# Where to get certified "scuba"



## Blackcj7 (Dec 1, 2014)

Hello All
I am new to the board but I am hoping you can help me. I visit Pensacola and Gulf Breeze area regularly and I would like to get scuba certified. I'm looking at taking up spear fishing and would like to know if there is a good dive shop that yall would recommend. I have been on 3 dives (about 42' is my deepest) but I would want to start in a beginner class for sure to make sure that I get all training needed. Any Recommendations Would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

MBT divers on Barrancas is the best in the business hands down.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Dive pros is an excellent place to get certified also. Plus they have a heated enclosed pool on there premises. Go talk to them then decide which to use.


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## redlegs (Oct 1, 2007)

x2 on Dive Pro's.

If you have the time, you can try a "Discovery Dive" that will put you in the pool with an instructor. It will give an opportunity to get to know the possible instructor before committing to an OW course with them (or that instructor).

I think Dive Pro's is running class specials, and I think discoveries are still no cost..


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I guess that says it all, hands down......


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## Blackcj7 (Dec 1, 2014)

Thanks yall. 
I didn't expect to get feed back this fast. I look forward to spearing some lion fish with yall one day soon. 
Thank you for the help


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## catchin em (Mar 10, 2011)

i got certified at dive pros and had a great experience.


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## captaindye251 (Oct 12, 2014)

MBT is the dark side of the dive. I love Dive Pros and can't recommend them enough. Gary Toms is a great instructor and CJ is cool as F*$^. Shout out to Merrick too. I went to MBT about 5 times looking for various stuff and they always stared at me like I was going to steal something. One time when I was there, this guy was returning some equipment and dropped the BC. The guy that worked there wanted to charge him a cleaning fee for dropping it. I told the dude to spend 30 seconds dusting it off and quit being a douche. He said it's policy. That was the last time I ever went there. The feeling I got was they have a small group of regulars they like and everybody else is an outsider they are suspicious of unless you swing around large stacks of cash. Then they'll pretend to be nice even if it hurts. Granted it has been about 8 years so I can't say what they're like now but I'd breathe through a garden hose before I let them inspect my reg. Ultimately, the decision is up to you.


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## SaltAddict (Jan 6, 2010)

My girlfriend just went through the course at MBT. I was present on the final day of diving. The instructor was top notch. 

Captaindye is certainly entitled to his/her opinion, but Chuck at MBT is the ONLY person that I trust to repair or upgrade my regs. 

I've heard good things about Dive Pros. I'm sure you would get quality instruction and service from them as well.


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## Caver2130 (Jul 8, 2008)

This area has a LOT of good instructors (I count myself among them) at great facilities. The guys at Dive Pros are good folks. But, I highly recommend MBT (in all fairness, I worked there from '06-'10 - and got certified there in 1996).

Here is what I would do: Go to both MBT & Dive Pros -- ask EVERY question under the sun. Look around, talk to everyone you see, and make your decision on that. Both have safe training programs, certifying some of the highest numbers of divers in the world (MBT was just recognized by SDI as being #1 in the nation & #2 worldwide - I'm sure that Dive Pros has had similar recognition from NAUI). NAUI, PADI, SDI/TDI? Don't worry about it. Training programs don't make divers, instructors do. I've been an active instructor through all three, as well as a Dive Master for the now-gone YMCA, and I've had training from NACD, NSS-CDS, SSI, & IANTD. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME (just some market better than others, or have different materials). 

Ultimately, it is about your comfort. You will be learning something completely foreign to you, so the trust you place in a dive shop/instructor is paramount. The sale of the week, the sales pitch, brand names, or any "my shop is better than yours" bravado is out the window. In addition to safety, SCUBA should be EASY & FUN. If someone tries to tell you that the training "isn't hard enough" or whatever, ignore them. I've taught both 16 week classes and 3 day classes... and neither of them were more qualified to dive than the other.

I would personally trust either of them to certify my family members (but, as I said, I would lean toward MBT). Also, whichever one you go through... get Nitrox certified with it. Trust me, you'll thank me later.


And +1 to Chuck. Chuck is hands-down one of the most trusted repair guys out there. Sure, he may be gruff when it comes to the gear, but it is because he gives a crap about safety & standards. If someone doesn't return SCUBA gear in clean, working order... I want it caught before a student gets a hold of it (and yes, I teach students to check their gear, etc... but I like to prevent issues before we get to that point). Plus, I'm not a big fan of someone that rents/borrows a few hundred dollars worth of stuff and refuses to take care of it.

Feel free to shoot me a PM or an email Caver2130 at g mail (dot) com. I'll be happy to answer any questions about training (in an unbiased manner) that you may have.


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## Cajun Spearit (Jun 3, 2011)

If Aqua Man and Wonder Woman had a child, they would take said child to MBT!!


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

captaindye251 said:


> ... I went to MBT about 5 times looking for various stuff and they always stared at me like I was going to steal something.


Had the same experience here. I went to MBT a few times mostly 'cause of the recommendations I read here on PFF. I was not impressed.



captaindye251 said:


> One time when I was there, this guy was returning some equipment and dropped the BC. The guy that worked there wanted to charge him a cleaning fee for dropping it. I told the dude to spend 30 seconds dusting it off and quit being a douche. He said it's policy. That was the last time I ever went there.


That's pretty crappy.



captaindye251 said:


> The feeling I got was they have a small group of regulars they like and everybody else is an outsider they are suspicious of unless you swing around large stacks of cash. Then they'll pretend to be nice even if it hurts. Granted it has been about 8 years so I can't say what they're like now but I'd breathe through a garden hose before I let them inspect my reg. Ultimately, the decision is up to you.


That's the impression I got the few times I've been in there. And that's in the past 18 months. When the staff on duty found out I was just browsing gear & seeking some local dive info - not there to buy a specific item today or bringing something in for maintenance/repair ... I was pretty much ignored. More than ignored even, I started to feel downright uncomfortable even being in the place after a bit. But when someone who seemed to be a regular came in, they got an entirely different response from staff. So I just quit dropping by there. Yes, yes, I know ---- I've heard a lot of good recommendations about MBT and don't doubt they have some good people there, but I guess you just gotta be part of "the club" - personally I just like the vibe better over at Scuba Shack so I go there now where it seems like they make everybody feel welcome and not like a 2nd class citizen 'cause you're not some kind of "dive pro", somebody's friend/buddy/relative, or 'cause you're not buying anything particular _today_. 

I'll pay a little more to support a local business that treats me right ..... but I won't hesitate to buy gear online either before I will someplace the staff is uppity or has attitude. Heck, I still send my reg sets to ScubaToys in Dallas for service every year. Competitive rates, faster turn-around than the local shops, and outstanding customer service. Staff always answers the phone (sometimes one of the owners), emails are promptly responded to, excellent customer service (_even replaced a flooded computer for me for free once when they didn't have to),_ always friendly & helpful, and never seem to look down their noses at you 'cause you're just a warm-water rec diver.


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## Sailorboy (Sep 28, 2011)

<<<has a "store credit" card from MBT in the car,, wont ever use it,, Naaa wont give it to you either,,,,
a lot nicer , better places.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Sailorboy said:


> <<<has a "store credit" card from MBT in the car,, wont ever use it,, Naaa wont give it to you either,,,,
> a lot nicer , better places.


I'll take it!


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Ok if these posts haven't got you scared to death about Diving in general, What have you decided to do about getting certified?


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

sealark said:


> Ok if these posts haven't got you scared to death about Diving in general, What have you decided to do about getting certified?



I think I saw him at Home Depot looking at Garden Hoses..........:whistling:


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## Joe Sixpack (Jul 30, 2011)

Don't know where you live, but you can get your classroom and pool time in close to home then all you will need to do when you get to the beach is take your checkout dives. That's what I did last year for spring break, took the fam to Cozumel and did my OW dives on the reef. If I had waited to take the whole course there, would not have been able to spend any time with my wife and kid.


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