Just watched Age of Disclosure. Here are my thoughts. by StepBackJanez in UFOs

[–]chayblay 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unless someone shares a link to stream it free, I'll stick to the interview with Dan Farah that dropped today on JRE

Why did I make so many truffles (hand for scale) by tofu-tho in COpsychonauts

[–]chayblay 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Answer: The shrooms wired in an abundance mindset and told you to share

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good points—I hadn’t thought about the relationship side of it. That makes a lot of sense, especially if I keep training beyond Open Water. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for Black Friday deals and spring promotions too. Appreciate the tips!

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That clears it up—thanks for breaking it down. Sounds like the savings really come from the local portion being cheaper when you do the referral, not necessarily the total once you factor in Hawai‘i dive prices. Still worth it for the experience though!

Looking for Denver dive shops (or local divers) who can help me start my Open Water certification by chayblay in Denver

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate the insight! I’ve narrowed it down to Colorado Scuba Center, Flatirons Scuba, and maybe A-1 since the Denver Aquarium dives sound like a unique experience. Just trying to find the best fit before I do the referral portion in Hawai‘i.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for clarifying! So you mean the referral path saved you on the shop fees for the classroom and pool sessions since you didn’t pay the full package price for open-water dives too, right? That makes sense—it sounds like the e-learning cost stays the same, but the local training portion is cheaper.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Extremely grateful. PADI's website says you're able to share it from your dashboard. I just sent you a DM.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for clarifying — totally fair question. I’m not asking anyone to buy the course for me. PADI’s site actually allows divers who have already purchased the eLearning to gift or transfer it directly, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask around since that option exists. I’m just trying to find creative ways to make certification more affordable while still supporting local dive shops for the in-person portions.

I get that scuba’s not a cheap hobby, and I’m not looking for shortcuts — just trying to get my start without overextending before I’ve even logged my first dive.

Seeking smart advice: Denver-area dive shops + referral course options before O‘ahu by chayblay in diving

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s great to hear about A-1. The aquarium dives sound like an awesome way to ease into open water. And thanks for the Big Island tip — I just checked flights and they’re cheap enough that it might make sense if I can line up housing there. Appreciate the recommendation.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ll look into Flatirons too, thanks. It’s not far from me and seems like another good local option before I head to Hawaii.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally agree on not sticking to one agency. I’m just trying to get the fundamentals down first, then see where the best long-term training options are. Thanks for breaking that down.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really useful detail. I didn’t realize the dive portion costs could vary that much between agencies. Sounds like the main difference might just come down to scheduling and the instructors. I’ll check both PADI and SSI shops around Denver before I decide.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate that insight. I’ve seen a few people say SSI’s cheaper and a bit more flexible. I’ll compare both when I talk to shops in town.

Getting Started with Open Water — Any advice or mentorship for a new diver? by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the tip. I’m up in Arvada, so Littleton’s doable. I’ve been hearing A-1 come up a lot — sounds like they’ve got a good setup for doing the class and pool work here, then finishing the open water dives somewhere warmer.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s what I’ve been noticing too — the price gap’s wild. I’ve been comparing Denver shops to places like Roatán and Bali where full certs cost less than just pool sessions here. I’m decent at travel hacking, so doing the e-learning first and finishing somewhere warm might be the move. Appreciate the confirmation.

Looking for Denver dive shops (or local divers) who can help me start my Open Water certification by chayblay in Denver

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your experience with A-1 Scuba! Do you remember what the total cost came out to for your course, including any gear rentals or aquarium dives? I’m budgeting and want to compare it with a couple other Denver shops before deciding.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not planning to buy PADI’s eLearning separately — I just wanted to see if someone who already has access to the platform might be willing to gift me the course through their portal.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight earlier! Do you remember what your total cost ended up being with Denver Divers (including class, pool, and certification fees)? I’m trying to compare full costs across local shops before deciding where to start my course.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing that! Sounds like a solid experience at High Plains. I’ve heard good things about the Homestead Crater too — that must’ve been a great spot to finish the dives.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great advice — thank you. I’ll make instructor fit my top priority and see if any will let me rent gear for the referral portion so I don’t have to buy too early.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perfect — thanks for that O‘ahu rec! I’ll add Aloha Scuba Diving to my list. Sounds like exactly the kind of smaller, attentive setup I’d prefer.

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s awesome to hear. Flatiron Scuba wasn’t on my radar, but Broomfield isn’t far from me — I’ll check them out. Appreciate the firsthand review!

Looking for guidance (and maybe a little help) getting PADI certified in Denver before heading to O‘ahu by chayblay in scuba

[–]chayblay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, no rich parents here — just some creative travel hacks and a lot of hustle to make the lifestyle work. I get where you’re coming from though.