What makes BuoyancyQuest different?
We are not a retail storefront:
We recognize that we are a part of the diving business and as such, we must turn a profit but our focus is strictly limited to training & travel and is not motivated by inventory.
Your equipment is not what determines how you look as a diver but SCUBA Diving is an equipment intensive sport and we believe that owning ones own equipment represents a commitment to the sport and identifies the individual who is likely to continue diving.
We provide, as part of your training, guidance in the purchase dive gear*. We hope you will consider our advice to be a valuable part of your training package. We receive no commissions from retailers and will direct you to a shop, regardless of our relationship with that business, if it stocks a brand or item that we recommend. Of course we have some retailers with whom we have a familiar relationship who we like to recommend but your ultimate satisfaction is our primary concern. Mentoring your equipment choices will expedite our mission of developing your diving skills and contribute an element of experience to your initial gear purchases.
*remember; use of equipment, with the exception of hoods, boots & gloves, is included in the price of your package. If you are not ready or cannot afford to shop for your own gear at the time of your course, our shopping advice is included even after you are certified.
We build competent divers:
Because we dont sell equipment, we dont care if people ask you where you purchased that really cool piece of gear. Our best advertisement is the diver that we develop. Our goal is for you to achieve a level of skill that will prompt others to ask where you learned to dive. We provide real fundamental training at the beginner level. Sure we offer continuing education too but we believe that even a novice can be a diver rather than just a tourist with a C- card. A certification card will get you on a dive boat, looking like a diver is another matter.
Training & Certification:
Introductory SCUBA Training can be broken down into three basic elements; academics, confined water training and open water certification dives. Each of these require about ten hours of attention**. In addition, there is a fourth element: self study. Your course will be conducted using PADI materials and will meet all of the performance requirements for PADI Open Water Diver certification. The only thing different is that we will identify and emphasize the skills that provide the foundation of a good diver. Of the almost 20 basic skills that you will learn, there are some that we hope you will never use and others that are used on every dive. The latter truly determine what kind of diver you will be. How you function after water has been added has more bearing on what kind of diver you are than any equipment or credentials.
** Training is performance based not time based.
Class sizes and prices:
Because we are not a retail business we cannot count on recruiting individual customers, as they walk through the door and combining them into manageable classes. That is why we have opted to offer training that appeals to buddy teams or small groups of friends or family. You put together your class and we will develop a schedule that fits your needs.
We offer Private Lessons (1 student) $799.00
A Buddy Team (2 students) .$1000
A small class (4 Students) $1900
3 Teams (6 students) $2700
We will consider quoting a price for groups of 8 or 10 students but 10 is the absolute maximum that we can consider***.
***All in water training for groups of 6 or more must be scheduled for week-ends only. Smaller groups can do in water training that involves mid-week dates.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS: BuoyancyQuest@comcast.net