I'm actually quite pleased that - with one notable exception - the posting in this thread has been mostly fair and balanced, given they often descend into pure flame throwing. I believe very strongly in the PADI system, otherwise I wouldn't do it for a living, however I do fully recognise that the system is imperfect. I don't just mean the organisation itself, but the way its models are applied by the industry as a whole.
I know, and have trained personally, some excellent DMs and instructors who met the bare minimum number of dives - and I have met lousy divers, both recreational and professional, from a variety of agencies over the years.
The information is out there - and there are often many variations on the theme, but I've seen all too often how instructors preach something as mantra because it is how they were taught. Sometimes this is out-dated technique or practice - but they teach it because that's what they learned it back in the good old days so it *must* be true; maybe a hangover from another agency's training; often training that is no longer regarded as necessary.
Whatever form it takes, the net result is ignorance because perhaps the instructor or DM themselves put their faith in the training their own instructor gave them, without seeking to question. There is a wealth of information available, people just don't read it. The PADI Open Water manual is actually a good example of a book all-too-briefly flicked through and never actually read; there's a lot of good stuff in there.
The dive centre or resort promotes the three day course or the short instructor internship, not the agency. Yes, the agency must be regarded as complicit because they honour the certifications, but they do provide a very good structure for learning - with fairly rigid guidelines - and trust is placed in the instructor to fulfill their obligation to those standards. We all know it doesn't always happen like that, but you will find that in many places, regardless of agency, safe diving is taught very well indeed, even for a short resort course.
If I bought 3 Ford Cars and they all broke down, then I would think that - despite evidence to the contrary that Ford mass-produce reliable cars - 100% of mine failed me, so now I'm going to explore other options. Perhaps I will look at a more expensive and exclusive factory such as Ferrari - whose ability to produce cars that spontaneously break down is almost legendary.
So if somebody has been bitten and is thrice shy - so be it. Sorry you didn't get the training or the right safety briefing or whatever, and I think it's understandable to look for alternatives if you don't think you were getting what you wanted, although it has to be said that some people make the mistake of latching onto the training advice that they *wanted* to hear (not saying that is the case with the OP).
The instructor/DM/guide does make a lot of difference to a holiday for some people, and when you know a thing or two about diving you want the person in front of you to know something about what they are doing, where they are going, what they know, and - in some locations - have a tight bod and a tighter bikini.
Hopefully the OP will have his opinion reversed one day but in the meantime, good luck, and thanks to all... well, most ... for the generally civil and friendly debate.
Cheers
C.
I know, and have trained personally, some excellent DMs and instructors who met the bare minimum number of dives - and I have met lousy divers, both recreational and professional, from a variety of agencies over the years.
The information is out there - and there are often many variations on the theme, but I've seen all too often how instructors preach something as mantra because it is how they were taught. Sometimes this is out-dated technique or practice - but they teach it because that's what they learned it back in the good old days so it *must* be true; maybe a hangover from another agency's training; often training that is no longer regarded as necessary.
Whatever form it takes, the net result is ignorance because perhaps the instructor or DM themselves put their faith in the training their own instructor gave them, without seeking to question. There is a wealth of information available, people just don't read it. The PADI Open Water manual is actually a good example of a book all-too-briefly flicked through and never actually read; there's a lot of good stuff in there.
The dive centre or resort promotes the three day course or the short instructor internship, not the agency. Yes, the agency must be regarded as complicit because they honour the certifications, but they do provide a very good structure for learning - with fairly rigid guidelines - and trust is placed in the instructor to fulfill their obligation to those standards. We all know it doesn't always happen like that, but you will find that in many places, regardless of agency, safe diving is taught very well indeed, even for a short resort course.
If I bought 3 Ford Cars and they all broke down, then I would think that - despite evidence to the contrary that Ford mass-produce reliable cars - 100% of mine failed me, so now I'm going to explore other options. Perhaps I will look at a more expensive and exclusive factory such as Ferrari - whose ability to produce cars that spontaneously break down is almost legendary.
So if somebody has been bitten and is thrice shy - so be it. Sorry you didn't get the training or the right safety briefing or whatever, and I think it's understandable to look for alternatives if you don't think you were getting what you wanted, although it has to be said that some people make the mistake of latching onto the training advice that they *wanted* to hear (not saying that is the case with the OP).
The instructor/DM/guide does make a lot of difference to a holiday for some people, and when you know a thing or two about diving you want the person in front of you to know something about what they are doing, where they are going, what they know, and - in some locations - have a tight bod and a tighter bikini.
Hopefully the OP will have his opinion reversed one day but in the meantime, good luck, and thanks to all... well, most ... for the generally civil and friendly debate.
Cheers
C.
