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| - Destination Scuba is a very welcoming, knowledgeable, quality dive shop.The first time we came into Destination Scuba, we met DeeDee, and had a great conversation about marine conservation. Dee Dee was friendly and fun. The second time we went in, we met owners CG and Tania, who were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, as well as personable and warm.
Our daughter ended up completing her Open Water with CG, who was extremely conscientious and confidence-inspiring. He made our daughter's check-out dives not just seem skills-driven, but also fun and exploratory, as if she really were on a dive for enjoyment, and just practicing skills along the way. CG took the extra time to show her underwater creatures and help her feel comfortable underwater. Later, as a family, we all took the Peak Performance Bouancy class from CG and drastically improved our control and form underwater, making us all feel that we could now be better, safer visitors to fragile marine environments.
Tania is the quieter, grounded one, who always has good, straightforward insight into any questions and solid, practical advice. As a woman and a mom to a teenaged daughter, I also like the fact that there are women divers active in the shop, giving advice and teaching specialty classes. Tania teaches some of the classes, and there are a couple other female dive masters at the shop. Tania is down-to-earth, competent and very intelligent.
All around, Destination Scuba is just a balanced approach to scuba community, without drama, just nice people having fun, doing what they love, and doing it extremely well.
......Well all that was true until it wasn't anymore. Tania left the shop. Testoterone-laden men started hanging out in the shop carrying on conversations that were very disrespectful towards women. There were trips that were 100% not appropriate for families. Sad but true. In the beginning, we were so happy here and met so many nice people and got great instruction. I would say all of those positive aspects declined over the couple of years that we frequented the shop, which was sad.
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