University Dive Center (Charlottesville, VA): 4 Stars
If you are looking for a dive center to get SCUBA certified in Charlottesville, University Dive Center is your best bet. They have the best price in the area, and they also offer a discount for UVA students -- their advanced dive courses are also well priced. They do NAUI certifications in just a couple of weeks with night and weekend instruction.
Lynn, the instructor, is also an M.D. -- so she is very knowledgeable both about SCUBA in general and any associated health issues for those who many be concerned about that. All of the instructors are pretty friendly and helpful. The pool instruction was done at the AFC at UVA (Aquatic and Fitness Center). The worst part about the certification process was by far the open water dives. The quarry that the Dive Center uses was freeeeezing. It felt more like ice diving to me. I literally got continuous horrible cramps in my legs from being in the cold water, even though I was in a full wetsuit and hood. I would highly recommend trying to take the course in the fall rather than the spring, so that there is at least some hope that the summer months have warmed up the water a bit.
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