Beginner diver wanting more advanced safety training

[ls1dreams]

I am a HUGE fan of GUE training and would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their diving. Having said that, I agree with @NetDoc and believe that 17 dives is a little low to do Fundies. Of course, there are different schools of thought here - do it as early as possible so you don't have to unlearn "bad" habits vs get some baseline level of comfort in the water before you do the training. After my experience in Fundies 1, I fall in the latter category. Every diver is different, and I was certainly below average before I did Fundies, so your assessment and experience may be different.

So far, I've done Fundies 1, a drysuit clinic and am doing a doubles clinic in 3 days with a GUE instructor. I can think of very few reasons to not continue with them for my future training but an important factor to keep in mind is that it's a significant commitment. Not just financially (training costs as well as equipment costs) but also in terms of time you put in during the training as well as after it in your own fun diving. Personally, I feel like it's difficult to decide stuff like this so early on in your dive career. I was lucky enough to have a large GUE community where I live and dive and I got to experience the system with them before I signed up for the training or spent any significant amount of money on gear. I would encourage you to do the same as well if you're considering this path.
Do you already have your own equipment? GUE and some other tech agencies have specific requirements and this may be a deciding factor as well.

You mention learning how to deal with accidental deco - good training at this level is about dive planning, situational awareness and keeping track of your dive so you don't end up there.

As @Jim Lapenta mentioned, customized training in the form of a workshop as opposed to a certification is also a great option.

Thanks for the input. One main problem is that I'm in DC, so no real water around, which means diving for me will typically be once or twice a year at most. I don't own any gear yet, though plan on buying a dive computer.

Given that, I think it probably makes sense to do some more recreational dives before doing GUE. (Or something simpler where I can rent gear and just spend some quality time with a top notch instructor working on more safety drills and trim adjustments).

 

[The Chairman]

There's more than enough written on the specific subjects that concern you right here on SB. If you're comfortable with your buoyancy, then just build on that by reading and diving!!!

Here's another idea: find local SBers in your area to dive with. Mutual mentoring is an awesome way to develop your skills and build experience at the same time. Like minded people diving together can create phenomenal results. There's a lot to see and do that are all within your current training limits and skill level. Hook up with some of the free dives on SB like the Spring Fools Megadive coming up in April. Your diving should be all about fun: so start having fun! Perfect the tools you've already been taught before you try to add any more. Have fun, have fun and then have more fun. It's why we dive!

 

[BoltSnap]

I have not been impressed with any of my PADI courses. I've of course gone through regulator retrieval, mask flooding, and the rules around emergency ascents, but it doesn't feel like enough to me.

Was what you learned on the trip because you took the course or because you simply did 17 dives? Was there any actual teaching, transfer of knowledge and real learning from the course in this trip?

I am asking because I see that a lot of the AOW "courses" on dive trips are simply "make few dives and you get AOW card." What did you actually learn from the course that you wouldn't have learned doing the dives you did on your trip without the course?

 

[KevinNM]

I am a HUGE fan of GUE training and would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their diving. Having said that, I agree with @NetDoc and believe that 17 dives is a little low to do Fundies. Of course, there are different schools of thought here - do it as early as possible so you don't have to unlearn "bad" habits vs get some baseline level of comfort in the water before you do the training.

I had about a hundred dives when I did fundamentals. The two other people in the class had about 20. We all learned a lot. So if it works out for you logistically and financially go for it.

Fundamentals 1 & 2 are just the class split up into two sessions. (Note that the whole fundamentals course can be split into two weekends - you are just signing up for the whole thing at once.) Typically how it works is that you sign up for a F1 class and when you get done you go home and practice the skills shown. Then when you feel confident you schedule a F2 class. How long each is varies, the instructor can move stuff around more than the web site description says. For example, I did just an F2 class to work with doubles and we did just 2 days as they had moved some stuff into the F1 class I didn't attend.

 

[Diver0001]

I have not been impressed with any of my PADI courses. I've of course gone through regulator retrieval, mask flooding, and the rules around emergency ascents, but it doesn't feel like enough to me.

Some of that will depend on your instructor. To fix it, what you will probably need to do is get out diving more.

Scuba training usually involves knowledge transfer and skills acquisition but to really get good at it, you need to dive. Just like when you get your driver's licence. If you don't drive a car after that, then you'll never get good at it.

What kind of additional safety training to divemasters/navy divers/etc get?

I'm not sure what to advise you without having seen you in the water, but the rescue course should be on your road map and you may want to consider taking a solo course to learn more about being self-sufficient.

I see that a number of people have recommended DIR fundamentals. I haven't taken it myself but I have seen it being taught and I was not really impressed by what I saw. It was a LOT of talking intelligently about diving and not a lot of diving... and the diving I did see involved a very heavy emphasis on maintaining neutral buoyancy, air-sharing and valve drills. So if you want an outstanding course on neutral buoyancy and the 2 or 3 critical safety skills then take it, otherwise I would tend to recommend specialties that address your specific concerns more directly. In your case I would also recommend being picky about choosing an instructor. A good instructor makes a world of difference and you seem to be the type of person who isn't satisfied with middle-of-the-road training, which most training is.

R..

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Come to Key Largo and take Netdocs' Buoyancy/Trim class --That is advanced training and will greatly benefit you.

 

[wKkaY]

It's great that you're taking safety seriously enough to get additional training specific to it. I think it will take a very creative instructor to come up with training scenarios for all that though.

Here's a list of what I've done in my journey as a diver with respect to safety. As you mentioned that you will only dive once or twice a year, hopefully it gives you some ideas on how you can improve during your extended surface intervals

- Reading. My favorite resources are current and past SB threads, AlertDiver, and dive accident news.
- Just going out diving and experiencing different sites, conditions, people, dive shops, crew, plans. Experiencing the mistakes and problems that happen, and reflecting on them.
- GUE Fundies to build up my diving competency and buddy skills. I took Rescue too but didn't feel it was as big of a game-changer.
- Practice in the water and chit-chat/Q&A/knowledge-sharing with friends and mentors.
- Bought our own safety equipment (computer, cutting, signaling) as they are seldom available to rent at destinations.

 

[RyanT]

Scuba training usually involves knowledge transfer and skills acquisition but to really get good at it, you need to dive. Just like when you get your driver's licence. If you don't drive a car after that, then you'll never get good at it.

Exactly. Finding a good instructor to work on your skills will be really helpful, and I certainly recommend it. Then you just need to dive and practice. If you end up only diving once or twice per year, it will be extremely difficult for you to become proficient. Consider making some regular trips to Hyde's Quarry just outside of Westminster, MD. The quarry is probably less than two hours from you and is a great place to just practice skills.

Hyde's Quarry

 

[FinnMom]

The classes mentioned to you are great, but you do have rather few dives. You will get a lot more out of additional training if you have a little more experience. Find some local diving and you will probably find some new friends too. Have a great time while getting a bit more experience.

 

[tbone1004]

The classes mentioned to you are great, but you do have rather few dives. You will get a lot more out of additional training if you have a little more experience. Find some local diving and you will probably find some new friends too. Have a great time while getting a bit more experience.

@ls1dreams
there are pros and cons to this mentality. Here is why

Practice makes Permanent
Perfect Practice, makes Perfect

If your goals are at one day to get into any sort of technical diving, taking a class like Intro to Tec, GUE Fundies, even if only Fundies 1/Primer, or taking a couple of days with someone who is a technical instructor, @NetDoc , @Capt Jim Wyatt , @Jim Lapenta etc. then they will help to perfect your practice early before the law of Primacy and Practice really take effect.
These courses aren't really "teaching" you new skills like a cave, rescue, decompression, etc. but what they are doing is reinforcing your fundamental diving skills so that you will be an inherently better/safer diver from day 1 as well as teach you how to think about different problems that you may encounter and the reactions to your actions when in a scenario like that. Mentorship with divers like these guys is also effective, but may or may not be easy to find one.

A course like that early on in your diving career can change everything for you and make any further courses that much easier for you so you can focus on the nuances of what you're trying to learn.

This is the ONLY type of course where I say that you should take it ASAP if you really want to make your diving career better, and I see 0 benefits of waiting, only problems. AFTER this type of course, then you have the skills that you need to effectively practice and become a more experienced diver before you start to take on new types of diving