Aow=bs

[fisherdvm]

Why would you want to hand your fins to someone? If you get knocked off, you'll need them.

Terry

It is protocol on many boats in Key Largo. I loss a fin because slippery hand first mate dropped my fin. Now I want to make sure that he grabbed it tight enough to pull it hard out of my hand before I let go. You'll right, I should keep them on the wrist the next time. But I was using a close fin rental at the time. Ouch on the pocket book when it fell.

 

[The_DivePirate]

So I suppose your rant on "Put Another Dollar In" and "cracker jack training facility" and such was about some other training agency?

You started the post off with:



So you must have seen it at one point?

But then you pile on with the rest...


Not talking about PADI? So right there you judge an entire agency on one experience with one diver?

I am PADI certified. I guess I suck and should go jump off a bridge before I do something stupid and get myself and some would-be rescuer killed. I should shred all my logbooks and c-cards because they are all worthless.

If I met someone from NAUI who had to stop and think what side their 2nd stage goes on, and then giant strides without hooking up their LP inflator OR turning their air on and btw it was good that they forgot to put their wieght belt on.( get the idea that I am describing something I may have actually seen???) I would not judge the entire agency as crap like so many people do here... The guy was goof and he knew it all and had been everywhere.

Maybe he was really trained by PADI and just stole someone else's NAUI card to add some credibility to his wild tales?

You were right, the OP never mentioned the agency, yet somehow PADI gets dragged in...:no

I think I know what it feels like to be a Gieco Caveman....

Well, if you would have been taking notes, and checked a few profiles, you would have noticed that divers with the most problems with the post. My point in the statement about Master diver, is that all you need too do is have 5 spec. and a rescue course, and your a MASTER DIVER??? Let's get real. Maybe I should have gone with PADI as my certifying agency, there are so many more classes and specialties, that I could promote too make more money! Also, as a PADI expert, maybe you should have said something to the NAUI diver that could have been a major disaster, but you didn't, did ya? With ten or so years diving you should have figured out how too lend a hand without making said diver get defensive. Maybe you should go back and read all my posts in this thread, not quoting all but my stance is that all agencies have their issues, but being the largest agency makes them have the largest rate of incompetent divers/instructors. Oh, and as far as comment about jumping off a bridge, make sure you go to a qualified instructor ( no agency inpurticular, wouldn't want too BASH) and learn how too GIANT STRIDE, wouldn't want you too get hurt.


Joe

 

[hlsooner]

The never ending obsession with training standards, agencies, and the skills of other divers always amazes me here. If you are not a danger to me while I am diving, I could care less if you learned absolutely nothing while getting your Super Advanced Master Diver certificate from the SpongeBob SquarePant's Online Academy.

 

[The_DivePirate]

The never ending obsession with training standards, agencies, and the skills of other divers always amazes me here. If you are not a danger to me while I am diving, I could care less if you learned absolutely nothing while getting your Super Advanced Master Diver certificate from the SpongeBob SquarePant's Online Academy.

That's too bad, because if all divers had that attitude, Scuba would probably not be self regulated anymore. Possibly look at it like this, if for some reason you were on a dive vacation and were sick as a dog and couldn't make the boat, but your spouse/loved one could and did. They get to the boat and head out to the site where for some reason have all sorts of issues and eveyone else on the boat has your attitude, your loved one nearly drowns. Now this may be a little exagerated, but you get the point. I sure you and yours are probably not in this catagory, but many are, and they need the help of competent divers such as yourself. I understand what you are saying though, because there are times I just want too dive for pleasure, but since I became a DM, (now instructor) I find that sometimes it's hard not to step in and help a little. Whether it be a tid bit of info, to a full on lesson of a seemingly simple task, whatever it takes too make anothers experience enjoyable. Kinda sick, but that's what enjoyable too me, along with diving.
So my advice to you would be, don't become diving pro. Because I don't think SpongeBob is looking for a Dive Master.

 

[Tigerman]

Is it me or was I the only one that had to Read the chapters on the Dives, Complete the Knowledge reviews and preform other skills satisfactorily for my Instructor before heading on the Dive that corresponded with the "adventure dive?"
Some (not all) Skills that I had to do prior to the dives:
Search and Recovery; Explain and show, on land, search patterns. Tie the required knots with 5mm gloves and blind-folded, interview witnesses on object and location.
Multi-level/Computer; work out 3 profiles using the Wheel and explain how I came up with the numbers.
PPB; Describe how to come to a starting weight based on 3 different gear configurations. explain how I came to the starting weight that I used that day. explain a proper Buoyancy check and demonstrate it.

Again, this was before I did any dives. Maybe not everyone gets this much out of it.

Personally, I found AOW added a good bit beyond my OW training.

I would have to point the finger at the diver that didn't take the time to retain his knowledge. Then again I always blame the student, just because the student failed to study and practice prior doesn't mean the Agency is at fault. And if the instructor is horrible, if you practiced your due diligence you could have spotted what any instructor was trying to skip.

Edit:: However, if the students can't perform the requirements and the instructor passes them, then it is both the Instructor and the student that are at fault.

Of course its only you, havent you read the thread? Everyone else just pay 10 bucks and get a card

 

[The_DivePirate]

Heck, a case of Cracker Jacks would have been cheaper. Didn't you read my other posts'.

Joe

 

[bfw]

OK, but why just AOW? why does the same thing not apply to other certs like OW?
Can't you say the same thing of most any recreational diving certification?

Yes, you can. The point was just glaring in this instance.

I believe all training needs to be more rigorous, and function more as a filter. However, if the industry isn't willing to do that, I'd just as readily support the elimination of the entire certification process - there's the equipment for sale, there's the water, and there's training available if you want it, but if not, it's up to you, and if anything happens, it's your problem. No, it doesn't have to result in mass lawsuits - no one ever got sued for selling skis or a lift ticket without seeing a training certification.

 

[DOkie]

Garrobo - I just came back from the Keys also and I think you were on my boat (or maybe that was just another superior diver making fun of the new guys). While I was in the Keys, I was hooked up with a new AOW on the Grove. She also had trouble hooking up her gear, getting it on, and her giant stride into the water. She also blew through air. Funny coincedence. It ends there though. After her first dive, I sat her down and talked to her. Come to find out, she was nervous having more experienced divers watching her every move (which caused her to screw up hooking up her gear and putting it on), and she was excited about being on a wreck (hence, blowing through her air). She was extremely apologetic about ending the dive with 600 lbs for her and 1950 for me. During our surface interval, I actually witnessed divers rolling their eyes, making comments, and I was EMBARRASSED for our sport. You know what I did? I actually told her to ignore everyone, stop worrying about what everyone else was thinking and enjoy the dive. If she ended it early, SO WHAT!!! Amazing thing happened, she came up with 300 lbs more air than the first dive...

My question would be how did this diver affect you? Was it your buddy? If not, how did their sucking through air affect you?? Did they tank off your regulator??? Our sport is slowly decreasing from my experience in the Keys, I'm pretty sure I can figure out why. When did we start forgetting that we were ALL new divers at one time or another and we can ALL remember that ONE arrogant diver that made fun of us and made us feel like ****. Do you really want to be that person??? That is just a shame.

 

[bfw]

Depends on the circumstances or configuration of the boat.

Can't think of any circumstances that apply.

Sometimes it's more of a pain to hang onto them than it's worth

How? Why? It's far easier to slip them on your wrists than to hand them up.

.. and if for some reason you end up back in the water, a tossed line solves the problem far more easily than putting your fins back on

Sorry, Blanche Dubois, but "depending on the kindness of strangers" is not a sound strategy for dive safety.

Ever see 2001? Dave Bowman went out in the pod without his helmet, because, hey, HAL9000 would always open the pod bay doors for him, right?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Can't think of any circumstances that apply.

Maybe it's because you haven't been in enough circumstances to know what you don't know.

How? Why? It's far easier to slip them on your wrists than to hand them up.

Sometimes ... other times you're gonna need to have those hands free and available, and fins on your wrist are gonna get in the way.

Sorry, Blanche Dubois, but "depending on the kindness of strangers" is not a sound strategy for dive safety.

Now you're just being a jerk ... an ignorant one at that. Lots of boats use float lines. And the crew of those boats are hardly strangers ... either to the divers or to the basic safety protocols they've established to deal with circumstances.

Ever see 2001? Dave Bowman went out in the pod without his helmet, because, hey, HAL9000 would always open the pod bay doors for him, right?

And your point is what?

I'd be curious to know how many different types of boats ... and under what conditions ... you've actually experienced.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)