Northwest Dive Club

Well, after almost three years of producing (very cute) children, I am dusting off the dive gear and getting back in the water. Being risk averse with two small people at home, I can't imagine doing so without getting a good dive refresher. Does anyone have any recommendations on instructors in the Florida panhandle (near Destin) that are team oriented and won't laugh at me too much?
Thanks in advance,
Kate

Kalatin wrote:Well, after almost three years of producing (very cute) children, I am dusting off the dive gear and getting back in the water. Being risk averse with two small people at home, I can't imagine doing so without getting a good dive refresher. Does anyone have any recommendations on instructors in the Florida panhandle (near Destin) that are team oriented and won't laugh at me too much?
Thanks in advance,
Kate

Awesome!

(no recommendations, but so happy to hear you're looking to splash again, Kate!)

Just an OW refresher, I thought you might have been cavern too?

No cavern, but once I get comfortable again I hear that Marianna is only an hour or so down the road and the temptation may be too much to resist.

I know Marcoux has spoken briefly to Heather Armstrong, who is in Pensacola. Heather's a very good teacher and a really neat woman -- you would like her. She is chickdiver on SB and Blondie on Dive Matrix.

If you can't work with her or she doesn't want to do a refresher, consider talking to Rob Neto and his wife, Jen. They are not DIR but they are cave divers, and they're good friends of mine. Long hose setups aren't unfamiliar Rob has a really good reputation as an instructor (ask Bob, he's taken a class from him). He goes by Dive-aholic on SB and RN on the tech diving boards.

Kalatin wrote:No cavern, but once I get comfortable again I hear that Marianna is only an hour or so down the road and the temptation may be too much to resist.

The cavern at Jackson Blue is seriously gorgeous, you owe it to yourself to get in (and look out towards the entrance) sometime.

I don't think Heather teaches much but she'd be my suggestion if possible.

Howdy Kate ...

Yanno I was just thinking about you a few days ago and wondering how you're doing. Glad to hear you're getting back into diving.

Give Rob Neto a shout ... he's up in Marianna. I took a sidemount class from him last year and he's awesome!

http://chipoladivers.com/

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Welcome back to diving, Kate! I'm glad you got to make a couple of adorable babies, but I'm also glad you get to dive again!

NW Dive Club magic strikes again. Turns out all I needed was Sounder (I can't believe I just said that) and Facebook to make it happen. The gear gets dropped off tomorrow and will hopefully be back in the water in just a few weeks. Now I am off to the garage to fondle dive gear.