Hotels FAQ

Question:

I’m looking for a good company that offers PADI open water certfication courses at the great barrier reef. Can anyone recommend me a good company? Thanks

Response:

When I was in Cairns in March 96 I counted 21 companies offering some sort of dive excursions to The Great Barrier Reef.  My certification is out of date, so I took a resort dive (10 meters, 30 min.)  The company I used was ok, but not exceptional.  I went to a dive shop (ProDive) near the wharf and bought a mask.  In the process I talked to them about dive trips.  They told me which companies specialized in what kind of dives and where they went.  This might be an alternative, if you don’t get any recommendations here.  Since ProDive also does dive trips, they are somewhat biased. > I’m looking for a good company that offers PADI open water certfication > courses at the great barrier reef. > Can anyone recommend me a good company? > Thanks

– Jim Burke

Response:

Whatever you do, don’t just go for the cheapest course.  Although most firms are reputable, because the places out near Reef are tourist places, they have a huge turnover of people and certain areas have pretty bad safety records. I trained in Airlie Beach, as did many of my friends and I was the only one who came away unscathed.  Although nobody was seriously injured (i.e. the Bends, Nitrogen Narcosis etc.) at least three people I knew suffered burst ear drums as they had colds / blocked sinuses. It’s no wonder.  I did an open water course but you were able to pay extra to extend it to Advanced open water.  Two of the people on our course failed the theory tests (one of them terribly) but were still allowed to do the practicle. If you do have blocked sinuses or have a cold at the time, don’t let the dive firm tell you that you’re fine to dive (they only want your money). Make sure – have a medical just before you start a dive course, not months before. I later found out from various Guide books (Rough Guide to Australia, http://www.hotwired.com/rough/australia/  and Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com.au that Airlie has a pretty poor safety record.  Something they’re keen for you not to find out once you are there! If you don’t have to worry about the reputation of the firm you choose, you can have much more fun out on the Reef, which is what diving is all about! Your best bet is to ask at your hostel / hotel.  They won’t care which firm you choose so won’t be biased. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > When I was in Cairns in March 96 I counted 21 companies offering some sort > of dive excursions to The Great Barrier Reef.  My certification is out of > date, so I took a resort dive (10 meters, 30 min.)  The company I used was > ok, but not exceptional.  I went to a dive shop (ProDive) near the wharf > and bought a mask.  In the process I talked to them about dive trips.  They > told me which companies specialized in what kind of dives and where they > went.  This might be an alternative, if you don’t get any recommendations > here.  Since ProDive also does dive trips, they are somewhat biased. > I’m looking for a good company that offers PADI open water certfication > courses at the great barrier reef. > Can anyone recommend me a good company? > Thanks > — > Jim Burke

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