Posted by Walt on April 21, 2004 at 09:35:00:
In Reply to: Ya know... posted by Doug Williams on April 20, 2004 at 22:07:42:
Doug - $185 for all you provided?...THAT was a bargain! Yes, consumers are their own worst enemies and end up paying for it many times over. Expensive equipment that sits unused, wasted trips, wasted time.
I met a diver getting certified for PADI "Advanced" in Cozumel and invited that person to join our 3 day Labor Day trip in SoCal (which at $350 all inclusive is a real deal). Reason: the person wanted to do more diving and since we live on the coast - what better place? Right? Wrong. Unfortunately, after 1 dive into the Pacific, seeing kelp and not being able to descend, the diver sat out the rest of the trip. I will credit that person's instructor for advising that person against this trip (found this out after the trip). But why did PADI allow issuing an "Advanced" C-Card? The person is a beginner (period). The $350 trip cost was wasted, so where was the bargain in training? If you just want to see a few fish underwater and save money, go to the Aquarium of the Pacific - its far cheaper and you won't die. But if you want to truely enjoy our sport, get properly trained - it'll cost more initially, but you'll save money in the long run and, better yet, you more likely won't die.