Change Dive Shop / Instructor?

[KitHuff]

I have a question and a follow-up question. I love my instructor and believe she is doing a great job. I have learned a lot. I have also read a number of posts here where the response starts with "If you had a better instructor..." As a newbie, how am I to know for sure that my instructor is great or the best one to teach me? How would I know the difference if I have no comparison other than the internet? I can find multiple opinions on almost any topic on the internet.

The problem with getting recommendations from people who have been diving for years would be the instructor might no longer be at the dive shop. Maybe they have additional duties now and do not have the time to spend that they used to have. Maybe they are going through a rough patch or a great time in their life and are not focused right now.

Next question(s). Does it make sense to take the OW test from one dive shop and the AOW from a different dive shop? Will I learn more because of working with different people and places? Will I get different advice on gear or skills?

One advantage might be getting to know more people who frequent or work at different shops. Because the shops will be close proximity, they will probably dive the same areas.

I am happy with the dive shop and instructor I am working with to get my OW. I am learning and enjoying my experience. I would not go to a different shop because of that.

How do I know that I am getting the best instruction available?
Are there compelling reasons to use different dive shops and instructors if I am happy with the one I am currently working with?

 

[Marie13]

Where you’re located you’re probably not going to have a lot of choice unless you travel elsewhere.

 

[tursiops]

Next question(s). Does it make sense to take the OW test from one dive shop and the AOW from a different dive shop? Will I learn more because of working with different people and places? Will I get different advice on gear or skills?

Yes, always a good idea.

 

[ibj40]

I’ll provide a quick response in that I used four different dive shops over a period of fifteen years to go from OW to Divemaster.

The decisions were more geographically driven than anything else, in that I moved several times during that timeframe.

 

[rsingler]

I’ll provide a quick response in that I used four different dive shops over a period of fifteen years to go from OW to Divemaster.

The decisions were more geographically driven than anything else, in that I moved several times during that timeframe.

And how would you rate the value, or perhaps compromise, in having to use four different instructor groups?

 

[ibj40]

And how would you rate the value, or perhaps compromise, in having to use four different instructor groups?

Valid question, as each one also offered a different dimension for water conditions.

Did my OW (1985) in Plano, TX, and did our open water dives at a rock quarry known as the Blue Lagoon near Huntsville, TX. Very personable instructor, easy to work with. Visibility at the quarry begged for better conditions, but also provided some insight.

Did my AOW on Maui. Can't say as I remember much of the coursework, however water conditions were better than last certification. Night dive as a walk-off in decent surf conditions made for an interesting experience.

Did my Rescue at Balmorhea, TX through a dive shop in Lubbock, TX. Me and a good friend buddied up for the training which made it a very rewarding experience, as I feel we both gained a lot from each other. Water conditions at the spring-fed lake are immaculate.

Did my Divemaster (2000) in Fort Worth, TX with majority of the training dives at Squaw Creek Lake, near Glen Rose, TX. Best instructor I have ever dealt with. He was a career Marine and brought that discipline to the coursework.

In between all the courses, I have dived all over the Caribbean, as well as GBR, and several Pacific Coast sites. Being exposed to different dive conditions can be just as educational as reading a textbook or listening in a classroom.

I don't think I originally got into diving for the certifications, each one was chosen at the time due to circumstances and a personal desire for improved skills and knowledge.

 

[rsingler]

With your breadth of experience now, and having had at least one awesome instructor, can you say that any of your instructors were clearly sub-par, in retrospect? No need to name names; just wondering if all groups met what you now feel are at least "average instructor" criteria.

 

[tursiops]

With your breadth of experience now, and having had at least one awesome instructor, can you say that any of your instructors were clearly sub-par, in retrospect? No need to name names; just wondering if all groups met what you now feel are at least "average instructor" criteria.

Robert, that's a good question. I've DM'ed for, or taught with, or observed, or taken classes from maybe 30-40 instructors. Most were average to good, a few were excellent, only two were subpar. One of those I DM'ed for who was subpar was why I decided to become an instructor, because I though, "I can do better than that."

 

[Tom_Ivan]

Next question(s). Does it make sense to take the OW test from one dive shop and the AOW from a different dive shop? Will I learn more because of working with different people and places? Will I get different advice on gear or skills?

My opinion is that if you are happy with your current instructor then stick with her.

People on this board get a bit carried away with their expectations of basic open water courses. You'll often hear people bagging on courses because you see students kneeling on the sand etc. The point is to teach basic skills to someone who has almost no diving experience. Clearing a flooded mask, finding your reg if you loose it, equalizing, breathing. Anyone who says that their students are doing these skills hovering mid water in horizontal trim is totally full of it.
"Advanced" open water course is basically just a taster of what you can do in the future. Unless you take the optional buoyancy dive you wont really learn any new skills.

My partner and I used a different instructor and we wished we'd been able to stick with our original. Makes no difference in the long run though.

 

[ibj40]

With your breadth of experience now, and having had at least one awesome instructor, can you say that any of your instructors were clearly sub-par, in retrospect? No need to name names; just wondering if all groups met what you now feel are at least "average instructor" criteria.

Robert, that's a good question. I've DM'ed for, or taught with, or observed, or taken classes from maybe 30-40 instructors. Most were average to good, a few were excellent, only two were subpar. One of those I DM'ed for who was subpar was why I decided to become an instructor, because I though, "I can do better than that."

Can't say any of them were sub-par, again I honestly can't remember the AOW instructor if that tells you anything.

I'd say that for the one for my Rescue course, I had been hanging around that shop a lot, and probably had too much familiarity with him. Made the Instructor/Student relationship a little too casual.

I had never met my DM instructor until I walked into the classroom the first night, however his approach was spot on, and he earned my respect immediately. There were a couple of folks who were in the course just to get the patch to sew on their jacket, and he made it clear that this was not the course they wanted to take.