nolatom
Contributor
I commented in the New Diver forum, "how was your first night dive?" on how the good straightforward instruction I received in OW (16 years ago) stood me in good stead after I made a rookie mistake and found myself jumped-in offshore a few feet under, at night, with both reg and mask knocked out of place. Remembering "wait, we covered this (and that, and that) in class" as my first reaction, saved me from panic, which would have been my other choice.
I've also "heard", but mostly read, how instruction has gone downhill, new divers are not up to snuff, etc. This may go against the conventional wisdom, but I have been a frequent user, and frequent defender, of insta-buddies. Most of them have been good, some surprisingly really good. At first the instas were more experienced than me, and brought me along patiently. Later, gradually, it became vice-versa and I tried to pay it forward when i could. I have written about the insta-newbie who, on his first boat dive, went to 100' with me on a dive (Chevron Platforms off Pensacola) that's "on paper" too deep for a newbie, but he kept a cool head, was obviously well-taught (whoever it was, thanks), reasonably relaxed, good communicator, not an air wolf, and did fine. Others, too, have done well and I don't mind being the one the DM or captain asks (now and then) to dive with a newish unbuddied diver, at least on a routine dive and not something really challenging or unusual. And very few bad instas I've had, were as I recall, not new divers.
So to you unsung instructors who taught the new divers I had, thank.you You made our jobs as insta- buddies safer and more enjoyable. You know who you are, I hope.
I've also "heard", but mostly read, how instruction has gone downhill, new divers are not up to snuff, etc. This may go against the conventional wisdom, but I have been a frequent user, and frequent defender, of insta-buddies. Most of them have been good, some surprisingly really good. At first the instas were more experienced than me, and brought me along patiently. Later, gradually, it became vice-versa and I tried to pay it forward when i could. I have written about the insta-newbie who, on his first boat dive, went to 100' with me on a dive (Chevron Platforms off Pensacola) that's "on paper" too deep for a newbie, but he kept a cool head, was obviously well-taught (whoever it was, thanks), reasonably relaxed, good communicator, not an air wolf, and did fine. Others, too, have done well and I don't mind being the one the DM or captain asks (now and then) to dive with a newish unbuddied diver, at least on a routine dive and not something really challenging or unusual. And very few bad instas I've had, were as I recall, not new divers.
So to you unsung instructors who taught the new divers I had, thank.you You made our jobs as insta- buddies safer and more enjoyable. You know who you are, I hope.
