InfieldFly
Registered
I am just about finished with my e-learning course, after which I plan on using a local dive shop to complete my open water/pool portion. I am a recent transplant to Manhattan, and while it seems an odd hobby to pick up here it is surprisingly accessible - expensive, but doable. Oddly enough one of my desires is to volunteer at an aquarium somewhere - I've always enjoyed volunteer work, and it seems like that would be a good opportunity to dive while scratching the itch I've always had to work around animals...stinks that what ends up paying the bills isn't usually what your childhood dream was! Granted I know something like this is really underwater janitorial work, it still sounds fulfilling.
Anyhow, my question is related to the perception of someone's experience, related to time diving - I'll try to get this out of my head in an understandable way. Say someone has been certified and diving for 20 years, but rarely does more than 5 dives per year or so - would that person be considered more experienced than someone who fast tracks things? Doing everything properly and by the book, just over the course of a few months...say 30 dives in a year.
I of course plan on doing this purely for pleasure as well, when I can get away for a vacation here and there - but my curiosity is solely based around what places that accept volunteer divers have as requirements. I used to work quite a bit on cruise ships, and have a good amount of experience free diving and snorkeling.
This probably sounds odd, as I'm setting myself up to invest quite a bit of money with half of my reason for doing so to do volunteer work, but any input is welcome!
Anyhow, my question is related to the perception of someone's experience, related to time diving - I'll try to get this out of my head in an understandable way. Say someone has been certified and diving for 20 years, but rarely does more than 5 dives per year or so - would that person be considered more experienced than someone who fast tracks things? Doing everything properly and by the book, just over the course of a few months...say 30 dives in a year.
I of course plan on doing this purely for pleasure as well, when I can get away for a vacation here and there - but my curiosity is solely based around what places that accept volunteer divers have as requirements. I used to work quite a bit on cruise ships, and have a good amount of experience free diving and snorkeling.
This probably sounds odd, as I'm setting myself up to invest quite a bit of money with half of my reason for doing so to do volunteer work, but any input is welcome!