100' of viz and the scariest dive of my life?

[pacificgal]

Yep, he's famous

 

[mikerault]

I've seen some folks who don't have waists...one fellow I know had to wear two hooked together around his upper chest. He then proceeded to "March through Georgia" the entire dive...

 

[DocWong]

haha, small world!

Yep, I'm part of the R and D group. "Ride and Dive." :cool3:

Fast motorcycles and slow, etherial diving, what a balance!

 

[eelnoraa]

DocWong, I more or less know how this felt like.

I dive SE Asia quite a bit and have seen both DM's and instructors holding and leading divers around for the entire dive many times.

That seems to be an indication of very poorly trained divers who shouldn't have been certified.

Dive training in a lot of SE Asia vacation places can be largely sub-standard. They do those one-day OW certification. They get everything ready for diver, even put on fins for them. All OW students need was to show up, do a few skill, then got certified. These new certified vacationers will be onto boat dive the next day. The consequence is these certified divers don't know much about diving safety at all.

My recent encounter was with a friend got certified in Philipine. She want to dive in CA, so I brought her to Monterey. First thing I noticed was she doesn't know how to assemble the equipments. Then no concept of buddy check. And once water, she doesn't see the importance of staying close to buddy, she would just swim ahead. I was so nervous the entire dive. I had to keep up with her, correct her heading, told her time to turn around and time to ascend. I ran through my AL80 in no time.

The funny thing was she she still has 1500psi in AL63. It appeared to me that, not for once, feel unsafe or nervous, instead she was calm and relaxed the entire time. This actually show me how someone's standard of safe is so different than that of others.

 

[DocWong]

With that level of competence, one can only hope they make it and learn enough skills to not get hurt in quick enough time. Yet it still amazes me that more dives don't get into trouble and hurt themselves.

DocWong, I more or less know how this felt like.

Dive training in a lot of SE Asia vacation places can be largely sub-standard. They do those one-day OW certification. They get everything ready for diver, even put on fins for them. All OW students need was to show up, do a few skill, then got certified. These new certified vacationers will be onto boat dive the next day. The consequence is these certified divers don't know much about diving safety at all.

My recent encounter was with a friend got certified in Philipine. She want to dive in CA, so I brought her to Monterey. First thing I noticed was she doesn't know how to assemble the equipments. Then no concept of buddy check. And once water, she doesn't see the importance of staying close to buddy, she would just swim ahead. I was so nervous the entire dive. I had to keep up with her, correct her heading, told her time to turn around and time to ascend. I ran through my AL80 in no time.

The funny thing was she she still has 1500psi in AL63. It appeared to me that, not for once, feel unsafe or nervous, instead she was calm and relaxed the entire time. This actually show me how someone's standard of safe is so different than that of others.

 

[ryssyr]

Hey Doc,

I'm glad things turned out ok. btw. I just got a bike and will have to catch up with you guys for a ride one weekend.

 

[kathydee]

It is impossible to dive without a DM guide in most vacation scuba spots in SE Asia, thus, divers are often trained as obediant/dependant. So it makes sense that she trusted you without fear -- you were her guide and she was trained to follow. This an important fact for you to consider, if you decide to guide her again.

Vacation scuba training in that part of the world varies . Like here-- instructors, shops, cost, make a huge difference in what is delivered.

IMO there is no way a vacation, clear, warm water diver accustom to following guides has the skills required to dive our local water. (But in all fairness our locals may not be comfortable with down currents often found in SE Asia either). Each environment has it's unique hazards.

If she continues diving here, I highly suggest she seek training or mentoring in relation to our local hazards.

I made the transition to our local diving so I know .

They get everything ready for diver, even put on fins for them. All OW students need was to show up, do a few skill, then got certified. These new certified vacationers will be onto boat dive the next day. The consequence is these certified divers don't know much about diving safety at all.

My recent encounter was with a friend got certified in Philipine. She want to dive in CA, so I brought her to Monterey. First thing I noticed was she doesn't know how to assemble the equipments. Then no concept of buddy check. And once water, she doesn't see the importance of staying close to buddy, she would just swim ahead. I was so nervous the entire dive. I had to keep up with her, correct her heading, told her time to turn around and time to ascend. I ran through my AL80 in no time.

The funny thing was she she still has 1500psi in AL63. It appeared to me that, not for once, feel unsafe or nervous, instead she was calm and relaxed the entire time. This actually show me how someone's standard of safe is so different than that of others.

 

[Ben_ca]

Dive training in a lot of SE Asia vacation places can be largely sub-standard.

I'm sure they certified them for the kind of diving they were doing in their local area... which is probably warm, clear water... little/no emphasis on low vis, cold and kelp ect.

They do those one-day OW certification. They get everything ready for diver, even put on fins for them. All OW students need was to show up, do a few skill, then got certified.

I did my cert in the Philippines and the staff were not allowed to assemble our gear ect... after getting your C card the staff will assemble your gear for you and set everything up... it is a dive resort after all.

These new certified vacationers will be onto boat dive the next day. The consequence is these certified divers don't know much about diving safety at all.

In the Philippines all dives were off of boats... even the OW checkouts.

 

[Hank49]

DocWong, I more or less know how this felt like.
Dive training in a lot of SE Asia vacation places can be largely sub-standard. They do those one-day OW certification. They get everything ready for diver, even put on fins for them. All OW students need was to show up, do a few skill, then got certified. These new certified vacationers will be onto boat dive the next day. The consequence is these certified divers don't know much about diving safety at all.

I worked at a dive shop on Boracay for a year. The Intro to Scuba or whatever it was called was a bit of a hassle for us. I did have to hold a person's hand on a dive but it was only about 15 feet deep.
On open water courses though, we did our best to develop skills on all divers. The Philippines, although warm and clear can be very unforgiving with very strong currents, deep walls and waves.

 

[DocWong]

Hey Doc,

I'm glad things turned out ok. btw. I just got a bike and will have to catch up with you guys for a ride one weekend.

What a conflict it is for me sometimes. Lobos or ride thru the hills. Fortunately it's usually better for one or the other. On days where the weather's not so good but the wave model good, then it's diving. On sunny days with big waves, it's riding. Tough choices, but it's gotta be made.

Then there's my honey, that puts a kink into everything.