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Open Water or Advanced Open Water Course: $2,600
You’re ready to jump in and get your Open Water Diver cert?
Or maybe you’re already certified and want to take your skills up a notch with the Advanced Open Water course?
Let’s get you in the water and build those skills!
Rescue Diver Course Course: $2,700
Are you interested in really taking your SCUBA education to the next level? On our trip become a Rescue Diver! In the Rescue Diver course you’ll learn how to manage problems, respond to emergencies, and administer oxygen, among other invaluable and life-saving skills.
Certified Diver with no Course: $2,500
Do you just feel like coming along and doing some fun dives, without a course? This is for you! Includes 5 boat outings (up to 10 dives) to be used throughout the week. Not enough diving for you? Let’s talk and make it happen!
Non-diver: $1,800
Do you not want to dive, but still want to come along? Sounds great! There’s plenty of fun and relaxing moments to be had without diving.
What’s included
Open Water Course
Open Water e-learning
Open Water Course (Confined + 4 dives)
3 boat outings after certification (up to 6 dives)
Gear Rentals
Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila
Airport transfers
Boat/ferry tickets
1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan
Welcome dinner on Utila
Farewell dinner on Roatan
1 week of diving insurance through DAN
If you would like to purchase a regular annual DAN membership you can support Barbary Coast Divers by signing up with this link
Barbary Coast Divers T-shirt
Bottle of Barbary Coast Ear Beer, a magic elixir to get that stubborn water out of your ears
Advanced Open Water Course
Advanced Open Water course (5 dives)
2 boat outings after certification (up to 4 dives)
Gear Rentals
Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila
Airport transfers
Boat/ferry tickets
1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan
Welcome dinner on Utila
Farewell dinner on Roatan
1 week of diving insurance through DAN
If you would like to purchase a regular annual DAN membership you can support Barbary Coast Divers by signing up with this link
Barbary Coast Divers T-shirt
Bottle of Barbary Coast Ear Beer, a magic elixir to get that stubborn water out of your ears
Rescue Diver Course
Rescue Diver course (2 dives + 1 Training Day)
Emergency First Response course
2 boat outings (up to 4 dives)
Gear Rentals
Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila
Airport transfers
Boat/ferry tickets
1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan
Welcome dinner on Utila
Farewell dinner on Roatan
1 week of diving insurance through DAN
If you would like to purchase a regular annual DAN membership you can support Barbary Coast Divers by signing up with this link
Barbary Coast Divers T-shirt
Bottle of Barbary Coast Ear Beer, a magic elixir to get that stubborn water out of your ears
Fun Diver
5 boat rides
Gear rentals
Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila
Airport transfers
Boat/ferry tickets
1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan
Welcome dinner on Utila
Farewell dinner on Roatan
1 week of diving insurance through DAN
If you would like to purchase a regular annual DAN membership you can support Barbary Coast Divers by signing up with this link
Barbary Coast Divers T-shirt
Bottle of Barbary Coast Ear Beer, a magic elixir to get that stubborn water out of your ears
Non Diver
Hotel stay for 6 nights in a double room in Utila
Airport transfers
Boat/ferry tickets
1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan
Welcome dinner on Utila
Farewell dinner in Roatan
Barbary Coast Divers T-shirt
Bottle of Barbary Coast Ear Beer, a magic elixir to get that stubborn water out of your ears
What’s not included
Flight to/from Roatan
Travel Insurance
DAN Also offers great travel insurance. You can support Barbary Coast Divers by using this link to purchase travel insurance.
DAN insurance is the best for dive trips because it is tailored for divers and water sports enthusiasts. If you purchase other travel insurance be sure to check if it covers SCUBA and snorkeling. Most do not.
Daily food & drinks
approx. $10 – $30 per day
Tips
Souvenirs
Payment Schedule
$500 non-refundable when you reserve
50% due 12 weeks before departure
Remaining 50% due 6 weeks before departure
Refunds
The $500 deposit is non-refundable. Many things must be reserved and paid for upfront, which are non-refundable. I will do my best to give credit for future trips if possible. The remaining balance is refundable according to the following schedule:
12 weeks or more before the trip: 100% refund minus deposit
12 weeks – 6 weeks before the trip: 50% minus deposit
6 weeks – 3 weeks before trip: 25% minus deposit
Less than 3 weeks: No Refund
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Recommended Flight
United Airlines flight 2043 from Houston is the preferred flight. This flight arrives at 12:30 and allows enough time to transfer to the ferry to Utila. If you would like to arrive on another airline you’ll need to arrive the day before. If you would like to do this, we can help arrange for a driver and hotel for the night for you.
About Utila
Before all the hard facts about Utila, it must be stated that the island is a special place. It is best to not think about it it as Honduras. It has a unique history, a different people, it’s own language, and a different way of life. There is a clear laissez-faire culture that attracts people from all over because they are free to live their lives how they want to live. For example you’ll find a level of acceptance of queer culture that you will not find elsewhere in Honduras.
Utila is the smallest of the Honduran Bay Islands (17 sq miles), after Roatán and Guanaja, in a region that marks the south end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest in the world. Formerly a British Colony, British Honduras, and a part of the Commonwealth, Utila is traditionally an English-speaking island. Unlike Roatan there has been mild immigration of mainland Hondurans to Utila. So English is still the predominant language.
About Roatan
The largest of the Bay Islands, Roatan, like Utila, was a part of British Honduras and is a historically English speaking island. Roatan has seen significant emigration from Mainland Honduras, so the most commonly spoken language is now Spanish. Crime is now a slight concern on Roatan, but not anything like mainland Honduras. We’ll be staying in the popular West End area of the Island where it is very safe.
Honduran Entry Requirements
US Citizens are allowed entry to Honduras for up to 90 days without a visa. The length of stay you are allowed is up to the discretion of the immigration officer.
Citizens of other countries or those traveling on passports other than American need to check to see what their entry requirements and limitations are. You can generally find this information on the Honduran Embassy in the issuing country. I cannot give you any legal advice when it comes to passport and travel restrictions and allowances.
Your passport must be over 3 months away from expiration
Medical Facilities
Clinic
While there isn’t a hospital on Utila, there are small clinics and a health center. There is also a medical emergency system in place with the doctors on the island. There are pharmacies that will carry most of what you need too, however if you have specialized medication, you need to be sure to bring an ample supply with you on the trip.
Hyperbaric Chamber
For such a small island, Utila is lucky to have its own hyperbaric recompression chamber. In the highly unlikely event you experience decompression illness, you will have access to a chamber without the need to leave the island and DAN insurance will completely cover the cost of the treatment.
Medical Emergencies
If there is a medical emergency that is too great for the facilities on the island to deal with, there is a small airport where emergency flights can land to take someone to either Roatan or La Ceiba on the mainland.
Safety
It’s true, parts of Honduras are not safe, however Utila is widely considered the safest place in Honduras. Though it is rare, the only crime on the island is crime of opportunity. People are safe to walk home at all hours without worry.
Drugs
Drugs are illegal in Honduras. There are not many police on Utila, however, one should practice extreme caution when it concerns drugs. Also, drug use can increase the odds of decompression illness when diving.
Weather & Climate
Situated along the Caribbean coast, Utila experiences high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Temperatures fluctuate from 24.9°C (76.8°F) to 29°C (84.2°F) on the high end, to 19.8°C (67.6°F) to 23.3°C (73.9°F) on the low end. The relative humidity remains high, oscillating primarily from 76% to 83%, attesting to the typical tropical climate of the region. Following is a month by month breakdown of the months trips are planned:
October
October is the beginning of the rainy season with an average high-temperature of 27.5°C (81.5°F), and an average low-temperature of 22.6°C (72.7°F).
Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 135mm (5.31″) of precipitation.
The average sea temperature is 29°C (84.2°F)
November
Beginning of the drier season with an average high-temperature of a still warm 26°C (78.8°F) and an average low-temperature of 21.1°C (70°F)
Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 130mm (5.12″) of precipitation
The average sea temperature is 28°C (82.4°F)
January
January is the coldest month, though still humid, with the temperature often reaching an average high of 24.9°C (76.8°F) and an average low of 19.8°C (67.6°F).
Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 108mm (4.25″)
The average sea temperature is 27°C (80.6°F)
February
February brings an average high-temperature of a 25.9°C (78.6°F), and a low-temperature of 19.9°C (67.8°F).
Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 88mm (3.46″)
The average sea temperature is 27°C (80.6°F)
March
March has slightly warmer, drier, and sunnier weather than February, however it is generally a bit more humid.
Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 46mm (1.81″)
The average sea temperature is 27°C (80.6°F)
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What is this Trip?
An 8 day voyage to Utila, Honduras during which you will take part in a PADI SCUBA course and receive certification while enjoying the laid-back life on Utila for 7 nights / 8 days.
Available courses include: Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver
If you’re already certified and you’d like to join, you’ll receive credit for 5 boat rides to be used throughout the week. Morning & afternoon boats include 2 dives. The night boat is 1 dive.
Why get certified on this trip instead of at home?
SCUBA diving is a wonderful sport that you can participate in all around the world. There are places SCUBA diving will take you that you never would have considered before getting certified. A whole different side of the world opens up to you once you have your PADI Open Water Certification.
Getting certified in the States and especially in California, for example, is great because it’s a beautiful place to dive, but it has cold water at about 52F with limited visibility of about 20ft. This stands in many people’s way when they consider learning to dive. The water around Utila is about 88F year-round and the visibility is usually around 50 – 100ft.
And sadly, it’s expensive to get certified in the US. In California for example, according to The Bay Area School of Diving, the average cost to get Open Water certified is $1646.
With these trips to Utila, you’ll experience an ideal environment for learning the sport in an intimate group setting at a great price point. There isn’t a better way to finally get certified.
What instructor certification does Josh have?
I’m a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and Emergency First Response Instructor
You’re able to check any PADI professional’s credentials on PADI’s Pro Chek database
I’m able to certify you in the following levels:
I can also certify you in the following SCUBA specialties:
I can also certify you in the following Emergency First Response courses:
What certification will I get on this trip?
Depending on the trip you go on, you will receive one of the following:
You’ll be certified to rent gear and dive with a buddy anywhere in the world up to a depth of 18m
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD)
You’ll be certified to rent gear and dive with a buddy anywhere in the world up to a depth of 30m
You’ll be eligible to earn specialties to allow you to dive in more diverse environments with different gear. ex . Enriched Air, Sidemount, Wreck, Deep
You’ll be trained to recognize and respond to dive emergencies, how to use emergency oxygen, fix common scuba gear problems, and even improve your underwater navigation
Can you help me choose gear to purchase?
Barbary Coast Divers is an independent Cressi dealer so we’re able to help you find the gear that will work best for you. Masks come in many shapes because there are so many different face shapes out there. I have a selection of different masks to try on so you can find the mask that suits you best
I have access to Cressi’s full line of products, not just their scuba gear as well. So if you would like anything from a dry suit to a stand-up paddle board, I can help you find what you’re looking for
Is the trip refundable?
The $500 deposit is non-refundable. Many things must be reserved and paid for upfront, which are non-refundable. I will do my best to give credit for future trips if possible. The remaining balance is refundable according to the following schedule:
12 weeks or more before the trip: 100% refund minus deposit
12 weeks – 6 weeks before the trip: 50% minus deposit
6 weeks – 3 weeks before trip: 25% minus deposit
Less than 3 weeks: No Refund
For more details see our Terms & Conditions for Booking
Kids & Diving
Diving is a unique sport that parents and kids can enjoy together. Kids as young as 10 can take the Open Water course and become certified Junior Open Water divers. Certain restrictions apply for the child and the course overall.
These trips are designed with people of diving age in mind, however if you would like to bring children, please let me know and we can discuss.
Here are details about restrictions on kids and things to know about diving with kids as well as the certifications they can earn.
10-11 year-olds
Children this young require special instructor to student ratios
Junior Open Water divers in this age range may only dive with a certified parent or guardian or a PADI professional
Max depth for these divers is 12m/40ft
If you would like to bring a child in this age range on a trip let’s talk
12-14 year-olds
After certification, Junior Open Water divers in this age range must dive with an adult certified diver
Maximum dive depth 18 meters/60 feet
After certification they must dive with an adult certified diver
Divers in this range are able to continue their education and move on to Advanced Open Water divers. From there, their maximum depth moves to 21 meters/70 feet.
They will be able to begin earning more advanced specialties as well, like night diving, Peak Performance Bouyancy and more
15 – 17 year-olds
This age group is considered regular Open Water divers and has the same dive privileges as adults
Waivers must be signed by a parent or legal guardian
