C-Card roulette

[rick00001967]

i leave the pro cards at home. if i need to prove i am an instructor it can be verified online anytime. i will usually bring one of my cards that shows i am nitrox certified in case i want to dive nitrox. i will also bring my SM cert in case the shop insists you be certified to do it. in mexico one of the shops i used would not let me dive SM without proof of certification.

 

[jadairiii]

99% of my recreational dive travel I would show my AI card, most of the time I was given a wide berth and allowed to do as a please because of it. Sometimes I was buddied with the inexperienced diver or a diver with physical limitations. But because it was a recreational dive anyway I never really cared and can tell you some of my most rewarding dives were with those buddies mentioned. Mainly because I took the time to dive to their limits. Really funny time was when I ended up leading the second dive on a trip in Hawaii while the DM/Instructor taught a course. Again, I didn't care, kept the group together, had fun.

One occasion, I had to actually do a rescue on the first dive with my buddy that was physically handicapped, dive was way beyond his limits, but on the second dive we had a great time, kept him shallow and we had a longer BT than most of the boat!

Now that I let my AI card expire, I leave it and my DM card at home and only carry my full mix card. But it has been years now since I have actually done a tourist dive on a cattle boat.

 

[JohnnyC]

Depends on the dive. Usually I just bring the cave card unless it's open water deco, and then my AN/DP. I very very rarely even carry my DM card, let alone show it.

 

[DogDiver]

Use my Nitrox Instructor card. That way no questions asked. Some times I’ll show them my NACD Full Cave card if the boat is diving advanced stuff.

 

[tbone1004]

I will show my tech cave card as that usually covers anything I need to do.

 

[Todd Dicker]

I don't know about all these advanced certification cards, but I assume if I whip out my paramedic license, everyone will instinctively understand that "protect the medic" is the rule of the day, just like in the military. Hehehehehe.

 

[Erich S]

An ice diver card works well also.

 

[The Chairman]

Teaching a class in the Keys at a shop I never used before, I whipped out my NASE regional Training Director card... and they thought it was made up. I showed them my NSSCDS full cave card and they let me teach. Goofballs. On the boat, the captain knew exactly who I was and went out of his way to accomodate me.

That's the usual for me. Most everybody knows me and I don't need a card except on a liveaboard.

 

[Scuba Scott]

I used to just show the Rescue card because I had some irrational fear of liability but now I just show the Instructor card. I haven't been asked to do anything except for the time I had a discussion with the Captain about doing a dive that would have been new to and pushing the comfort zone of 1 diver on the boat. That was my plan and my group so not an unreasonable request I help keep an eye on the inexperienced diver. If I had left my instructor card at home the dive wouldn't have happened and a diver would not have had a new and incredible experience. It was one of those "I can see you smiling behind your regulator" dives. Other than that I have never been asked to do anything and I wouldn't have a problem refusing if I was asked out of the blue.
Some ops want you to show a logbook for some dives. I find it easier to show a Deep Diver Instructor card for deep dives, Wreck Diver Instructor for wreck dives, etc. I still like to show my TDI Nitrox card though because it was one of the originals from when they were still based in Maine.

I think it would be pretty "unclassy" to be asked to work on a dive you paid for and I haven't had that happen yet. What I do get is a lot less hand holding.

Of course, if you get a visit from the good idea fairy and talk the crew into deviating from the plan of the day then you should be willing to help take some of the responsibility that everything goes smoothly.

 

[Edward3c]

DMs and instructors, what C-Card do you typically present when on a charter for your own personal diving? I’m curious if you avoid presenting as a “professional” while not operationing in that capacity.

I show my BSAC Advanced Instructor, that normally confuses them. If they want me to work it’s a thousand Pound Stirling per dive. I’ve paid that, and more, to get there not to work.