News from the Surface

Fall Dive Trip to Dominican Republic

2018-08-03T14:02:00.002-04:00

Dreams La Romana / Scuba Caribe Nov. 10-17, 2018

Christine recently returned from a trip to the DR to experience the hotels and diving first hand and she wants to share her good experience with you!

Enjoy 7 nights at the all-inclusive Dreams La Romana, in Preferred Club, adults-only accommodations. Dine at your choice of restaurants including Italian, French, Hibachi, Seafood, and international buffet, 24/7 coffee shop, and room service. Our package includes a total of 12 dives with on-site dive operation, Scuba Caribe. We will enjoy 2 days of 3 tank dive trips to the islands of Catalina and Saona, and 3 days of 2 tank morning dives on the reefs of La Romana. Single tank afternoon dives are available at extra cost. The DR is easily accessible with direct flights from Philadelphia into Punta Cana or Santo Domingo.

Package costs:
includes room, all meals and drinks, tax and service charge, diving as noted above including tanks and weights, RT airport transfers from Santo Domingo (SDQ)- add $6 from Punta Cana (PUJ). Preferred club amenities include private check-in, private lounge with bar and snacks, private pool and beach area, pool, expanded mini-bar, $100 pp resort credit for use on selected non-covered services.

Preferred Club Adults only*

Pool view

Double diver: $1699
Double Vacationer: $1159
Single Diver: $2129

Garden view

Double diver: $1659
Double Vacationer: $1129
Single Diver: $2089

Deposit

$500 due at sign-up, balance due Sept. 10.

Please call the store or email us to sign up.

*For those on a tighter budget, we have non-preferred club packages available. Please ask for details.

Dutch Springs 2018 Dates

2018-06-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

We've added 4 new Dutch Springs dates to our calendar. Dutch Springs is a 50-acre lake in Bethlehem, PA with attractions at depths up to 100 feet. It is spring-fed from an underground aquifer that filters through limestone to provide excellent visibility.

The following weekends have been added:

June 9 & 10
July 7 & 8
August 4 & 5
September 8 & 9

These are Saturday/Sunday dates. Open water dives generally begin at 8am on Saturday. Please allow yourself time to stand in line before entering. We recommend arriving around 7:30am. Please see Dutch Springs' website for more information.

Please call the store with any questions you have.

Also, a reminder that with the warmer weather, comes more Open Water classes scheduled! Learn the proper skills, equipment use, and safety procedures needed to safely enjoy scuba diving, all in one weekend! There is some academic work on the Friday evening prior to the weekends below.

Scheduled dates are:

June 22, 23, 24
July 20, 21, 22
August 17, 18, 19
September 28, 29, 30

After the weekend classes, check-out dives are required to complete the certification.

Take the Open Water course once and enjoy diving for the rest of your life!

Regards,
The Aqua Hut Team

2018 Open Water Class Schedule

2017-12-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

Not Certified or need a refresher?

There is still time before your vacation to get certified! Learn the proper skills, equipment use, and safety procedures needed to safely enjoy scuba diving, all in one weekend!
There is some academic work on the Friday evening prior to the weekends below.

Choose one of our weekend classes and call us to register.

Dates are:

January 12, 13 & 14
February 16, 17 & 18
March 23, 24 & 25
April 20, 21 & 22
May 11, 12 & 13
June 22, 23 & 24
July 20, 21 & 22
August 17, 18 & 19
September 28, 29 & 30

After the weekend classes, check-out dives are required to complete the certification.

Take the Open Water course once and enjoy diving for the rest of your life!

Also, if you've been out of the water for a while we also have some options to help you get your "gills" back.

Re-activate:
On-line academic review, pool session and a new certification card (with a new picture!). For PADI certified divers
Scuba Tune-Up:
Workbook, pool session and updated sticker on your existing card
Pool Review:
A 2-hour pool session to review the in-water skills you want to practice

Contact Aqua Hut today!

My new certification - PADI Rescue Diver

2015-01-26T13:59:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say that with Aqua Hut's help, this spring I earned my PADI Rescue Diver certification. I feel really good about this achievement, for two reasons. First, I believe it has made me a better, more conscientious, confident diver. Second, I feel like I'm really participating in the SCUBA experience.

There were several steps to earning the certificate:

study the text
take a written exam
do skills at the pool
do the open water skills (this was @ Dutch Springs)
take a class in First Aid/CPR and earn that certificate

It was all challenging and rewarding. Besides all the skills I learned, my biggest take-away was about preparedness BEFORE a rescue is even necessary. The idea of being able to spot and correct a small situation before it becomes a more urgent situation, really resonated with me.

If you're not ready for Rescue Training, I highly recommend everyone getting some First Aid/CPR training. You never know when you may need it.

So what's next? Well, I'm not sure. I could work towards a Master Scuba Diver, or I could head down the professional track with Divemaster. But I think my immediate next steps are just to get out there and have fun diving for a while. And maybe I'll earn some specialties along the way...

Getting Certified

2015-01-06T13:06:00.000-05:00

Hello, Jeff here. Have you been thinking about getting certified in SCUBA? Did you know that the class and pool work can be completed in one weekend? My Lori just got her PADI Open Water Certification and we thought we’d share her experience. Maybe it will inspire you to take the plunge.

Jeff had been a diver for a long time and after hearing him talk about it I was always a bit intrigued. We had gone to Jamaica a couple years ago and he went on some dives while I did other things. Seeing him have such a fun relaxing time made me more curious about SCUBA. Then Jeff did his Advanced PADI certification at Dutch Springs last year and when I was there I was impressed by the wide range of divers – young, old, men, women, kids, experienced, and beginners. Maybe this was something I could do also?

I decided to do it. I got the PADI text book, studied hard and got prepared for class. Friday night was class work, and I got through that fine. Saturday was a mixed bag for me as I had some trouble equalizing my ears. But Rich is a wonderful instructor and provided the encouragement and empathy that I needed.

On Rich’s suggestion, Jeff and I went back to the pool on 2 additional Saturdays to practice equalizing and other skills and that was a big help. Rich then felt I was ready to do the check-out dives and so did I. Initially, we were thinking that we would do the check out dives in the Caribbean on a trip, but it just made more sense to go to Dutch Springs as Rich was aware of my particular needs as a student.

It was time to do my check out dives. We picked up our equipment on a Thursday and went up to Dutch Springs early Saturday morning. The weather at Dutch Springs was perfect and the water was warm in the upper 70's. We unpacked our gear with the rest of class and Rich provided an orientation of the facility.

We did three dives on Saturday, Underwater visibility was about 15 feet (good for Dutch Springs). The dives were at a comfortable pace that allowed us to think about what we were doing. Diving was followed by hamburgers, hot dogs and snacks. As tired as we were, I think we were energized by success of the day and actually made it out to Musikfest in downtown Bethlehem that evening.

After a good night’s sleep we were ready to do it again. Sunday was an overcast day but we got our final check-out dive in before the rain started. Due to the rain we skipped the grilling and we all went to a local diner to eat and fill in our log books. The people at Aqua Hut were just great. Rich, Sol, Beth, Tom, and Carla all made me feel safe and comfortable and had all kinds of great tips.

And so now I’m a certified SCUBA diver! I overcame my natural fears and I feel confident with the solid training that I received from Aqua Hut, and I’m excited about exploring life below the surface.

Aqua Hut has a YouTube Channel!

2013-01-28T12:09:00.000-05:00

We have a YouTube channel to showcase videos related to the wonders of scuba diving - whether it's training, trips, the environment or just having fun. If you have video of one of your trips with us or another video, please email us!

No One Got In Too Much Hot Water

2012-04-02T21:28:00.001-04:00

A winter weary, eclectic crew from Ardmore arrived at Fantasy Island Resort last week for a week of scuba diving, hanging out on the beach and karaoke. My wife and I were the newbies - we were taking our open water certification dives. Thanks to Rich, Beth, Sol, and Tom for all their patience and training. Sandy and I are now certified, though I am a work in progress. That's one of the things about Aqua Hut, the whole team wants divers to be trained, be safe and have fun.

After a snorkeling trip last fall, my wife and I really wanted to learn to dive. Being on our side of sixty, we first checked with our family doctor who said we should jump in with both feet. We took a discovery dive with Rich and we were hooked. Why did we go to Aqua Hut when we live in New Jersey? Because Rich and his staff gave us the support and encouragement we needed and we liked Rich's sense of humor. Yes, we will be back, learning to dive with the Aqua Hut team was terrific. Diving with them in Honduras was outstanding. Now for the next trip...

-Stu

Getting Certified, Part II

2011-10-29T10:19:00.009-04:00

If you read Part I, then you know that I recently got my PADI Open Water Certification. I just returned from a vacation in St. Lucia where I did my first real ocean dives and it was a great experience.

We stayed at an all-inclusive where the diving was also included. When we arrived at the resort, we checked in with the onsite dive shop – we provided our certification cards, filled out the forms, and signed up for dives. It was nice to be able to provide my official card representing my accomplishment.

The staff recommended an easy, 1-tank orientation dive the next day which I did. It was a great way to transition from Dutch Springs to the ocean. :) Amazingly, I saw a big beautiful moray eel on the first dive – out in the open and not peeking out of a hole!

We did 7 other dives on our trip and saw other wonderful things, including a baby octopus, starfish, rays, and countless beautiful fish.

Despite the less than scenic dive conditions in Pennsylvania, I was very glad I did my certification here at home rather than during my vacation. My instructors knew my needs as a student and it saved time and stress while on holiday. My thanks again to the folks at Aquahut for the great training. I was able to relax on my vacation and not worry about the normal stresses that come with a new activity. I’m looking forward to my next diving adventure!

Fins AND Feathers

2011-05-29T17:56:00.010-04:00

Hello, Jeff here. If you're from this area you know that the Delaware valley is home to many interesting bird species and has some great birding locales from Hawk Mountain to Cape May to Cape Henlopen.

And if you're interested in Scuba diving AND birds (like me), then you know that when you travel there are many wondrous creatures ABOVE the water as well as below. The Caribbean has so many amazing bird species and checking them out can add yet another dimension to your getaway.

There are several great Caribbean bird books that you can pack away with your scuba gear, including Birds of the West Indies by James Bond, a copy of which I picked up at yard sale last year. (Did you know that Ian Fleming got the name of his famous character from the author of that book? James Bond, the ornithologist, worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences here in Philly, and became curator of birds there). There are many online bird resources as well. My favorite bird website is allaboutbirds.org, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Before your next trip, take a minute to research the native birds of your destination and you just might spot it while your sipping that Red Stripe on the dock.

Our Updated Website

2011-05-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Dear friends,

We've made some exciting changes to our website to better serve you. It's now easier to keep in touch through our blog and our up-to-date trip & class calendar. You can also browse through our stunning photos and explore dive destinations on our Google Caribbean map.

You can also connect with us on Facebook. And if you're not on our mailing list, be sure to sign up on our home page. We always welcome your comments and questions -- just call or email us.

Happy diving,
The Aqua Hut Team

Happy Earth Day from Aqua Hut

2011-04-22T10:41:00.006-04:00

As divers, we feel a special connection to the planet. We see the earth from a unique perspective that everyone should see. It's important to stay involved in conservation the whole year round and to be aware of ocean initiatives on our own shores and around the world.

A great way for divers to stay in touch is through Project AWARE. The Project AWARE Foundation conserves underwater environments through education, advocacy, and action. The foundation works in partnership with divers and water enthusiast to combat challenges facing underwater environments.

Check out Project AWARE's website and this Earth Day think about how you can stay involved in creating a healthier planet.