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Hi Peter, A somewhat late reply, sorry. Hopefully still relevant. You will find that most SDI instructors will offer very different courses. The standards linked to above are the bare minimums we must teach - most of us will go well beyond that. For example, the course requires 2 dives and I...

Ah, Jim! Welcome to the dark side.....! :)

I've also been a bit slack, not been on SB for a while. Personally, I wouldn't spend 2 days at Goat Island.... it's nice, but it's not that nice. If you can, try to book a White Island liveaboard trip with Baker Marine Charters (Fishing and Diving White Island, New Zealand - Fishing and Diving...

Has anyone helped you out yet? If not, drop me a PM. I think the form is in the instructor materials and I can email it to you. SDI or TDI, though?

It's a reasonable trade off in terms of cost/quality in terms of an upgrade. I currently have a DX8000G, which is OK - but it's RAW capabilities are very frustrating. Ideally, I'd like to use my Nikon D90 for u/w and upgrade to a D7000 for land photography. Alas, the cost of the housing and two...

My LDS has just told me that the DX-2G is a discontinued product and it's replacement won't be available (in New Zealand) until November. Any news on what the replacement will be? I've been agonising over upgrading my 8000G for sometime and finally decided on the DX-2G over a Canon G12...

As I understand it, TDI manuals are reprinted by the Regional Offices rather than shipped from the US - it is just much more economical. The content will be the same.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it! ;) Personally, I find Slipstreams too stiff. When I use them, my feet cramp really badly. Performance wise, they are almost indistinguishable from Jets. Most people allow their fin tips to rise - I suspect that anyone here who has done Fundies will admit...

Well, I just got a preview copy of this from PADI Asia Pacific. I'll still be offering the SDI Solo Diver course as my primary solo/self-reliant diver course. If I were to teach a PADI course, I have the option of either teaching the new PADI course or my existing distinctive specialty. I'd...

I agree, Bob. I think we are also using "self-rescue exercise" in a slightly different way. Certainly my original PADI course covered the first two of your exercises, swapping to a back up mask and use of an alternate air source. Entanglement drills were specifically left out - it was several...

It may be somewhat egotistical of me to assume that PADI have used my distinctive course as a basis for the one they are releasing, but mine was (I beleive) the first ever self-reliance course approved by PADI, so...... My (PADI) course is very scripted and really has no simulated failures or...

It is a bit weird. All that a "certification count" actually goes to show is that you have taught some divers - not that you can solo dive, let alone teach it. I do love these anachronisms. I had one last year where I wanted to teach an Advanced Wreck (PADI Distinctive) class to a PADI...

Hmmmmmm. I've only just seen the training bulletin - I misunderstood your PM, knotical!! I thought this was from the article that John et al wrote! I have to admit a suspicion that this is based on my course. The timing is impecable - the course gets exposure in an UJ article, and suddenly PADI...

I am now offering SDI Solo Diver courses across the upper North Island of New Zealand. Please contact me for further details.

Indeed. And, of course, any assumption that a (PADI) Deep Diver specialty course actually prepares you to dive to 40m is of course open to analysis..... ;)

Obviously? It's not obvious to me why a DM would be limited to 30m. As a PADI instructor, I don't hold a deep diving specialty certification.... yet I can teach the PADI deep specialty course. Go figure.

Also true for PADI (and other agencies), though often misinterpreted or misrepresented by dive stores wishing to make a fast buck. I don't recall the exact wording from PADI standards. It's something like "AOW or equivilent. Equivilent is defined as at least two diving certifications with...

Hi Jen, It depends on where you go, what time of year and so on. Some shops are notioriously bad payers - in fact, some expect their instructors to work for free!!! Go figure! It also depends on whether you are working full time or are a part time/casual instructor. I've only ever worked as...

Are you looking to do any other form of travelling in those dates, or is it all about the diving? Local diving around Auckland is fairly average, you'd need to travel an hour to get to something half reasonable. Goat Island is a nice shore dive. You also have a charter running out of the nearby...

The only shop I know of in Paraparaumu is Kapiti Dive - Dive Kapiti, Scuba, Spearfishing, Snorkelling. No idea if they run/organise dive charters or whether they are any good if they do. You'll get more choice if you include the Wellington shops. A lot of them launch from Paraparaumu anyway...