The value of PADI

[The Chairman]

PADI as well as any agency, can only do SO MUCH. Consumer demands have reduced the value of the AOW to something far less than it was. I often advise my potential AOW students to think twice about taking my class. It's a bit more adventurous and I do quite a bit more critiquing of their skills and equipment than the average instructor. Land drills with lines and compass as well as constant attention to their trim/buoyuancy, situational awareness and buddy skills are my way of providing remedial diving instruction. My OW students don't really need my AOW class, but many other OW divers DO. My goal is to improve your air consumption merely by making you more comfortable in the water.

 

[Pacific Taco]

Q: Do you know what they call the person who finishes last in his class at the worst medical school in America?






A: Dr.

 

[Thrillhouse]

A buddy or a dive guide should always look to their buddy constantly. What if the buddy stopped for a problem...OR.....what if they stopped because of something the other buddy missed like a big shark or manta....OR something small like a seahorse. I look to my buddies every 5 or 10 seconds not only because I want to make sure they'll still okay but more selfishly I don't want to miss anything that they see. How horrible to get back on the boat and your buddy say did you see that eagle ray and not be able to share in the excitement.

As for debriefing, this could be done casually like hey how was your dive I see you do 'this' maybe try 'this instead' next time it always works for me. But, Thrillhouse is an advanced diver not a dm or instructor so I don't think it's shame on her for anything as she has no teaching responsibility. If anything congrats for handling a bad buddy.

Sirena, I've been told the same regarding checking a buddy. We were single file along a wall, her ahead. In the absence of tank-bangers, it seems logical to keep a close eye on your buddy, as that's precisely why people dive in pairs to begin with. As for the debrief, I agree: there's not much I could have told her. I'm sure she noticed the fact she kept floating away, as she was constantly scrambling to hit her release valve, and she found out quite quickly that her mask was fogged.

You place way too much faith in training.

A plastic card merely means one has paid the money, taken the class, and passed the class. That's it. Much like a university degree, it is not a guarantee that the person whose name appears on that document knows ANYTHING.

Don't be hung up on the term "advanced". Please. Just pretend it says "Open Water II" and proceed on that basis.

That's what I found out last weekend. More concerning is the fact others seem to do the same, resulting in folks like my previous dive buddy jumping right on into a dive plan which is over their heads experience-wise. It may be a piece of plastic, but it happens to be one which reads "ADVANCED" on it, and one from a certification agency which divers seem to have an enormous amount of faith in. While I'm glad to have realised my ability and my training are seperate (hence only recently being comfortable going deep), it doesn't seem to be the case for all divers. I guess "Advanced Open Water" sells better than "Open Water II," but it seems the latter would be more appropriate and might not lead people to over-estimate their abilities. The first thing our DM asked on site as we paired up was, "who here is advanced?" Nothing was mentioned about skill, confidence, or experience. It's a shame if that's not uncommon.

 

[aMc10]

It's only certification that the person went through "advanced open water" training, meaning that the training is a bit more advanced than the initial open water training.

It's not that the person is an "advanced diver." That only comes from experience and conscientious study.

+1

To the OP, no - your buddy wasn't advanced. However, I hate to break it to you, but with thirty-two dives in two years, neither are you. As Peter said, consider sharing your buddy's initiative and take the Rescue course. Diving on a more regular basis would be even better.

 

[The Chairman]

A: Dr.

ONLY if they pass the BAR Exam. I kinda like the idea of having an independent exam, but it would prove way too unwieldy.

However, I REALLY like the idea of online academics for both OW and AOW. This kind of standardized approach to the book learning portion means that everyone gets the same information BEFORE they get to the instructor.

 

[Tortuga68]

I'm not convinced that's the answer; surely a verbal exam would be better?

ONLY if they pass the BAR Exam

His point is still valid IMHO

 

[NudeDiver]

ONLY if they pass the BAR Exam.

Silly NetDoc. Wannabe doctors do not take a BAR exam

 

[cooperscuba]

Too bad English instructors don't follow this advice.

Huh? I've referred lots of divers on OW courses and I'm English. I've also seen lots of divers who trained with non-English instructors who clearly never made the grade.

On a slightly different note ...

I've never sold an AOW course on the premise that it'll make somebody an "Advanced Diver". On completion of an AOW course I always point out to my students that the only way you can consider yourself an advanced diver is by diving and only a complete idiot would consider themselves advanced after 5 dives; to think of the certification as a licence to make advanced dives; think about doing more Adventure Dives/Specialty courses.

Finally, the certification is not "Advanced Diver" but "Advanced OPEN WATER Diver".

 

[Louma]

PADI as well as any agency, can only do SO MUCH. Consumer demands have reduced the value of the AOW to something far less than it was. I often advise my potential AOW students to think twice about taking my class. It's a bit more adventurous and I do quite a bit more critiquing of their skills and equipment than the average instructor. Land drills with lines and compass as well as constant attention to their trim/buoyuancy, situational awareness and buddy skills are my way of providing remedial diving instruction. My OW students don't really need my AOW class, but many other OW divers DO. My goal is to improve your air consumption merely by making you more comfortable in the water.

Pete - 2:56AM!!! Get some sleep!
For MOST of my students, I recomend that they get about 25 dives or so under their belt -- then take the "Advanced" course. As you know, NAUI allows us the opportunity to follow O/W with Rescue if we desire. For many divers this is the option I use (down here in FL where the water is clear and warm - never in the North Atlanic). My thought, here in FL, is that Advanced is about the dives (deep, night, etc.) Rescue is a confidence builder. I couldn't agree with you more about online. I can't wait for NAUI's - I am told shortly. I hope they don't just stop at O/W - advanced is really needed in this format.

 

[Garrobo]

Actually AOW is OW+ around $300 and five dives.