Cuba PADI open water dives - help needed

[Leep]

Hi,

I've recently completed the pool sessions of my PADI open water referral course here in the UK and was hoping to do my open water dives in Varadero, Cuba in late January. My instructor has told me that PADI cannot operate in Cuba so does this mean that I cannot complete the course in Cuba or are some of the local dive centres out there able to find some way around the restrictions to allow me to complete my dives!!??
Do any of the dive centres know of loop-holes in the PADI system that would allow me to dive and therefore get my license?
Any help or advice would be a great help!!
Thanks
Lee

[Harlequin]

Leep

I have a few Cuban friends who reliably inform me that diving in Cuba (with or without certification) really isn't an issue.

Something along the lines of "here's a bottle, stick that in your mouth and down we go" if I recall correctly...

[Adrian Kelland]

PADI is an American business prevented by US law from operating in Cuba. The Cuban dive centres may well be teaching something close to the PADI syllabus, BUT you won't be doing PADI training.

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

...may well be teaching something close to the PADI syllabus...

Adrian

I've met people that did courses out there and others that dived for fun or for a living and when you ask them the most basic of questions about equalising or mask clearing they look blank.

I've no doubt that there are reputable centres there but I've yet to hear of one.

[daveb0000]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

PADI is an American business prevented by US law from operating in Cuba. The Cuban dive centres may well be teaching something close to the PADI syllabus, BUT you won't be doing PADI training.

i think most of Cuba has centers with an affiliation with SSI which has a very similar course content which is very close to PADI's

[ScubaSue]

Originally Posted by daveb0000

i think most of Cuba has centers with an affiliation with SSI which has a very similar course content which is very close to PADI's

And ACUC which appears to be the Canadian equivalent of PADI.

[Howard Payne]

Cuba is pretty much the wild west when it comes to diving. CMAS is the most prevelant agency - but as has already been pointed out - wave a referral card at someone and chances are you'll end up in the water - it's pretty much the Darwinian approach!

May I suggest for your own piece of mind that you complete your open water course here before you go - you won't be able to do it out there.

Neptuno is a great wreck dive in about 10m - just off the coast of Varadero - make sure you don't miss it and give my love to the Congers! lol

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by daveb0000

i think most of Cuba has centers with an affiliation with SSI which has a very similar course content which is very close to PADI's

SSI is American too - very American, so I wouold have thought they'd have the same issues as PADI. Having said that, googling "SSI dive Cuba" gets a few hits with claims that some centres (they don't say which ones) offer SSI courses, although nothing more. I couldn't find any referrences to Cuba whatsoever on the SSI website(s), even when I searched for it.

[Rod]

Originally Posted by Leep

Do any of the dive centres know of loop-holes in the PADI system that would allow me to dive and therefore get my license?
Any help or advice would be a great help!!
Thanks
Lee

Lee,

You can take your own PADI Instructor with you to Cuba and they can complete the course.

If they are not available then I am sure I could make myself free if you pay for the flights and accomodation

[Madfish]

Originally Posted by Leep

Hi,

I've recently completed the pool sessions of my PADI open water referral course here in the UK and was hoping to do my open water dives in Varadero, Cuba in late January. My instructor has told me that PADI cannot operate in Cuba so does this mean that I cannot complete the course in Cuba or are some of the local dive centres out there able to find some way around the restrictions to allow me to complete my dives!!??
Do any of the dive centres know of loop-holes in the PADI system that would allow me to dive and therefore get my license?
Any help or advice would be a great help!!
Thanks
Lee

Lee, did you tell them that you were travelling to Cuba and would do your open water dives there BEFORE you started the course and handed over the cash?


Di