A different take on Master Scuba Diver

[wetb4igetinthewater]

On the other hand, my week on the BA IV in April was really quite good Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022

This may be largely due to diving South Water Caye and Glover's Reef from the mainland vs. diving Lighthouse Reef from a liveaboard.

Glad to hear that. So not many lionfish out there?

 

[scubadada]

Glad to hear that. So not many lionfish out there?

Very few Lionfish, not sure exactly why, I don't think the hunting pressure is very great.

I was late posting underwater shots from my trip, begin on post #12. Quite a few Reef sharks, turtles, Eagle Rays, Grouper, Southern Rays, large schools of Jacks... I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the diving.

 

[Leatherboot69]

So anyway, against the advice of some on here, I completed my Master Scuba Diver, thoroughly enjoyed it, and became a more proficient diver (Underwater Navigation, Dry Suit, Enriched Air, Deep and Wreck specialties). I’d recommend it as a way to cohere a training pathway for other recreational divers, don’t listen to the haters. It set me up well for wreck diving in the Adriatic in November. Oh, and PADI didn’t charge me (or my dive shop) for it, so it was free.

What was interesting was that the certificate that comes with it implies that MSD is or was a single course - ‘Leatherboot has completed a course of instruction in scuba diving’. Maybe an interesting historical hangover from pre-modularisation days when scuba courses were weeks or months long, and also something I’ve implied elsewhere that MSD should be seen as a single unified training pipeline that’s been modularised to make it more appealing and accessible.

I also don’t find the comparison between PADI and NAUI MSD particularly helpful. I mean, all other things being equal, on top of the other requirements, it’s five courses of mostly 2-4 dives each plus 50 dives with PADI, or NAUI with one course of eight dives. Some people just really like longer courses and some like flexible ones.

Next question: I’ve also just completed the PADI Dive Theory course. Does anyone have any experience or factual information about how it compares to SSI Science of Diving or NAUI MSD Dive Theory?

 

[BlueTrin]

So anyway, against the advice of some on here, I completed my Master Scuba Diver, thoroughly enjoyed it, and became a more proficient diver (Underwater Navigation, Dry Suit, Enriched Air, Deep and Wreck specialties). I’d recommend it as a way to cohere a training pathway for other recreational divers, don’t listen to the haters. It set me up well for wreck diving in the Adriatic in November.

What was interesting was that the certificate that comes with it implies that MSD is or was a single course - ‘Leatherboot has completed a course of instruction in scuba diving’. Maybe an interesting historical hangover from pre-modularisation days when scuba courses were weeks or months long, and also something I’ve implied elsewhere that MSD should be seen as a single unified training pipeline that’s been modularised to make it more appealing and accessible.

Next question: I’ve also just completed the PADI Dive Theory course. Does anyone have any experience or factual information about how it compares to SSI Science of Diving or NAUI MSD Dive Theory?

Congratulations!

 

[tursiops]

So anyway, against the advice of some on here, I completed my Master Scuba Diver, thoroughly enjoyed it, and became a more proficient diver (Underwater Navigation, Dry Suit, Enriched Air, Deep and Wreck specialties). I’d recommend it as a way to cohere a training pathway for other recreational divers, don’t listen to the haters. It set me up well for wreck diving in the Adriatic in November. Oh, and PADI didn’t charge me (or my dive shop) for it, so it was free.

What was interesting was that the certificate that comes with it implies that MSD is or was a single course - ‘Leatherboot has completed a course of instruction in scuba diving’. Maybe an interesting historical hangover from pre-modularisation days when scuba courses were weeks or months long, and also something I’ve implied elsewhere that MSD should be seen as a single unified training pipeline that’s been modularised to make it more appealing and accessible.

I also don’t find the comparison between PADI and NAUI MSD particularly helpful. I mean, all other things being equal, on top of the other requirements, it’s five courses of mostly 2-4 dives each plus 50 dives with PADI, or NAUI with one course of eight dives. Some people just really like longer courses and some like flexible ones.

Next question: I’ve also just completed the PADI Dive Theory course. Does anyone have any experience or factual information about how it compares to SSI Science of Diving or NAUI MSD Dive Theory?

Well done!
I don't know what the current PADI Dive Theory course looks like (I did it many years ago), and I've not seen the NAUI version, but I'm unimpressed with the SSI version. I'm guessing NAUI is pretty good, and that PADI has very good materials but perhaps with less depth.

 

[RobPNW]

So anyway, against the advice of some on here, I completed my Master Scuba Diver, thoroughly enjoyed it, and became a more proficient diver (Underwater Navigation, Dry Suit, Enriched Air, Deep and Wreck specialties). I’d recommend it as a way to cohere a training pathway for other recreational divers, don’t listen to the haters. It set me up well for wreck diving in the Adriatic in November. Oh, and PADI didn’t charge me (or my dive shop) for it, so it was free.

What was interesting was that the certificate that comes with it implies that MSD is or was a single course - ‘Leatherboot has completed a course of instruction in scuba diving’. Maybe an interesting historical hangover from pre-modularisation days when scuba courses were weeks or months long, and also something I’ve implied elsewhere that MSD should be seen as a single unified training pipeline that’s been modularised to make it more appealing and accessible.

I also don’t find the comparison between PADI and NAUI MSD particularly helpful. I mean, all other things being equal, on top of the other requirements, it’s five courses of mostly 2-4 dives each plus 50 dives with PADI, or NAUI with one course of eight dives. Some people just really like longer courses and some like flexible ones.

Next question: I’ve also just completed the PADI Dive Theory course. Does anyone have any experience or factual information about how it compares to SSI Science of Diving or NAUI MSD Dive Theory?

Congratulations on your training progress. I wouldn't label people "haters" just because they don't care about the title.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

Well done!
I don't know what the current PADI Dive Theory course looks like (I did it many years ago), and I've not seen the NAUI version, but I'm unimpressed with the SSI version. I'm guessing NAUI is pretty good, and that PADI has very good materials but perhaps with less depth.

What’s wrong with the SSI version? Just curious.

 

[tursiops]

I wouldn't label people "haters" just because they don't care about the title.

The ones who don't care are not the haters. The haters are the ones who actively denigrate MSD as a money-grab and imply that anyone who gets it got suckered into a worthless "participation trophy."

 

[RobPNW]

The ones who don't care are not the haters. The haters are the ones who actively denigrate MSD as a money-grab and imply that anyone who gets it got suckered into a worthless "participation trophy."

I've mentioned this before, but some people stay motivated to progress if they have a milestone recognition. For those people, hey go for it. If that helps keep you on track to make progress, do it. What motivates me enough is getting away from the work grind, getting in the water, having fun and learning something new. If I was independently wealthy, I would dive every week.

As a newbie with around 100 dives and 8 "specialties" done, I kind of have an issue with the name "master diver". Even though I have more than the requirements, when I hear that title, I think of the folks here that have been diving for 30 years and have 10,000 dives- not me. It's like taking a weekend kickboxing class at the gym and then getting a black belt

So, I don't have a problem with the milestone, I have an issue with the title. At the end of the day, I'm libertarian minded and everyone can do there own thing, and this is just my opinion.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've mentioned this before, but some people stay motivated to progress if they have a milestone recognition. For those people, hey go for it. If that helps keep you on track to make progress, do it. What motivates me enough is getting away from the work grind, getting in the water, having fun and learning something new. If I was independently wealthy, I would dive every week.

As a newbie with around 100 dives and 8 "specialties" done, I kind of have an issue with the name "master diver". Even though I have more than the requirements, when I hear that title, I think of the folks here that have been diving for 30 years and have 10,000 dives- not me. It's like taking a weekend kickboxing class at the gym and then getting a black belt

So, I don't have a problem with the milestone, I have an issue with the title. At the end of the day, I'm libertarian minded and everyone can do there own thing, and this is just my opinion.

What title would you give it? We've already had the discussion on what the definition of Master is for any endeavor.