Cave 1 - Who with?

[ScoobaChef]

Just like to hear some opinions. If you could take Cave 1 with any GUE instructor in the world, who would it be with?

 

[PfcAJ]

Depends on where you're going to dive, imo.

Rhea and Messersmith teach all the time in Florida, and I had great classes with both of them.

If you're considering diving at all in Fl, I suggest taking c1 there and c2 wherever. The flow in Fl seems to be a real shock to people who train elsewhere and are exposed to it for the first time after a bunch of Mexico dives.

 

[TSandM]

Wow -- that's a hard one! Of course, some of what works is who you like and get along with.

If I were training in Europe, I'd probably go to JP Bresser. I had the great good fortune of getting a small photo seminar from JP a couple of years ago, and I was very impressed with him as a teacher -- organized, clear, efficient, and very thoughtful.

In Florida, I'd go to Mark Messersmith. Mark is just a wonderful human being, and very much into TEACHING, as opposed to evaluation.

In Mexico, all three guys are good, and it's really down to whose style you like best. Fred's the most laid back and, I think, the most tolerant. Danny's a fantastic teacher (he was my C1 instructor) and his attention to detail is sometimes almost infuriating, but it's one of those things you look back on later and realize was SO useful. I haven't spent a lot of time with Chris, but a friend of mine took her C1 from him, and really liked him.

It's nice to have so many gems to choose from.

 

[ScoobaChef]

Interesing choices. I've heard many great (and hilarious things) about both Mark and Dave. There are no c1 instructors in Oz, so I'm planning a holiday late this year, early next year to go train. I am gravitating strongly to Florida though. Curiously, nobody mentioned Jarrod yet?

 

[onwardsupwards]

Too easy. Any of them Seriously though, Chris.

 

[TSandM]

I don't think Jarrod teaches very often any more.

 

[ScoobaChef]

I don't think Jarrod teaches very often any more.

True, he doesn't teach often but he still keeps his hand in. He's actually coming down in June to do an ITC at my LDS. Fingers crossed that I get a chance to see him in the water, I've been told it's rather humbling to watch.

 

[TSandM]

I've never been lucky enough -- he came and taught a tech class in Seattle, the year I did Fundies, but I didn't even meet him. I didn't meet him, in fact, until the Convention this last year. Very nice man. PerroneFord here on SB did Fundies with him, IIRC.

 

[Adobo]

Jarrod has several cave classes on the calendar for this year - 3 of them are Cave 1. A friend was also trading emails with him regarding scheduling a Cave 1 class (beyond what is in already in the GUE calendar). Personally, I've taken instruction from Fred Devos and Jarrod and enjoyed the classes very much but, I would have been just as happy to take a cave class from any of the other 4 GUE cave instructors in North America.

 

[vioch]

Saw Jarrod teaching C2 class in Madison 10 days ago =)

BTW, registered for C1 class in Florida with Kirill Egorov in March =))