Capt Jim Wyatt
Hanging at the 10 Foot Stop
Staff member
ScubaBoard Business Sponsor
Scuba Instructor
Do you see this as being a good idea?
Not a good idea.
Please send me the details.
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Do you see this as being a good idea?
It gets worse and worse as time goes by and we see more cave instructors who really aren't even good cave divers. The NSS-CDS/NACD pipeline requires an internship and requires prospective cave instructors to watch several classes be taught and requires they teach a few classes while being observed. This route takes many months and often over a couple of years minimum to achieve full cave instructor status. This is how the NSS-CDS and the NACD have maintained the highest of standards of cave diver training. Our cave divers do not work on their knees.
A few months ago a guy approached one of the NSS-CDS instructor sponsors about becoming a cave instructor. The sponsor explained the required route and the time requirements. He also explained that there are no monetary requirements. NSS-CDS instructors may not charge for training instructor interns
A couple of weeks later this same guy contacted the NSS-CDS instructor sponsor and told him he did not now need the internship program nor did he need an NSS-CDS instructor sponsor. This guy told him he had found a cave instructor trainer(IT) with XXX and had spent the prior weekend with the IT auditing a class. He was able to pay the IT and was certified as a cave instructor.
This is at least part of why we are seeing substandard cave divers. Someone in an earlier response suggested reading the sticky on how to find a good cave instructor. This is the link.
Hour or Dives, I'm not sure it really matters. I know people doing 6 hour dives a lot. I also know a cave instructor who used to do Olsen to Peacock, Peacock to Olsen, Olsen to Peacock, etc. etc. etc. to be one of the first people to have a Sheck Exley award.
That is a good question. However the NSS-CDS has never allowed a cave instructor from that agency and at least one other agency to simply crossover. We realize the programs from these two agencies are not in line with our training philosophies and will not allow them to simply cross over.So when is he going to do a crossover so he can say he teaches for all agencies?
That sure is an issue. Its kind of like what I heard about earlier this week where two Instructors are trying to pioneer a course for CCR. They called it Zero to Super Hero. Where the student with no background in CCR would take all of the training to be a diver and instructor in one shot. Then go home and get the necessary hours/dives submit them to these two Instructor Trainers and be issued instructor cards.
Crazy what some people are doing.
I also know a cave instructor who used to do Olsen to Peacock, Peacock to Olsen, Olsen to Peacock, etc. etc. etc. to be one of the first people to have a Sheck Exley award.
A couple of weeks later this same guy contacted the NSS-CDS instructor sponsor and told him he did not now need the internship program nor did he need an NSS-CDS instructor sponsor. This guy told him he had found a cave instructor trainer(IT) with XXX and had spent the prior weekend with the IT auditing a class. He was able to pay the IT and was certified as a cave instructor.
.
I suppose that's good. They'll still teach for a half dozen agencies within a year, making it to where it takes half a dozen *verified* (ha!) standards violations to get them to stop teaching cave training.That is a good question. However the NSS-CDS has never allowed a cave instructor from that agency and at least one other agency to simply crossover. We realize the programs from these two agencies are not in line with our training philosophies and will not allow them to simply cross over.
If I recall, the NSS-CDS doesn't share their standards in public, so I'm not sure if this is an unofficial policy or official. Can you share which agencies the CDS doesn't allow and if it's documented or not?