Water to professional level SCUBA ratings.
Class Costs
Public Class Tuition-$225.00 (five or more students)
Private Class Tuition-$495.00 one student, $800.00 two students.
Books-$40.00
Open Water Training Dives-Determined by student wants/needs.
Upon completion of all class and pool work, it�s time for the real world! Five dives over two days are required for you certification. Generally the first day of dives takes place in the freshwater Florida Springs which are a great transition before going into saltwater. The springs are clear with no waves or currents, temperatures average 72 degrees. We complete all skill testing on the first day of dives in this placid environment. With all skill testing completed we move on to saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic, you choose if you are taking private class or check out dives.
We can dive anywhere you wish to include the Springs, Gulf or the Atlantic, depending upon your desires and weather conditions.
The fabulous Florida springs are about 1.5 to two hours from Clearwater and are a great first checkout dive. Crystal River is the best place for diving or snorkeling with the manatees. The earlier in the day we arrive at Crystal River the better chance we�ll have for less crowds and thus more manatees. On weekdays there are less crowds but still a consideration. Depth ranges from about 15 to 40 feet visibility at Crystal River is often disappointing. The manatees are the attraction if crowds haven�t spooked them off.
Rainbow River is about two hours away and is an interesting drift dive with stops at several holes along the way. There is great visibility and depths of about 20 feet. No manatees but interesting freshwater fish and occasional turtles.
Blue Grotto is also about two hours offering incredible visibility and gradually sloping depth to about 60 feet, including a swim through that goes to about 95 feet. This is a cavern dive but suitable for training as it is very large with plenty of natural light to about 50 feet. They have platforms set up for training as well as a diving bell with surface supplied air at about 50 feet. I think Blue Grotto is the best all around freshwater dive in the state.
Devils Den is another possibility and also about two hours away. It�s a very unique dive in that you descend down stairs about 50 feet into a natural cavern to get to the water. It�s like diving indoors! The visibility is very good her with maximum depths of about 45 feet. No fish to speak of but embedded fossils in the walls of the cavern. They also have platforms set up for training.
Gulf of Mexico for day two is right in the backyard of Clearwater. Visibility can range from 10� to 50� depending on weather. If desired we can also be on the Florida East Coast in 3.5 hours where conditions are almost always good. Visibility on the East coast is usually consistently better than the Gulf with more tropical coral growth and marine life than there is in the Gulf.
Training Dive Fees
If you are taking my whole class your costs are already factored into your tuition. Costs are $95.00 per day for private referral check out dives (you�ve completed your class and pool work at another location with a different instructor) plus any associated boat or admission fees. If you are able to complete your referral check out dives with an ongoing public class, your cost is substantially less. I supply the student�s gear for the trip, with the exception of a wetsuit. The associated costs are $25.00 (per person (pp) at Blue Grotto, $20.00 pp at Devils Den, $10.00 at Rainbow River, $55.00 pp for Gulf Dives and $45.00 pp at the Florida East Coast. At Crystal we rent a john boat which will cost $30.00 for four hours ( up to five people in the boat)