I sign up for the PADI Scuba Diving Open Water and Advance Certification Training with Mike Parker at SPE Dive School found on SCUBAedu.com. I wasn't completely sure what to expect, just wanted to challenge this opportunity a second time after a quick half day review in 2015, while on vacation in Key West Fl., were I went into the ocean unaware and with lack of knowledge to say the least I wasn't comfortable. June-2019, My family surprised me with a birthday gift to scuba dive and they did the research and found SPE Dive School, I attended the orientation, which I found to be very detailed when describing the overall program. Trying to take in all that I heard from Mike Parker an experience diver, he broke down training requirements, what to expect while in the Cayman Islands and types of equipment. Mike Parker offer to meet with me personally to properly size and measure me and go over the types of equipment that would be needed to go through the Certification Training. I had the option to rent or buy equipment I chose to buy from Mike Parker, because I check other vendors and prices in many cases they were higher and besides Mike supports his equipment and educated students if they choose otherwise. The two-day classroom and confine water training was intense and informative after going through this course I gained significant amount knowledge and more confident to dive. I give praises to Mike Parker and his team i.e. Roland conducted the classroom training, and Al worked the confine water training he helped me specifically with buoyancy control and manual inflation. Their patience, guidance and demonstrating all skills until everyone was comfortable. It's imperative that you apply yourself and put the work in by reading the open water & advance open water manuals, and getting involved in the classroom training, which involves mathematical equations to determine depth & time, Roland stayed and worked with me during lunch to become more proficient. Our Open Water and Advance Diving Certification took place in the Cayman Islands, where Mike Parker catered and provided an environment with complete satisfaction i.e. Hotel, Transportation, Various Dining locations, which allowed the group to train and enjoy the experience of the open water as well as meeting and connecting with new friends. The hands on with confined water training provided so many skills and techniques that prepare me for an episode with rental equipment during one of my dives. It was on the dive to see the Kittiwake Wreckage, during our descent we reached a depth of 65 ft. My BCD, airline indicated was showing air lose as the instructor pushed to secure the connection, it began to free flow, and I began ascending that's when diving instructor Javier disconnect the air pressure hose, then we deflated the BCD, he began manually blowing air in the inflation hose, so that can remain buoyant. We continue the dive and explored the fascinating view of the USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) as I now have my first diving story experience. Therefore, I emphasize training is so important. I was so excited to have learned this new skill and found wonderful adventures, like Thousands of Aquatic Creatures, Ship Wrecks and the spectacular array of Coral Reefs. It was so amazing that several members of the group stayed an additional day to complete to addition dives and it was breath taking. I valued the training and experience provided and really look forward to my next open-water diving adventure. I will certainly return to the Cayman Islands, it was spectacular as I became a Diver in the Biggest Fish Tank in the world , where some can only dream of, I got to enjoy more than 21,000 different species beneath the surface. Only God can provide such a vision, but only the heart of a human can dare greatly to embrace it's wonders. I must thank the professional divers of the Cayman Islands Diver Down Center, this team of Javier, Tasha, Sam, Barbara, and other I can recall their names we're all skilled to ensure our diving experience was adventurous and fun. We I've built new relationships and I wish to build on those skills and relationships in the future. I would certainly recommend scubaedu.com for scuba beginners, or indeed, anyone wishing to improve their diving skills ability and knowledge. read more

Me and my wife have been doing business with Mike at SPE dive school for a couple years now. He has always been honest, up front, had fair pricing that was competitive with even cheap online retailers, and top of the line equipment. More importantly, he and his staff give you good explanations when buying equipment, as to how it works, what it works with, the pros and cons, which help you really set up a good system of gear. This alone is worth the maybe $10 you could save by buying online. I'm pretty cost-savings minded, but I'm not THAT cheap, haha. Mike's open water class was awesome, and me and my wife are both now certified advanced divers (and I'm also a rescue and nitrox diver). Mike and Roland got us certified and taught us a lot of great skills. Just recently, I purchased a new scuba mask from Mike after my last one got broken from moving, and I was able to get prescription lenses for the new mask for a very good deal (only around $150 for prescription scuba lenses, with 48 hour delivery, compared to other online offers which were about a $350 cost). I'm very happy with that purchase and I got a much better deal from Mike than I would've elsewhere. He even stayed until 7:45pm (later than usual) to meet up with me, to get my order placed and ready for that weekend. He literally wasted his evening just to help out 1 client. So with all that said, I'm disappointed and a little angry by Nicole J's review. First, I don't appreciate her saying that people who have had good experiences with Mike are "fake accounts". I grew up in the area, my profile is linked to my facebook, I went to West Springfield, I'm 27, married to my wife, went to Mason, own a small biz, and my profile is very definitely real. I would love for Nicole to tell me that I'm fake and don't exist. Secondly, I support freedom of speech, but extortion is a horrible thing to do and it's also a felony. For Nicole to vaguely claim Mike "scammed her out of $400" without giving any specific details at all about how he allegedly scammed her, it definitely sounds like she's trying to harm his reputation by making false/misleading harmful statements in order to get a monetary gain (which is the definition of extortion). The bottom line is: If Mike charged her card illegally without her consent, she would've filed a police report or chargeback for fraud, and this review of hers wouldn't even be needed. She'd have her money back, boom, done. On the other hand... If she gave consent to the charge at the time, and purchased an item or service, and then later changed her mind and wanted her money back, then Mike did not "defraud her", and not all places allow refunds, especially for services already given or items used. If she already got the class, she can't just demand a full refund, it doesn't work that way. And if Mike did something so bad during the class as to warrant a full refund, then Nicole would've given a specific example. But she did not. Nicole probably took a course here and got certified, or bought some new gear, then realized she is low on money, and decided to call up Mike and casually threaten him with "Oh I wasn't satisfied... Would hate for me to have to give you a 1 star review everywhere... Better give me a refund or else" blah blah, to try and get a refund. When that didnt work, she probably blasted him online. Her saying "I have receipts" doesn't even make sense... Ok, so she has receipts that she bought something from Mike? So what? That isn't evidence that Mike scammed her, it's evidence that she purchased something from him. PS: I bought all of my equipment except for tanks, between 2.5-1.5 years ago. This includes a Tusa BCD, regulator first and second stage, masks, a snorkel, fins, dive lights, a wrist dive computer, a wrist compass, a DPV, a few flashlights (primary and backup), a line reel, and much more. Some of it I bought from Mike, some of it from other dive shops or online, and guess what, all of it still works. Her claiming that stuff bought will malfunction and kill you is literally just her being a turd and trying to fearmonger and make Mike look bad for doing his job and letting you buy dive equipment read more

SPE Dive School was excellent in every respect. Mike and his staff are knowledgeable, professional, and personable, and I really enjoyed learning about scuba diving based on their experiences. When you first meet Mike, his passion about scuba diving is evident. His enthusiasm and energy encourages one to want to learn how to scuba dive correctly and safely, even if you plan to dive only occasionally. He truly wants others to share in his passion. The Friday orientation session was an invaluable overview, especially to the uninitiated. I left the session informed of several aspects of scuba diving: That there is an upfront cost - purchasing new gear, completing certifications. And that there is a continued cost - replacing gear because of use, traveling to amazing dive locations around the world, completing advanced certifications (if desired). Mike clearly states this, and I really appreciated his candor. The best part of the orientation session is that it is free during which you get information from a professional who has been scuba diving for most of his life. I completed the weekend session in December 2012. The morning of the first day was dedicated to purchasing gear. For someone who had absolutely no idea about scuba diving gear, this was incredibly helpful. And, based on the orientation session the previous night, the cost factor was not a surprise. True, one could purchase gear online - if you knew sizes and what you wanted. However, if you are clueless about scuba gear (like me), finding the right gear can be quite a challenge. Another option is to rent gear, but if you are going to going to be a certified diver (the assumption is that you will continue diving for many years), purchasing your own gear, especially fins and a good mask, is a prudent investment. Nothing more of a buzz kill than an ill-fitting mask that leaks while diving. The classroom (theory) session was interactive, fun, and a real learning experience. I completed this and 90% of my confined water (pool) session that weekend in December 2012. However, I was unwell on the second evening of the pool session and, therefore, had to stop with only three skills remaining. I was told I could complete these at a later time. When I approached Mike almost 10 months later, he genuinely recommended that I complete both days of the pool session again - at NO additional cost to me (I offered to compensate Mike for the use of the equipment several times but he declined). His rationale was that the practice will only make me a better scuba diver. I doubt that sort of commitment is offered elsewhere. I eventually completed my remainder confined water skills at SPE Dive School in December 2013, a year after I started the class. During the required four open water certification dives (could not with Mike's group due to scheduling conflicts), the dive instructor remarked that I had received outstanding training in the confined water sessions because of the ease with which I demonstrated all the skills to his satisfaction to meet PADI standards. Keep in mind that I completed most of my pool session skills a year ago! That is the level of excellent training that Mike and his staff provide. I should mention that I actually am terrified of the open ocean (still am to a certain extent). The training at SPE Dive School and Mike's continued encouragement and guidance is a major reason that I am now a PADI-certified Open Water diver. Simply stated, SPE Dive School is as good as it gets. I could not have been happier at my decision to go here for my scuba diving training. read more

This is a re-post from 24 October 2011. WOW! I'm sitting in an airplane and my heart is pounding from excitement. We're on our way back to Washington, DC from Grand Cayman Island and in the past 72 hours my wife and I just completed our first nine SCUBA dives under the watchful eye of Master Diver Mike Parker of SPE Dive School, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Learning to dive has been something I've wanted to do for the past 30 years but I never seemed to have the time, until now. I searched the Internet for Dive Schools in the area. There were a bunch but SPE Dive School seemed to stand out. After read numerous testimonials about SPE Dive School and it's owner, Mike Parker, I decided that this was going to be the school that I would entrust with our training. Just before the 2011 Labour Day long weekend my wife and I decided to attend a free orientation briefing given by Mike. That's all it took. We were hooked. Mike's hour and a half long presentation convinced us that we had chosen right by going with SPE. It was obvious from Mike's presentation that he was not only very experienced in SCUBA training but passionate about the whole sport, something that I appreciated a lot. Two days later we were sitting in his classroom starting an intense two-day weekend of academics and confined water (pool) training. We were very impressed with the weekend course. The classroom was modern and comfortable. Information was presented by very experienced instructors (adding a great verity of teaching styles) and we were quickly in the pool putting to practice the theory we had learned. Everything in Mike's program is geared at preparing his students for an amazing and safe diving experience. At the end of the weekend course we decided to stack the cards in our favour and took Mike's advise, presented during the orientation briefing, by sign up for a Grand Cayman Island long weekend dive trip in order to complete our open water training. The waters off Grand Cayman Island are the ideal learning environment with great temperatures and incredible visibility. Mike met us at the Grand Cayman Island Airport and from that point on walked us through the three-day open water weekend. His attention to detail is impressive. Nothing was left to chance. We had booked our flights to allow for the completion of our four open water dives and five extra advanced water dives, in case we really like the first four. By the end of the first four dives we were hooked and carried on with the five additional dives, the last one being on the wreck of the USNS Kittiwake. Amazing!!! If you think you'd like SCUBA diving take in one of Mike's free orientation briefings, but remember, if you commit bring lots and lots of money. SCUBA diving isn't cheep but life is short and you can't take it with you. Ken Pothier read more

Edit: coming back here a second time (this time with my girl), having her take the class too before we go on vacation. It was that good. Pros: literally everything. The instructors were helpful, and fun to talk to. Mike is very charismatic and enjoyable to listen and talk to, makes you feel comfortable and invited, gives great descriptions on gear and everything else, and is good at keeping everything on schedule. Roland is same, a little rougher around the edges but a good guy, he's great for leading the discussions because he's intelligent, explains things very well and logically, and he doesn't just explain the subject as the test would want it- he even goes deeper and gives insight you wouldn't find in the book or in other classrooms. The vast majority of the classroom passed the test, including me, which is important at the end of the day. This is a class you can trust to pass you, provided you're not super dumb or a completely horrible swimmer you should be fine. They give you info on both the Cayman Islands trip (which I'm doing, because it looks awesome) and also one you can do in a quarry, which is cool if you're into that. I'll probably do it later just as a test of will, but it's much colder. Entire thing was fun, helpful, informative, exciting, exhilirating, and life changing. I feel better than I've felt in 3 years of routine work owning my business. Like I love my job, but still... sometimes you need to do something a little extra. I recommend this class. You get training in a pool with a lot of different drills and exercises, get to partner up, it's almost like a less intense version of coast guard training. Really fun and makes you feel accomplished. Does Mike sell stuff? Sure. But I don't regret any of the purchases I made. I'm not cheap, and I want to do numerous dives. Bottom line is if you aren't looking to be a scuba diver, don't buy, rent. If you do want to be one, buy. Most of the people going to these classes really enjoy swimming and want to learn to dive, so the equipment is an investment. If that's not you, fine, but don't get mad at Mike or SPE for selling necessary scuba equipment during a scuba class. Duh, of course they will, any business would. If you want it, get it, if you don't, don't. Most people do get it. FYI I checked pricing, their pricing is barely like $5 off online per item, and it's better to get it in-house so you know goggles, boots and fins fit properly. Who has time to risk sending everything back just to save $20? Nobody has time for that The other answerer on here, D F L is probably that one cheap and weird person who nobody talks to in class. Don't be that guy lol read more

Just wanted to give a shout-out to the very best dive school in the DC/MD/VA area! What started out as a weekend class, for fun, to get my dive certification and try something new, turned into a big hobby of mine and completely changed my life! Since learning scuba diving, I've became very financially successful, gained new friends, gotten happily married for now going on 7 years, had a renewed prioritizing of my health and fitness, and I've been able to travel the world. I attribute so much of my success in life to the passion of diving and how it really motivated me to be the best I can be in work, friends, family, fitness, everything. Mike and Roland were great at explaining things, both in the classroom and in the pool. They have a really good way of teaching, it's both friendly and helpful and good-natured but the class is also exciting, a little intense (totally in a good way though), and very FUN! You build teamwork, meet cool new people, and learn a lot of dive strategy, science, and safety tips that help you become a great diver. Both Mike and Roland are enjoyable to listen to and talk with. Since the class I took so long ago, I've come to Mike with various things I needed- needing to buy dive clips, or needing to get prescription lenses for my scuba mask so that I can see perfectly underwater. Mike was able to give me great prices and speedy service, to help me buy both! Since the class, I've dived in so many places- Greece, Cayman Islands, Portugal, Mexico (Tulum and Cozumel), Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Florida. But my favorite place ive ever dived will always be the first! That 12 foot deep heated pool, where I learned everything at SPE. I've become rescue trained, cave trained, and every cert possible I've done with Mike & Roland. For the ones I couldn't do with Mike & Roland, I still enjoyed it- diving is always great- but the other instructors just usually aren't as smart, as helpful, or as friendly as Mike and Roland. Sometimes dive instructors are either new/kinda clueless, or they get arrogant once they're experienced, lol. Mike and Roland are veterans but they're cool about it and they sincerely want to help you become the best possible diver and be happy, too. If you're unsure if you want to do scuba diving, DO IT, and do it with Mike Parker, you owe it to yourself to believe in yourself and have the best life possible read more

Just completed my Advanced Open Water certification this past weekend, 17-19 Oct, at Grand Cayman Islands and it was truly the most amazingly invigorating experience of my life! After sitting around for many years, wanting and wishing to one day learn how to dive, I decided that I would make this my next goal before my upcoming birthday (52 yrs. young). I researched the many dive schools in the area and read many reviews. I chose SPE Dive Sch. for several reasons: they were conveniently close to where I worked, they offered an orientation which I appreciated since I have never even been on a vacation dive, and they offered weekend courses which I was very interested in. When reading the reviews about SPE, I didn't read anything negative about the training the school provides, which was very important and the less than stellar reviews only highlighted the fact that this is a very expensive sport, which it is without a doubt and Mike was upfront and honest about the cost of diving in the orientation. During the classroom training and the pool training, the instructor "Scooter" was very professional, informative and patient as we performed our dive training and skills. I, for one, had issues with the dive tables and Scooter and Mike were very helpful and supportive while working with me. I scheduled my open water dive to the Caymans with Mike because I was very confident in his ability to put his students and their training first. While in the Caymans, Mike made provisions for all transportation and meals which made this trip even more enjoyable because you only have to concentrate on your dives. I cannot thank Mike and his Team of trainers enough to include all the folks at Divers Down, especially Aaron for making sure that my gear was a right fit for me and keeping an eye on me while performing my underwater dives. Such an exceptional team of trainers! I never felt scared during any of the dives, nervous a few times but never scared. I am glad that I scheduled both the open water cert and the advance because the best, most amazing and incredibly beautiful dives are in the advance dives and by this time your confidence in the water is remarkably high! I can't wait to do the Photography Adventure Dive with SPE Dive Sch. next! read more

I attended the PADI course for Open and Advanced Open Water Certification with Mike Parker at the SPE Dive School (Chevy Chase, MD) in August (first part of the training) and in October 2011 (for the open water certification). My experience with Mike Parker was excellent. The theoretical courses as well the confined pool training were very well done. The Open and Advanced Open Water Certification in the Grand Cayman Islands was outstanding. The trip was well organized and the diving sites exceptional. While most students had not had previous experience with scuba diving, I had been trained as a scuba diver thirty five years ago with professionals, doing underwater civil work at sea from the surface up to 15 meters deep. It was on the job training. This was at a time when diving was not as regulated and training not as formalized. In many countries, one could dive without certification. I continued diving over many years in great places as in Corsica (Fr), the Philippines, the Maldives and the Caribbean. I decided to go through the formal PADI Certification process together with my 15 years old son as he showed a keen interest for scuba diving. I knew very well of the potential dangers of scuba diving if not properly taught. I also thought it was important for me to be retrained and obtained a full fledge certification. We did the necessary research for a good diving training center. We heard good things about SPE Dive School. In fact, the SPE Dive School exceeded my expectations. Not only I enjoyed every step of the process, the teaching by Mike was thorough and hands on. He made sure that each of the concepts were clearly understood, the knowledge and the underwater drills well acquired. Mike is an excellent teacher. He is kind, helpful, and has a wealth of experience. As I went through the entire process with my son, I could really judge how relevant and effective Mike's teaching was. My 15 years old son succeeded each of the steps and up to his Advance Open Water certification. Finally the teaching facilities are excellent and easy to access. The swimming pool for the confined dives is more than adequate. Before returning to Europe, we look forward for new diving adventures with Mike Parker read more

It looks like the review I posted a couple of months ago got filtered out by yelp, so I am re-posting. My son and I took the PADI Open Water course with SPE last year and then went with them to Grand Cayman for certification. What a wonderful experience! Both the classroom and the pool work were vey well taught by experienced instructors, including Mike himself. Even though this was our first exposure to scuba diving, we were both able to get maximum scores on the reviews and tests most of the time. When we went on the certification trip to Grand Cayman we felt very comfortable diving and enjoyed it a lot. We even got our Advanced Open Water certification during the same trip. Contrary to what other reviewers have said, I believe that SPE offers a great service to its students by selling equipment. Like most, if not all, students who take the Open Water course I was new to scuba diving and had no idea what equipment I needed. Furthermore, there was a bewildering choice of manufacturers, equipment and prices. After many years in the scuba business, SPE is in a position to provide the most appropriate equipment for the beginning diver. We were not pressured to buy from them, but were glad to do so. In fact you only need a few personal items, like mask, snorkel, fins, etc. SPE provides the BCD, regulators and tanks for the pool work. Also, there were other people in our class who brought their own equipment and were able to use it without any problems. A few weeks after the class we went back and bought the rest of the equipment (BCD, regulator, dive computer, etc) from SPE. I doubt you can find better prices online, especially for the more expensive equipment, and you'd have to buy based on pictures and descriptions you see on a web site. We have since scuba dived in various locations like Bonaire and Zanzibar, and we absolutely love it. The things we learned from SPE served us well. I also went back to SPE to take other advanced courses, like Nitrox, Equipment Specialist, EFR and Rescue Diver, and will take more in the future. I am looking forward to my next trip to the Caribbean with them. read more

Pros: literally everything. The instructors were helpful, and fun to talk to. Mike is very charismatic and enjoyable to listen and talk to, makes you feel comfortable and invited, gives great descriptions on gear and everything else, and is good at keeping everything on schedule. Roland is same, a little rougher around the edges but a good guy, he's great for leading the discussions because he's intelligent, explains things very well and logically, and he doesn't just explain the subject as the test would want it- he even goes deeper and gives insight you wouldn't find in the book or in other classrooms. The vast majority of the classroom passed the test, including me, which is important at the end of the day. This is a class you can trust to pass you, provided you're not super dumb or a completely horrible swimmer you should be fine. They give you info on both the Cayman Islands trip (which I'm doing, because it looks awesome) and also one you can do in a quarry, which is cool if you're into that. I'll probably do it later just as a test of will, but it's much colder. Entire thing was fun, helpful, informative, exciting, exhilirating, and life changing. I feel better than I've felt in 3 years of routine work owning my business. Like I love my job, but still... sometimes you need to do something a little extra. I recommend this class. You get training in a pool with a lot of different drills and exercises, get to partner up, it's almost like a less intense version of coast guard training. Really fun and makes you feel accomplished. Highly recommend! read more

My entire family got started diving with Open Water and Advanced certification with Mike Parke at SPE SCUBA. Our first dive trip down to Cayman Island to certify was great! Mike takes care of everything, so it went very smoothly. In spite of the threat of an oncoming hurricane, we all certified as planned. We got our gear from SPE, and that was a good move! He gets unfairly criticized for selling equipment. I feel compelled to speak out in his defense. He is honest, and he provides novice divers with a useful service that they need. He recommends and supplies a narrow range of good gear to students only. His prices are relatively low. Unlike internet sales, you get to examine the gear and try it on for fit. And he stands behind his gear and if something goes wrong he will fix it, or get the manufacturer to fix it. We can give testimony that he stands behind his gear if something goes wrong, based on personal experience. Unlike the Internet discounters, his gear is under warranty. Good SCUBA gear is expensive, a serious investment. Buying your gear is a necessary step to start diving. You really need the best gear that you can afford. Mike can help you make that investment decision. Mike is more than a nice fellow, he's a gentleman. His word is good. He cares. And he really knows and likes his business, which is SCUBA. read more

My husband and I took the weekend course to get our classwork done before a planned trip next May where we will get our open water certification. Mike and Scooter provided good training and information with as little stress as is possible in a 1.5 day classroom crash course. If you go in thinking you can sit and daydream, think again! The course provides a TON of info and you are required to test after each section. Considering we will be underwater and dependent on our training, that's a good thing! I see the complaints about salesmanship and "pressure". If you are going into scuba thinking a cheap set of fins and a mask will take you where you want to go, skip this place and learn on the beach by some fly-by-night local setup. Scuba, skiing, golf are in the same category when it comes to quality of experience and cost of equipment. If you rent equipment, you will probably have an OK experience. If I'm underwater and my safety and comfort are involved, I will choose better equipment and buy rather than rent, saving money in the long term and being confident in the quality, fit, and effectiveness of the equipment. I will update after my open water dives and report just how good my classroom training was, but I'm confident I have the knowledge I need to complete the dives and am excited and ready to take it to the next level!! read more

Mike Parker and the team were truly outstanding. First of all there is no one more passionate, knowledgeable or experienced than Mike. I found him to be genuinely interested in everything Scuba related - not just the basics of certification but from the history, to the equipment, to where to enjoy scuba diving. Mike provides his years of insights into your experience. He shows you first hand what will make you "LOVE" scuba diving - having the right equipment, being properly trained, knowing what a good experience is and most importantly making sure your SAFETY is of the utmost importance. Simply put Mike cares - Cares about our environment and life undersea, cares about scuba diving (passionate beyond belief) and puts his heart and soul into making your learning experience the best. If it's the little things that matter, Mike has checked them all off..... from the warm welcome, to ensuring the classroom learning is a warm and inviting environment, to providing the opportunity to purchase equipment at terrific prices and to sharing his experience as to why certain equipment is better than other equipment. I enjoyed the whole experience and came away from the course smarter, more confident and excited about my trip to the Caymans to get my open water certification. read more

Mike Parker and Mike were great instructors with a well-organized class schedule and enthusiastic attitude about diving. They had plenty of knowledge and taught the course in two days. For the price, it was a great introduction to a totally new experience (and culture). A 2 hour orientation prepares you, and, a portion of the class involves purchasing equipment (fins, mask, etc.) I thought was helpful. I didn't feel pressure to buy anything (its all voluntary and can be skipped if you're renting). I did end up buying a pricey amount of equipment, but, I felt it was quality and reasoned that it was mine for life. After the class and pool portion, there is a recurring trip to the Grand Caymans that is affordable and completes the open water certification and includes an advanced open water certification. My brother and I plan to go on the trip and get our PADI certification (which has to be attained within a year of taking the class). As Mike explained, its a great alternative to being certified in a local quarry! I recommend SPE Dive School. I also talked with friends who attended other dive schools and, by comparison, they thought this school gave newcomers (like me) a quality start. read more

SPE Dive School made learning how to scuba dive in the D.C. area so easy and enjoyable! I got my scuba classwork and pool training from SPE in May of 2009 and went on one of their Grand Cayman certification trips a couple weeks later. I could not have been happier. Mike Parker, owner of SPE and a master diver, knows so much about scuba diving, PADI certification, different types of dive conditions, etc. and was a fantastic resource for all of my questions. I took one of the weekend courses (all day for 3 days in a row) and really appreciated the pace, the approach and his long history of scuba knowledge (something like 40 years?). It was easy to get to SPE's school/office as they are a short walk from the Friendship Heights Metro station (I live in Silver Spring, Maryland so this was great - also was in class with a lot of people from Virginia). SPE will teach you a ton about scuba gear to help you make the right decisions when you are ready to buy - but they don't sit there and pressure you to purchase from them. Definitely liked that approach. So all in all - I'm so glad I chose SPE. I'm now an advanced certified scuba diver and (like most of Mike's students) completely in love with the sport. read more

My wife wanted to get certified so she could dive with me. She'd tried a resort course once but didn't last more than five minutes in the pool. However, thanks to Mike, Roland, and the rest of the SPE Dive School team, she made it through. Their personalized service and willingness to take the extra time to work with her, including letting her come back for extra time in the pool, made all the difference. I got to experience it first hand when I joined my wife in Grand Cayman for the open water part of her training. I opted to get my advanced open water certification. Mike and his team made everything easy, fun, and hassle free. His approach to training new divers to give them the opportunity to get open water and then advanced open water certification on one trip allows new divers to quickly improve critical skills and gain confidence. Several of the new divers on my trip looked like they'd been diving for years by the time we left for the airport. I wish I had known about SPE Dive School when I got certified. I'd probably be further along as a diver if I had. read more

I can't say enough great things about SPE Dive School! I am an older student with no previous dive experience. Mike is dedicated to every student's success. His decades of experience really make the difference: he's worked with thousands of students at all ability levels, and when he says you can do it, you know he means it. Roland did a fantastic job leading the academic portion, not only covering all the material and making sure everyone understood it, but also using real life examples from his own experiences to illustrate important lessons. My husband also took the course, and we elected to do the Grand Cayman trip to complete our open water dives for both the PADI Open Water and the Advanced Open Water certifications. I needed some additional skills work before the dives, and Mike arranged for me to work one on one with a local dive instructor in Cayman who was FABULOUS! She diagnosed my issues, taught me how to correct them, and my dives went beautifully! I feel so fortunate to have this new world opened up to me, and I have SPE Dive School to thank. read more

I looked in here saw bad reviews of SPE and Mike Paker, wrote a fair honest and positive 5-star review. It got filterted by YELP, but the bad reviews are left up. Yelp! is pretty suspicious in my view. They seem to really want to post negative stuff --- I feel compelled to repost the recent positive five star review I made that they took down for whatever reason The training and service is great. You learn to dive, rapidly, with a high success rate. The pool and classroom instruction up here is great, and the qualifying dives in Cayman are well run, cost effective, and well organized and taught. As cost effective as possible. To dive you need gear. Mike runs a great gear buying service foe new divers. Its a great option to get good gear at a good price. Its nearly as cheap as the internet discounters, but with two advantages-- it is warranteed, and you get to see it feel it and try it on. You don't have to, you can rent gear or bring your own. For some reason the equipment sales part irritates some people. It is a great service! read more

FANTASTIC!!!! This really is as good as it gets. Wow! My wife and I are in our, um, late 50s. We never dreamed we'd attempt to learn diving. We recently caught the bug from my brother; went online and followed the positive reviews to SPE Dive School's Mike Parker. The man is an absolute joy to learn from. His passion for diving is so genuine and contagious. He's in his 60s and he's been instructing since his teens. Unbelievable, I know. Folks, this is the one guy you would love to have as your teacher and, hopefully, life-long diving mentor-advisor. We conquered MIke's classroom and pool sessions two weekends ago, and we are now chomping at the bit to go with Mike to Grand Cayman at the end of the month for our open water certification. Mike and his school: Transformational Game changers. WOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!! P.S.: if you come across a very rare bad review, rest assured it is bogus, from one of Mike's jealous competitors--don't believe it for a second, and believe all the positive reviews. read more