frankc420:
There is a solo diver class isn't there? That's a nitrox divers best friend if they are going to get pissed about having to cut their time short because their buddy is on air.
I suppose I'll agree w/ Don mid January, after I take my AOW and Nitrox together. But even then I doubt I'll really get a benefit from it because my SAC sucks.
Don, say everyone on your boat is diving nitrox, do you then ask the boat what their average SAC is and then say, I want to be your buddy?
Interesting comments. I don't see the solo course as an answer to anything other than those who insist on diving solo. Kind of a last resort treatment. I have done it, barely survived it. As a camera shooter, I do tend to be a same ocean diver sometimes, but really do try to stay with my buddy -
always for descents and ascents, the most dangerous times.
Anyway, it'll be good to have the Nitrox cert when you do run into NDL challenges, instead of after you need it. Glad you have scheduled yours. When everyone on the boat is Nitrox, then it is easier to match up.
ReefHound:
I don't know of any "solo" cert and it doesn't matter what certs you got when you're diving someone else's boat, you gotta play by their rules or you don't get to go.
Oh that's too easy to get by, really. At the most, you usually have to leave the boat together.
Dive-aholic:
TDI has a solo course and cert. You're right, you have to play by their rules, but there are a few boats out there that honor the TDI Solo Diver cert.
Actually, many. But this is not at all a
solution to this, to me. Helping the newbie become a better diver and better prepared for the boat team seems more appealing - and since newbies will do the 60-130 ft dives when they're allowed, I really think that encouraging a Nitrox course well before a newbies first ocean, St.Lawrence, etc dive trip is the answer. For those who live on the ocean, St.L, etc - ASAP.
Had a nice chat with my LDS manager today - her hubby the Padi/TDI Instructor is not as available. Looking forward to talking with him more next weekend at the Xmas party. They train vacation divers mostly - who will do one dive trip a year, then come back with computers that maxed out at 130, locked up when they violated, etc - but are much less likely to talk openly about it.
I catch some grief here on SB sometimes, and sometimes I deserve it, but I thought this was a good idea for discussion. Thanks for helping...