DIR Dive Store in NYC?

*Brian Allen* · December 4th, 2005, 12:17 PM

I have a good friend heading back to NYC soon who is very keen to move to twins and start down the DIR route and train for cave diving.

Does anyone know if there's a DIR centric dive store in New York that i could send him along to for kit, courses and a bit of gentle prodding in the right direction? They must also dive from NYC apparently quite a few just sell gear and persuade people onto holidays.

Thanks

Brian

*JohnKendall* · December 4th, 2005, 02:24 PM

They could do a lot worse than visiting NE-UE

www.ne-ue.com

HTH
J

sasdasdaf · December 4th, 2005, 10:02 PM

Posting the same question on NE-UE is probably your best bet.

Although I suspect the answer is there are no real DIR shops in New York City. I lived there for 4 years before moving to Chicago in mid-2004. There are a number of Halcyon dealers or others who sell DIR gear but none really have the right mindset and none are pro-GUE/pro-DIR.

If I have to give one piece of advice, stay away from Village Divers and Cal Azzouni. He's rabidly anti-DIR and not a pleasant person to be around.

Bob Sherwood lives in upstate NY, a few hours' drive from NYC.

There are some DIR divers in NYC, including my cave diving buddy. If you want more info, send me e-mail or PM.

*Brian Allen* · December 4th, 2005, 10:28 PM

Thanks for the help guys!

***ericfine50*** · December 5th, 2005, 12:20 AM

There is not a true DIR Shop. Probably your best bet is Cal at Village Divers in the East Village. His prices are a bit high, but stocks Halcyon, Apek and DUI.

sasdasdaf · December 5th, 2005, 01:46 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by ericfine50)

There is not a true DIR Shop. Probably your best bet is Cal at Village Divers in the East Village. His prices are a bit high, but stocks Halcyon, Apek and DUI.

I have to disagree! Read what I said in my post above... under no circumstances should you go to Cal at Village Divers. I used his dive shop for some time when I lived in NYC and I was not the only one who had a bad experience with him. To give you an idea of how anti-DIR he is, he does not accept GUE cards when it comes to filling tanks. If you show up with a GUE card, you will have to endure his ranting and raving about how so-and-so GUE instructor sucks and tried to screw him, etc. Why he remains a Halcyon dealer with such anti-DIR and anti-GUE attitude, I have no idea. If you know anything about this guy, you'll realize that most of his customers don't stick around for too long because he's such an a-hole.

***ericfine50*** · December 5th, 2005, 03:10 AM

Thanks for the update - I knew the store during the Tony Thomas (former GUE Inst) days.

I don't really think there is a true DIR shop in NYC. Where in NYC are you located? Uptown, dowtown?

sasdasdaf · December 5th, 2005, 03:38 AM

Tony Thomas left Village Divers on bad terms... and he wasn't the one at fault. :D

I no longer live in NYC. I'm now in Chicago.

***ericfine50*** · December 5th, 2005, 12:28 PM

Thanks for the tips.

Brian - where are you located? What part of the city? If you are looking for DIR gear to buy, then on-line may be your best bet. For gas fills. Uptown - I know Mad Dog Expeditions does fills, Stingray divers does as well.

Good luck hunting
eric

*Rich Walker* · December 5th, 2005, 12:58 PM

I've used Stingray Divers in Brooklyn when I've been in New York

http://www.stingraydivers.com/

They were very helpful when I was over there (2001), and were pretty DIR friendly as I recall. I didn't dive with them, just let them empty my credit cards

Relatively easy to get to on the subway too.

Rich

December 4th, 2005, 12:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brian Allen(Offline) GUE Instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London & Plymouth Posts: 594	DIR Dive Store in NYC? I have a good friend heading back to NYC soon who is very keen to move to twins and start down the DIR route and train for cave diving. Does anyone know if there's a DIR centric dive store in New York that i could send him along to for kit, courses and a bit of gentle prodding in the right direction? They must also dive from NYC apparently quite a few just sell gear and persuade people onto holidays. Thanks Brian

December 4th, 2005, 02:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
JohnKendall(Offline) GUE Instructor/DIRX Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 1,102	They could do a lot worse than visiting NE-UE www.ne-ue.com HTH J

December 4th, 2005, 10:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
sasdasdaf(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 375	Posting the same question on NE-UE is probably your best bet. Although I suspect the answer is there are no real DIR shops in New York City. I lived there for 4 years before moving to Chicago in mid-2004. There are a number of Halcyon dealers or others who sell DIR gear but none really have the right mindset and none are pro-GUE/pro-DIR. If I have to give one piece of advice, stay away from Village Divers and Cal Azzouni. He's rabidly anti-DIR and not a pleasant person to be around. Bob Sherwood lives in upstate NY, a few hours' drive from NYC. There are some DIR divers in NYC, including my cave diving buddy. If you want more info, send me e-mail or PM.

December 4th, 2005, 10:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
Brian Allen(Offline) GUE Instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London & Plymouth Posts: 594	Thanks for the help guys!

December 5th, 2005, 12:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
*ericfine50* (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: MA Posts: 622	There is not a true DIR Shop. Probably your best bet is Cal at Village Divers in the East Village. His prices are a bit high, but stocks Halcyon, Apek and DUI.

December 5th, 2005, 01:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
sasdasdaf(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 375	Quote: (Originally Posted by ericfine50) There is not a true DIR Shop. Probably your best bet is Cal at Village Divers in the East Village. His prices are a bit high, but stocks Halcyon, Apek and DUI. I have to disagree! Read what I said in my post above... under no circumstances should you go to Cal at Village Divers. I used his dive shop for some time when I lived in NYC and I was not the only one who had a bad experience with him. To give you an idea of how anti-DIR he is, he does not accept GUE cards when it comes to filling tanks. If you show up with a GUE card, you will have to endure his ranting and raving about how so-and-so GUE instructor sucks and tried to screw him, etc. Why he remains a Halcyon dealer with such anti-DIR and anti-GUE attitude, I have no idea. If you know anything about this guy, you'll realize that most of his customers don't stick around for too long because he's such an a-hole.

December 5th, 2005, 03:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
*ericfine50* (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: MA Posts: 622	Thanks for the update - I knew the store during the Tony Thomas (former GUE Inst) days. I don't really think there is a true DIR shop in NYC. Where in NYC are you located? Uptown, dowtown?

December 5th, 2005, 03:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
sasdasdaf(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 375	Tony Thomas left Village Divers on bad terms... and he wasn't the one at fault. :D I no longer live in NYC. I'm now in Chicago.

December 5th, 2005, 12:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
*ericfine50* (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: MA Posts: 622	Thanks for the tips. Brian - where are you located? What part of the city? If you are looking for DIR gear to buy, then on-line may be your best bet. For gas fills. Uptown - I know Mad Dog Expeditions does fills, Stingray divers does as well. Good luck hunting eric

December 5th, 2005, 12:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rich Walker(Offline) GUE Instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sheffield Posts: 300	I've used Stingray Divers in Brooklyn when I've been in New York http://www.stingraydivers.com/ They were very helpful when I was over there (2001), and were pretty DIR friendly as I recall. I didn't dive with them, just let them empty my credit cards Relatively easy to get to on the subway too. Rich