Choice, Challenges and Egos.

[BungyJumper]

I got my PADI Open Water Certification last year and did 6 dives in the BVI, including my 4 cert dives. This year I went to Cozumel and took the PADI Advanced Open Water class and did 7 dives, including the 5 cert dives. Of my 13 total dives, only 4 have been strictly for fun and not associated with some level of training.

Most divers would recognize that, regardless of whether I now have an AOW card, I'm really not an "advanced" diver and that's 100% correct. On my last 2 dives in Coz, my assigned dive buddy told me that she didn't understand why I'd bothered to take the AOW class with so few dives under my belt. She said that I should have just spent more time diving and less time trying to get another card, very similar to some of the comments posted above.

My intent was not simply to get another card that "says" I'm something different, but to further develop my skills under the tutelage of a qualified instructor before bad habits became ingrained. After working on peak bouyancy and navigation and multi-level diving, I am now more aware of what skills separate a "good" diver from a "not-so-good" newbie diver. Not to say I'm suddenly fully accomplished in these areas, but at least I'm more aware of them and know what to practice when making my next dives.

Now I feel I'm ready to just get out there and dive, but in a comfortable, competent and safe way. And maybe someday I'll decide to take another class and go for that next level of certification, but it won't be just for a shiny new card.

That said, we all know people who get their self-esteem and validation from external sources and they exist in all walks of life. The diving community won't be any different.

 

[Hank49]

I think a lot of people get into diving but don't stay in it. The ones who last seem to be the ones who like to just float along and look for little stuff. Like becoming a park ranger and learning every little creature in the woods. How to find them etc. Macho divers don't last. They move on to another thrill.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think a lot of people get into diving but don't stay in it. The ones who last seem to be the ones who like to just float along and look for little stuff. Like becoming a park ranger and learning every little creature in the woods. How to find them etc. Macho divers don't last. They move on to another thrill.

I disagree. I know more than a few hard core explorer types that have been in this far a long time. I wouldn't call them "macho" but they definately don't have any interest in doing the same dive over and over.

 

[Hank49]

I disagree. I know more than a few hard core explorer types that have been in this far a long time. I wouldn't call them "macho" but they definately don't have any interest in doing the same dive over and over.

Actually, you do agree. Cave divers are more geologists than naturalists but the point is that they are in the water for an interest other then swimming along thrilled that they're under water. Wreck divers too. History and relics. Diving is just the means to get them there.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Actually, you do agree. Cave divers are more geologists than naturalists but the point is that they are in the water for an interest other then swimming along thrilled that they're under water. Wreck divers too. History and relics. Diving is just the means to get them there.

ok, I agree then.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I think a lot of people get into diving but don't stay in it. The ones who last seem to be the ones who like to just float along and look for little stuff. Like becoming a park ranger and learning every little creature in the woods. How to find them etc. Macho divers don't last. They move on to another thrill.

You are so far off on this statement its not even funny! I have been a serious cave and wreck explorer for over 14 years, in this time I have hooked up with hundreds of other serious explorers. Owning an Advanced to very serious Technical dive magazine I personally know almost every serious explorer on the planet.

Almost 100% of these serious, what you call macho divers are still diving and exploring new sites.

I do not consider us macho, but more like adventuras. Most do not consider the first man on the moon, macho so why would they consider the first man to explore a deep wreck or 10,000 feet back into a cave macho.

Maybe its because they don’t understand the drive for true exploration. Personally myself, I do not want to dive a cave or a wreck if someone else on the whole planet has ever been there. This is why I travel the globe in search of new sites and discoveries.


Our type of diving is completely different from all open water diving. We do not use the same types of equipment as O/W. We do not swim the same as O/W (frog kick). We do not think the same as O/W divers. ( logistics, dive gases, sidemount systems, rebreathers etc…)

Many O/W divers consider our type of diving very dangerous when in fact we conduct our dives in a much safer manner than a simple O/W dive to 60 feet.

If an O/W diver really wants to learn and become a much safer, happier, comfortable, competent, self reliant diver, skip all the openwater instructors, divemasters and course directors and go right to the best who have the knowledge and experience.

I can guarantee I could take any new openwater diver, streamline their crap, teach them several little tips and make them a 100% better diver in 2 dives. I know this is a bold statement but I have done it many times in the past.

Any takers? If so, you must be willing to learn the right way.

Blast away, lets make this interesting!

 

[MikeFerrara]

I can guarantee I could take any new openwater diver, streamline their crap, teach them several little tips and make them a 100% better diver in 2 dives. I know this is a bold statement but I have done it many times in the past.

Any takers? If so, you must be willing to learn the right way.

Blast away, lets make this interesting!

My money's on Curt.

One stipulation Curt, you have to keep it backmount to keep it fair. ok?

 

[Curt Bowen]

My money's on Curt.

One stipulation Curt, you have to keep it backmount to keep it fair. ok?

I will keep it all recreational equipment.

 

[zboss]

A couple others pointed out the theme along with my initial thread...do we live in a drive through society of instant gratification...where we see the mass consumer 'mentality' creep into the diving community...the cattle boat crowd of reef trashers? How long will the Galapagos hold out from the throng of tourists/divers?

What saddens me...(and, I know I am going to be accused of being arrogant)...what saddens me is the very carelessness and neglectful habits in some people/in some divers (someone pointed out drivers and getting licensed as an example...the everyman commonality on the road...'get out of my way'...road rage).

I am a romantic hoping that certifications and training bring the best out in divers...pointing them in the serious direction of good skill development and having a conscientious eye on the underwater world around them.

Just another one of my opinions.

The scuba community is certainly not immune to societies overall problems. It seems to me that while some people are becoming more careful with the world an equal number are being careless... careless to their neighbors and careless to nature.

 

[oceancrest67]

Hey ZBoss where in Alexandria, VA? I am right up the road in Reston, VA and I frequent a LDS in Alexandria.

Well, you are right...I think a lot of people get involved in diving not just out of curiosity but also to learn and grow. It is my hope, and the hope of others that learning and growing be a fundamental outcome of diving.

Someone else pointed out that he can make a regular OW diver a much better diver without all the certification paper chase...I understand this sense...to a good degree, my cavern and cave training did tighten up some skills and equipment set up.

The scuba community is certainly not immune to societies overall problems. It seems to me that while some people are becoming more careful with the world an equal number are being careless... careless to their neighbors and careless to nature.