Beginning to think I may be a bit "Off" as I enjoy mentoring...

[karstdvr]

This past week, while down in FL, my instructor was also down there teaching some classes. I was asked to join in & help out with the class as an additional team member. I thoroughly enjoyed it! In fact I saw it as an honor to be asked. I was even asked to help mentor a newly minted cave diver for his first week of full cave diving,... as long as it didn't interfere with any vacation plans I had. I assured my instructor that I really didn't come down with any particular plans. I found I enjoyed those dives just as much as when I do the "bigger" dives (stages/ scooters). I even enjoyed just doing Intro level dives with some of the students. I found it made me work on improving my techniques, as I do not want to demonstrate any bad habits & that my overall awareness & cautiousness went to a whole new level. It even made me slow down & "smell the roses" a bit. I feel like I learned as much, if not more, than the students I was helping out. I kept getting asked all week if doing this was interfering with my vacation,.... In my opinion, I would say "no". Is giving up the "bigger dives" to help others a bit for the week, odd? I am finding out, in general I enjoy mentoring others as much as any other dives that I do. Everyone else in the group (both the more advanced divers & even the students) seemed perplexed by that.....:confused4:

I find there are several evolutions of a cave diver. The first being certified and getting those few dives under your belt and assure yourself you aren't going to die without your instructor around. Then there is the goal driven phase,where the main focus is how far I made it back. Conversations at this point are dominated with distance of penetration,and the first half of the cave is largely ignored. After time,the next phase we start "to see" the cave because we aren't preoccupied with distance and goals.

Unfortunately the comments about assisting in instructing are true and here to stay. I used to do a lot of mentoring,but the fine line between mentoring and instruction are very fuzzy in a court of law. If you dive with someone,and they observe some things you do,and come away with some knowledge,then mentoring is occurring. Anything else could be misconstrued as instruction,and place you in a situation of liability. There have been several lawsuits over last number of years in the dive industry,and putting my house and other personal possessions on the line isn't worth it.

---------- Post added January 27th, 2014 at 05:53 AM ----------

So, you sign up your "assistant" as a student and have them fill out the forms. You don't have to charge them. Seems like an easy solution to me.

Easy to pierce this. For example,if I already have a certification,and actively diving,then why would I want to repeat a class that I successfully passed. Perhaps if I haven't been diving for awhile,and want a refresher,but then either a history has to be shown,or sign up specifically for a refresher. The insured instructor has the liability at this point,and if it is a matter of using paperwork to circumvent intent,and something goes wrong,would the insurer cover the instructor at this point? I had to sit through a 2 1/2 depostion for a diving fatality (not against me),and they asked every possible question under the sun,short of wanting to know what I had for breakfast that day. Where one would think that having an assistant sign up as a student would provide them coverage,the facts won't add up,and someone will be in a," oh **** " situation.

 

[TSandM]

Well, for example, I am retaking GUE Cave 1 in December. I'm doing it because I haven't been through a class in several years, and I want to be put through my paces on problem resolution again (since good planning and preparation prevents having to USE problem resolution skills). Why would I have to present proof to an insurance company that I hadn't been diving? I want to take the class over again. That should be plenty.

I've had friends dive as "buddies" for me in other classes, when they were certified. They did it for fun, to help, and for the benefit of a day of scuba coaching from excellent instructors.

Seems to me that's legitimate "student" status.

 

[Rich52]

Kinda reminds me of my little league career....every so often I'll take to coaching a T-ball team to put it all back into perspective. Brings all the fun back

 

[Drin]

I've had friends dive as "buddies" for me in other classes, when they were certified. They did it for fun, to help, and...

That "help" is the problem. Unless they are certified by the certification agency in question at a "professional" level and are carrying insurance, if an incident occurs in class the insurance agency will deny any claims and you'll be hung out to dry.

It's not worth the risk as far as I'm concerned.

-Adrian