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Being a retired Naui Inst. I agree with Seashell 100%, we did all our checkouts in a cold quarry with about 5-10 ft. visbility.
Diving in Ohio gets old real fast, but there's a lot to learn in the ocean also.

I'm with Protech, and I appreciate the plug! Israel is an excellent divemaster, but to learn to dive you need an instructor and we have several of those (including myself, if you draw the short straw!).

We'd be only too happy to teach you to dive, but I actually agree with JZB, Seashell et al - you have plenty of time to do some or even all of it at home, and that's what I'd recommend. You have four main options:-

1) Do it all at home. One of the lower cost options, and will be distinctly less fun than doing your open water dives down here. BUT it'll make you a better diver AND it'll mean you get to know a local dive shop well. Hopefully you'll do some non-holiday diving with them. This is not the easiest option but it is my preferred one. (even though it gives me no income!).

2) Do a "referral" course, doing everything except the four open water dives with a local dive shop and the actual dives down here. Almost as good as (1), but distinctly more costly.

3) Book your course with someone down here, but arrange to do all the "classroom" work remotely at home. Then do all the water work here (confined water sessions and dives) plus the final exam. So long as you actually do the work this is a good approach, and it's the same price as (4) (with us, at any rate).

4) Simply arrive here and arrange to do the entire course here. Necessarily this will eat significantly into your vacation, and even so will by reasons of time limitation not be as thorough as one of the above options could be.

Picking up on DitchDocDiver's point about equipment, please don't do what too many people do. which is to buy new gear and bring it here undived. You'd be amazed just how many people do that and find something doesn't work properly. The favourite problem is a mask that doesn't fit properly, but we've also seen regulators that are maladjusted out of the box and sometimes need remedial work that we can't do. Any gear you buy, get it from a local store (NOT the internet or mail order) and try it extensively on a money-back basis.

All this said, you've made the right decision to learn to dive, and however you do it we'll welcome you down here!

Keith, you can't go wrong with Protech

Glad to see the voice of reason here.....

27 years of diving have proven several things to me.

1. Test your gear before you go on vacation.
2. Don't dive a new area unless you have someone local with you.
3. GET YOUR CERT DONE IN THE STATES FIRST..cause once you do you'll have more time to dive in AC.

Open water dive certs ok there..takes a day or so but you'll be much more comfortable.

Ac has some great dives..try to hit Lighthouse if you have time..The "Aquarium" dive ROCKS!

If you go to my web page you can see some of what you will see...

Have a wonderful time!

Thanx everyone for your replys. You have been very helpful. Axeman, Thanx for the pictures. I am pumped. keith

I have done some research of home area dive shops. Any thoughts on SSI certification vesrses PADI? keith

I think PADI shops are more common worldwide.

It really makes very little difference while you're qualifying and none afterwards. Choose your local dive shop according to which one you like best, not which agency it's affiliated to. Whichever agency you start with you can complete your qualification with (almost) any other agency.

I taught SSI and I hold a total of 7 differents cert cards bothe PADI and SSI... they all allow me to dive anywhere. IT's much more the instructor than the agency today. Years ago lots of differences, today no so many. Find an instructor that works well with you.

Get use to your equipment, learn to use it so its second nature and enjoy your dives, I predict that you will be hooked soon!

I would echo the recommendation to do as much as you can at home. However, I do strongly recommend Steve and Manuel at Belize Ocean Divers located at Journey's End Resort. They are excellent instructors with excellent attention to detail.