refresher in Key Largo/Islamorada

I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
and my boyfriend. We got ceritified a couple of years ago and went on
a diving trip to Cozumel, but we haven't gone diving since, and we'd
both be a lot better off having a skills review and then maybe going
out with a guide. I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
please let me know if I am.) Can anyone help with specific
suggestions? Also, any specific dive sites for newbies? Thanks very
much.

--Andrea

"Andrea" <abalinson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8ec5314.0410201702.5c6deebb@posting.google.co m...
> I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
> Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
> recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
> and my boyfriend. We got ceritified a couple of years ago and went on
> a diving trip to Cozumel, but we haven't gone diving since, and we'd
> both be a lot better off having a skills review and then maybe going
> out with a guide. I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
> recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
> think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
> won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
> please let me know if I am.) Can anyone help with specific
> suggestions? Also, any specific dive sites for newbies? Thanks very
> much.

You could start with a pool refresher at home too. Generally inexpensive
and will give you a bit of a headstart.

chilly wrote:
> "Andrea" <abalinson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:8ec5314.0410201702.5c6deebb@posting.google.co m...
>
>>I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
>>Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
>>recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
>>and my boyfriend. We got ceritified a couple of years ago and went on
>>a diving trip to Cozumel, but we haven't gone diving since, and we'd
>>both be a lot better off having a skills review and then maybe going
>>out with a guide. I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
>>recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
>>think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
>>won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
>>please let me know if I am.) Can anyone help with specific
>>suggestions? Also, any specific dive sites for newbies? Thanks very
>>much.
>
>
> You could start with a pool refresher at home too. Generally inexpensive
> and will give you a bit of a headstart.
>
>
>
A six pack is a small enough group to get individualized attention. At
least that has been my experience, with smaller boats, unless all divers
need it at the same time.

But as Chilly said, it is worth your time to do the pool refresher.

abalinson@yahoo.com (Andrea) pounded away at his keyboard resulting
in:
: I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
:recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
:think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
:won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
lease let me know if I am.) Can anyone help with specific
:suggestions? Also, any specific dive sites for newbies? Thanks very
:much.

Rent the whole boat, you'll get all the attention you need. If you
don't want to do that, hire your own guide and bring him on the boat
with you, at your expense of course.

Or go a bit further west and find someone who dives Looe Key. Very
nice site and about as easy as it gets.

Dan Bracuk
Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


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"Andrea" <abalinson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8ec5314.0410201702.5c6deebb@posting.google.co m...
> I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
> Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
> recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
> and my boyfriend. We got ceritified a couple of years ago and went on
> a diving trip to Cozumel, but we haven't gone diving since, and we'd
> both be a lot better off having a skills review and then maybe going
> out with a guide. I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
> recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
> think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
> won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
> please let me know if I am.)

You are. The Keys are all about tourists and separating them from their
money. Most of the operators down there run cattle boats. Lots of divers,
taken to the closest sites that won't get a host of complaints and back to
the dock for the next load and their money. This is not all bad as
evidenced by the fact that many of the cattle boat operators have been in
business for a very long time. Sometimes we only care about the
transportation and shallow reefs tend to be colorful, delighting those that
have nothing similar at home and/or haven't seen the best the Keys have to
offer. The smaller the boat, the more likely you are to get personal
service. A 6 pack is as small a boat as you normally find in the Keys.
Anything less than 6 divers or so pushes the price to make a profit high
enough that few are willing to pay.

Lee

Capt Brian Berry at Island Ventures is your man! Here is his site:
http://www.islandventure.com/
My family has dove with him for the past 3 years and no one is
better...NO STRESS!


On 20 Oct 2004 18:02:04 -0700, abalinson@yahoo.com (Andrea) wrote:

>I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
>Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
>recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
>and my boyfriend. We got ceritified a couple of years ago and went on
>a diving trip to Cozumel, but we haven't gone diving since, and we'd
>both be a lot better off having a skills review and then maybe going
>out with a guide. I know that Quiescence, for instance, gets a lot of
>recommendations (6-pack boats, etc.), but after reading a while I
>think that a 6-pack boat operation is *not* what we need since we
>won't get TLC. (I may be entirely mistaken about my assumption, and
>please let me know if I am.) Can anyone help with specific
>suggestions? Also, any specific dive sites for newbies? Thanks very
>much.
>
>--Andrea

Howdy Folks:

Andrea wrote:

> I've been reading a lot of posts naming good dive operations in the
> Key Largo/Islamorada area. I'd like to ask if anyone has any specific
> recommendations for an operator to do a refresher dive/class with me
> and my boyfriend.

I think you can't do better than Pete Verbeek at Pennekamp. Great guy
-- very thorough, but very cool about it!

So sez

"MC"

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I appreciate the information.

--Andrea