Interesting class to attend

[wetb4igetinthewater]

That's Cove 2, in West Seattle, one of the more popular training sites. I was there teaching Sunday afternoon as it was calm with a nice high tide with almost zero current.

I would like to think that this is an extreme case (oh please God, let this be the exception, not the rule). From the FB discussion, it was mentioned by the student who took the video that diver had only 8 dives under her belt. We all agree that the dive should have been stopped right away, that they should have descended together as a group.

My guess is that this has gotten back to the instructor (no idea who it is). This isn't going away anytime soon.

 

[Neilwood]

That's Cove 2, in West Seattle, one of the more popular training sites. I was there teaching Sunday afternoon as it was calm with a nice high tide with almost zero current.

I would like to think that this is an extreme case (oh please God, let this be the exception, not the rule). From the FB discussion, it was mentioned by the student who took the video that diver had only 8 dives under her belt. We all agree that the dive should have been stopped right away, that they should have descended together as a group.

My guess is that this has gotten back to the instructor (no idea who it is). This isn't going away anytime soon.

I can only hope so - the instructor and the shop they work for need to take a serious look at what they are doing as it would have been all to easy for the proverbial to hit the air moving apparatus!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

How common is this? Rare? Far too often? Common?

I keep hearing about the instructor but I saw no evidence of an instructor on this video.

Far too common.

The shop involved in this class has some good instructors on staff, but this guy apparently isn't one of them ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That's Cove 2, in West Seattle, one of the more popular training sites. I was there teaching Sunday afternoon as it was calm with a nice high tide with almost zero current.

I would like to think that this is an extreme case (oh please God, let this be the exception, not the rule). From the FB discussion, it was mentioned by the student who took the video that diver had only 8 dives under her belt. We all agree that the dive should have been stopped right away, that they should have descended together as a group.

My guess is that this has gotten back to the instructor (no idea who it is). This isn't going away anytime soon.

A few years ago, at the adjoining Cove 1, a guy who had just completed his AOW the previous week drowned. He was overweighted, had gone deep in search of the monolith, ran out of air, and was unable to swim to the surface. His body was recovered at a depth of around 80 feet. The person who recovered it was the instructor who had given him a card the previous week telling him he was qualified to go that deep. That's every instructor's worst nightmare ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Bubblesong]

Doesn’t the second dive look like a mob hit? Like maybe the student not only pissed off instructor, but owes him money?

 

[kelemvor]

@TMHeimer @tomfcrist

Whenever you see FFW in the video it is for "Fast ForWard". So the rapid finning at the beginning is actually normal finning but fast forward video.

That's hilarious! I thought for sure FFW was an abbreviated version of some kind of cuss word.

 

[Saboteur]

I worry for that divers safety once he's on his own. I've read of dive OP's requiring a checkout dive to assess skills before the 'real' dives of the trip. Shouldn't a skills assessment be required before a course such as a deep diving certification?

 

[TMHeimer]

I worry for that divers safety once he's on his own. I've read of dive OP's requiring a checkout dive to assess skills before the 'real' dives of the trip. Shouldn't a skills assessment be required before a course such as a deep diving certification?

That's an interesting point. I would think that 99% of those who take the Deep course here were OW certified at the same shop, as it is the only big one around. Though I got my OW here, I did AOW in Florida, but several other courses both here and at the FL shop. The others on my Deep course all were very well known to the Deep instructor. I'm sure this is not the case in areas with multiple shops, or places in the tropics where people go to take courses while on vacation. Makes sense to me to have a skills assessment before allowing someone in the Deep course if no one at the shop is familiar with them. Some people talk a good game.

 

[boulderjohn]

Shouldn't a skills assessment be required before a course such as a deep diving certification?

It is.

 

[TMHeimer]

By skills assessment I assume we're talking about at least doing some skills in a pool, no? If not, what sort of assessment?
The course overview in my 10 year old manual doesn't specify actual diving for an assessment.
John, I know you are very familiar with all the PADI standards--can you quote the assessment requirement for me?