Just hit my 100th dive—besides diving, what’s next for skill development?

[christ0phe]

Just got back from hitting my 100th and 101st dive, and feeling proud and excited about how much I can still learn. Took about 4 years, with half of my dives on North Carolina wreck charters, a quarter in Cozumel / Yucatán, and the rest spread across quarry, lakes, and random dives like black water in Kona.

I’ve really grown to appreciate the diver that NC conditions have made me. Honestly, it blew my mind how much chiller it was in Cozumel the first time I went. I didn’t even realize following a dive guide was a thing. NC charters take you out 1-2 hours to a site, dump you in the water in pairs, and say see ya later. Thankfully the charter season is about to open back up, so I’ll be right back at it!

Aside from more dives, which is a given, what are ways I can continue to grow my skills? I intend to go tech at some point in my career, and I feel cave calling my name, so I’m also curious about any courses that will help focus and refine my growing skills.

 

[gregbenson314]

The GUE fundamentals course seems exactly what you're after. If you have a look you'll find a lot of course reports here about it. They've recently rejigged the syllabus so it seems like basic fundamentals is your best option (unless you're already diving doubles?).

 

[christ0phe]

The GUE fundamentals course seems exactly what you're after. If you have a look you'll find a lot of course reports here about it. They've recently rejigged the syllabus so it seems like basic fundamentals is your best option (unless you're already diving doubles?).

Thanks! No doubles yet—do you have any thoughts on doubles vs side mount, w cave in mind for the future?

 

[gregbenson314]

I'm just Fundies rec (although hoping to take Tech 1 next year), so I have no strong opinions about doubles Vs sidemount for caves.


One thing that often gets mentioned about Fundies is that it's worth taking even if you see yourself going to sidemount in the future, as the buoyancy, propulsion, task loading, teamwork etc training is invaluable.

 

[Wheeler925]

I'd suggest getting your shark riding PADI specialty

 

[Badger7]

GUE doesn't really focus on sidemount, but the skills taught in fundamentals are extremely transferrable to any type of diving. Other than 100 more dives, I can't think of anything that would better improve someone's diving than working with a GUE instructor in a fundamentals class.

 

[boqurant]

Interesting Q&A, I'm on 150 dives, all warm-water single-tank rec over a couple of years, and am currently taking PADI Rescue. I hadn't considered GUE Fundamentals before but it looks very well aligned to the type of (chilled, capable, horizontal lol) diver I aspire to be. Will look into it

 

[tursiops]

Just got back from hitting my 100th and 101st dive, and feeling proud and excited about how much I can still learn. Took about 4 years, with half of my dives on North Carolina wreck charters, a quarter in Cozumel / Yucatán, and the rest spread across quarry, lakes, and random dives like black water in Kona.

I’ve really grown to appreciate the diver that NC conditions have made me. Honestly, it blew my mind how much chiller it was in Cozumel the first time I went. I didn’t even realize following a dive guide was a thing. NC charters take you out 1-2 hours to a site, dump you in the water in pairs, and say see ya later. Thankfully the charter season is about to open back up, so I’ll be right back at it!

Aside from more dives, which is a given, what are ways I can continue to grow my skills? I intend to go tech at some point in my career, and I feel cave calling my name, so I’m also curious about any courses that will help focus and refine my growing skills.

Skills can mean many things....being horizontal is one, IDing fish is another, great u/w photos is another, able to find something someone lost on the bottom is another, and so on.
You've had 100 dives; what kinds of things attract you? Build on those.
Diving is so much more than being horizontal.
Being horizontal is what you do while you are doing something else that is interesting to you.

 

[iliketopetsharks]

Diving is so much more than being horizontal.
Being horizontal is what you do while you are doing something else that is interesting to you.

But a rock solid foundation is crucial to be any good at whatever you want to do. Especially if you're interested in tech or cave, like OP mentioned.
So yeah, go for fundies. You'll learn a lot, regardless where you want to go.

 

[tursiops]

But a rock solid foundation is crucial to be any good at whatever you want to do. Especially if you're interested in tech or cave, like OP mentioned.
So yeah, go for fundies. You'll learn a lot, regardless where you want to go.

Some divers and posters are confused about what "skills" means. It is important not to confuse the journey with the destination.
Some seem to think Fundies is a destination....but it is reallly just a waypoint that might be useful depending on what you want to do underwater.