OT? dive shops and service st pete?
- Thread starter mrferrit
- Start date
I'm a diver, though currently on "medical leave" (hopefully only temporarily!). The only shop I do business with is Mac's in Clearwater. Their service techs are top notch.
One thing I should point out, $100 is pretty much on par for servicing a BC and regulator. My yearly service bill (and my equipment is still under warranty so part of the service I don't pay for) is around $250.
One thing I should point out, $100 is pretty much on par for servicing a BC and regulator. My yearly service bill (and my equipment is still under warranty so part of the service I don't pay for) is around $250.
mrferrit
New member
thanks ill have to check them out thats the one on drew st. right thats a little ways but for good service its worth it .
also any recomendations on where to go around here i was thinking the 1st dive and a few weeks i might do the tanks off shore or barges . hope every thing gets better for you we might have to have a RC dive or something
also any recomendations on where to go around here i was thinking the 1st dive and a few weeks i might do the tanks off shore or barges . hope every thing gets better for you we might have to have a RC dive or something
I've gone with a couple people from on here. I haven't actually done much diving locally. Clearwater reef a few times...another reef just north of there. Been up to the springs a couple times. Usually when I'm gonna dive we go over to the east coast and dive Palm Beach or head down to the keys.
Mac's is on Drew. They also have another shop up in north tampa around Dale Mabry and Fletcher. There are a few shops in St. Pete that are supposed to be good. I've just always been happy with Mac's so never tried anywhere else. If you do a search, I think it's been discussed on here a couple times.
I won't know for about a year if I'm cleared to dive. I finished up some chemotherapy in January and one of the possible side affects is lung fibrosis. I have to wait a year and do a pulmonary test. If that test goes well, I'll be back in the water the next day
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Mac's is on Drew. They also have another shop up in north tampa around Dale Mabry and Fletcher. There are a few shops in St. Pete that are supposed to be good. I've just always been happy with Mac's so never tried anywhere else. If you do a search, I think it's been discussed on here a couple times.
I won't know for about a year if I'm cleared to dive. I finished up some chemotherapy in January and one of the possible side affects is lung fibrosis. I have to wait a year and do a pulmonary test. If that test goes well, I'll be back in the water the next day
.ChromisHomme
New member
I'll also put in a plug for Mac's, always had good experiences there.
Bill Jackson's is also very good, and closer for you. Plus it is a heckuva neat store to browse around in.
Bill Jackson's is also very good, and closer for you. Plus it is a heckuva neat store to browse around in.
mrferrit
New member
i am goin through padi and it was 225.00 if you have 2 or more people that includes all your gear cd's and dives exept mask fin/snorkle . thell be in crystal river you have to do all the tests on the cd and then its a 2 day class up there quick easy done . hopefully i am not sacrificing quality for time consumption ill let ya know how it went if its recomended. i believe its scubatampa.
One thing I want to add....and I hesitate to do it because I don't want you to feel uncomfortable about your classess...
My wife was certified by a shop here in Tampa (EZ-scuba) and did her checkout dives up in Crystal River. I personally think that that location is a terrible place to do checkout dives. It doesn't resemble any of the diving you will ever do off the coast of Florida. The deepest point my wifes depth guage ever hit on her checkouts was 21 feet. And they never dove off a boat. Or anywhere with a real current.
After she got her c-card I spent several months "continuing" her training. We did a couple of beach dives and eventually worked our way up to her diving off a boat (and finally doing drift dives over in Palm Beach). She never got any experience with one of the most important aspects of diving in Florida - getting off and then back on the boat. And her checkouts were so shallow as to be laughable.
I had a rather lenghthy discussion about it with the owner of the shop a couple years later when I was shopping around for some gear. Needless to say, I will never set foot there again, but that's another story. My point is, make sure that the diving part of your instruction is really preparing you for the normal diving for our area. You're going to get your cert and then go out diving. Make sure you're prepared to jump off a boat, possibly in 2+ foot seas, do a 50' dive and get back on the boat.
My wife was certified by a shop here in Tampa (EZ-scuba) and did her checkout dives up in Crystal River. I personally think that that location is a terrible place to do checkout dives. It doesn't resemble any of the diving you will ever do off the coast of Florida. The deepest point my wifes depth guage ever hit on her checkouts was 21 feet. And they never dove off a boat. Or anywhere with a real current.
After she got her c-card I spent several months "continuing" her training. We did a couple of beach dives and eventually worked our way up to her diving off a boat (and finally doing drift dives over in Palm Beach). She never got any experience with one of the most important aspects of diving in Florida - getting off and then back on the boat. And her checkouts were so shallow as to be laughable.
I had a rather lenghthy discussion about it with the owner of the shop a couple years later when I was shopping around for some gear. Needless to say, I will never set foot there again, but that's another story
. My point is, make sure that the diving part of your instruction is really preparing you for the normal diving for our area. You're going to get your cert and then go out diving. Make sure you're prepared to jump off a boat, possibly in 2+ foot seas, do a 50' dive and get back on the boat.
.
angelsil
New member
My first dives were all in the Red Sea as well (about 11 years ago for me) and the few dives I've done in the Caribbean just weren't the same. It's pretty, but the Red Sea is like heaven.
My husband and I are looking at buying a timeshare in Israel we love it so much.
Good Luck!
mrferrit
New member
Bring lots of money .
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well just got back from bill jacksons and your right luminary bring money. now i know whey i shop ebay lol . i thought there BC's were reaonable though . but the masks WOW so i went to wally world . well i am gonna try macs and i know of 2 others around here . thanks for the advice ill.and angil i lived over there for 10 years and used to go all the time and yes absolutly incredible in the red sea noow i need a second job to buy equip and ticket to go back lol
take care
dennis
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well just got back from bill jacksons and your right luminary bring money. now i know whey i shop ebay lol . i thought there BC's were reaonable though . but the masks WOW so i went to wally world . well i am gonna try macs and i know of 2 others around here . thanks for the advice ill.and angil i lived over there for 10 years and used to go all the time and yes absolutly incredible in the red sea noow i need a second job to buy equip and ticket to go back lol
take care
dennis
SawCJack00
Professional Mind Reader
I dive out of Narcosis SCUBA in Tarpon Springs. Haven't been going there long, but so far I'm please with their service. I'll be doing a gulf dive with them on Sunday June 4th. I had me BC & reg's serviced there this year for a total of $88.
mrferrit
New member
well i am now dive certified and i and so exited looking at all kinds of places for all the goodies and wondering where my budget fits in here . but the class went well it was nice cause it was only 2 of us in the class very personal almost one on one learned alot of things. and the crystal river was really cool went into a cavern on the 1st open dive.
saw a bunch of cool flounder sheepheads brim and gobies. i would recomend it to anyone but like luminary said more training is recomended . this is just gonna get better and better every day . planning a trip to the sunkin tanks in a few weeks so ill let you know it goes thanks for all the info
dennis
saw a bunch of cool flounder sheepheads brim and gobies. i would recomend it to anyone but like luminary said more training is recomended . this is just gonna get better and better every day . planning a trip to the sunkin tanks in a few weeks so ill let you know it goes thanks for all the info
dennis
