The concept is simple - Commit to becoming a serious diver by buying your diving system up front, and we will give you your scuba training for free...

And I really like this concept - but. of course I should. It means we sell more diving equipment!

BUT - we also do an amazing thing in the process: We take a very nice person and turn him or her into a very nice person with the training AND TOOLS necessary to have a very exciting, adventurous life - and then we give them every opportunity to live that life. How much money would you be willing to invest in the opportunity to ride a wild manta ray, explore unbelievably gorgeous coral reefs or World War II shipwrecks, etc. How much do these adventures add to the quality of your life? And if you've dived with us, you know that these uncommon adventures are the shared common experiences of all of our Gypsytrips - always have been and always will be.

When I learned to dive a couple thousand dives ago, I got my dive gear within 2 weeks of completing my certification dives - and it was absolutely the best investment in lifestyle I've ever made. But I did pay for my SCUBA lessons...

So we are now offering those people who KNOW they want to become active divers the guaranteed opportunity to get the best deal we can offer. And I think it is a win-win deal:

• Gypsy gets a customer for life. People who learn to dive with us and buy their gear from us almost always do business with us for years. They usually become great friends.
• These new, fully-equipped divers get comfortable in their own SCUBA equipment right from the start, enjoy the protection of our guarantees, and get the opportunity to greatly enhance the quality of the rest of their life. They also get free SCUBA training...!

We know this program is not for everyone. But it is a choice we'll be offering from here on out to those people who sense right up front - like I did, like Al did, like Laura did, etc. - that diving will become their new lifestyle just as soon as they can make it happen.

Oh and by the way - It's time to get wet. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

~ dave