Certification vs Experience

[SparticleBrane]

Even as an Instructor I hope to be learning something every dive myself. You should never stop learning. Actually every dive I try to do something to work on Buoyancy. Even if its something as silly as balancing on a single finger.

...why not try hovering motionless instead?

 

[jeckyll]

...why not try hovering motionless instead?

I was so going to go there and then decided to let it go ....

 

[SparticleBrane]

Seriously--holding yourself in place isn't good buoyancy--it only shows that you can hold onto a rock.

 

[Jason Ooi]

I just took another course after 1900 dives last week being AOW, Advanced Nitrox and Deco. Rescue is a worthwhile course as is Nitrox but I hold little regard for card collectors.

Congratulation to your Advanced Nitrox and Deco certifications....

 

[jbd]

...she had to do an controlled emergency acsent with one of the dive masters, and had to be put on oxygen just to make sure.

Was the DM so low on air that a normal airsharing ascent couldn't be made?

 

[pir8]

...why not try hovering motionless instead?

Sometimes I'll do just that. Sometimes I'll see how close to the bottom I can get without touching. I don't allways do the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jeckyll]

Sometimes I'll do just that. Sometimes I'll see how close to the bottom I can get without touching. I don't allways do the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a tough crowd around here sometimes

 

[SparticleBrane]

As I said earlier, I enjoy stirring the pot.

 

[joe rock]

As I said earlier, I enjoy stirring the pot.

Watch it we'll start calling you Lamont again.

 

[Biodiversity_guy]

Reading all these posts I detect a strong undercurrent of hostility towards folks that like to take classes. "Card Collectors". I think it is important to recognize different folks learn in different ways. It is not how many classes or how rapidly a person takes the certification classes, it is how he/she acts once the class is completed.

Getting AOW may be a useful thing for a newbie diver to gain confidence, but if the person truly believes that they are "advanced" they have more problems going on than just in the scuba realm...

On the other hand, if a relatively new diver goes through the AOW course and gains some confidence and additional skills to work on, then the person may go on to continue diving and with increased enjoyment--rather than getting OW certified, not wanting to continue diving, and quit the sport....I think the statistics show a lot of folks get OW certified and don't continue. If going on to take the AOW class gets them out and diving more, I say "great".