38el
Registered
Long story short 
no, certified NASDS 1969. When old card started to crumble, applied through LDS (now PADI but had NASDS #'s) who provided form to NASDS and certified number of dives and specialty training. This form was placed into my new NASDS C-Card as a Micro Fiche. At that time, in the mid 80's, I had over 280 logged dives and was considered an AOW diver as indicated on the form.
Just found out NASDS no longer is around and SSI provides certification.
Followed the requirements as SSI asked for and received my new SSI AOW card (and backup) last week listing at least four specialty qualifications. The SSI group was very helpful.
Now my problem.
I do live in Florida so we are spoiled by diving locations and types. I did most of my dives in caves and deep sinks. I dove with Hal Watts at the old Zuber Sink (now Devils Den), Eagles Nest, Peacock, Blue Springs. All these locations were unregulated until the people abused the property with trash, fires, and just general misconduct (we call it misconduct today but back then we called it fun). in a string of about three years, i recall news about losing about 7 divers in these caves in just that short period of time. On more than one ocasion, we drove our two hours and in the dark got suited up, droped down thru that yucky duck weed and once we open up to the crystal clear water and moved to our entry way only to find out somebody had install an iron grated gate prohibiting our entry. We dove at night so the farmer wouldn't run us off. 
Now certification for cave diving is hard to obtain, but it should be. Off track, a story for another day.
Anyway, my problem is the two closest SSI LDS are more than an hour away. We have a NAUI LDS in my city and just a 20 minute ride is a PADI LDS. I was at the NAUI LDS today and the NAUI Rep was there and he told me that one of the SSI shops was planing to convert to NAUI.
The PADI shop seems to be a lot easier to migrate between the certifications as I want to take the refresher and a mixed gas class quickly. Also, under the SSI program, I just need the rescue course and I'll get my Master Diver Certification. Not sure it means too much but the PADI owner said he would work with me on duplicate certifications.
Now my confusion, does it really matter what program name your certification falls under. It appears to me that PADI requires fewer dives for likewise certification in other programs? The NAUI LDS, like all LDS say the are supervised and certified by the best program. i will say this, I value my life, training is not an area I want to shy away from. Then you also get into diving buddies. Do you refuse to dive with Diver A because they are certified by program A. I want my diving partner to know what I'm thinking as he may need to save my life. So, where is the line in the sand drawn? Are all the programs and certification equal, can't be. If SSI requires 50 dives for one certification and Program A only requires 5 or 10, who would you dive with or certification you consider better?
Is there a ranking system for the different programs? I've told several divers I know that I'm certified through SSI or SSI and NASDS and more than half have never heard of them. I was exploring the certifications required for cave diving and I saw more acronyms for training programs that I've never heard of. Looks like to me that most of the common programs washed their hands of training divers for restricted ceiling dives and i would assume its due to the liability and the State of Florida claiming the land these springs, caves, and sink holes reside along with with water.
Another issue is cost or expense. I really don't need to do anything. I have my Cert card, i can buy air and go diving but like i said, i would be a fool and you would be one also to dive with me. Don't quote me on prices and expenses please as I'm sure I'll miss or forget some extra expense or what i was told. PADI said I could take the Refresher for $75 but that does not include the book(s), dive tables, and other normal course materials. Bottom line, for the $75, i would be allowed to have a seat in one of their Basic Open Water classes. Watch, listen, ask questions. I would not take any test or water training. For a few dollars more I could do the pool work with the class to feel more comfortable. I could also pay the money on go on the certification dive trip(s), but all water work was optional and at my own expense. At the end of the course i would not have a PADI Cert card. Just learn what i have missed in the last 15 years. If I paid the full amount, I would get some type of PADI certification but he was not sure as I already have a SSI AOW with four specialties. He said he would need to talk to PADI. Also, some of the Basic Open Water Classes run concurrent with mixed gas, so i think (here is were i could have misunderstood), for either another $50-$75 i could get my refresher and a PADI Nitrox Cert Card. Now the NAUI LDS, the refresher would be full classroom cost with the open water dives up to me as well as taking the test and so forth. The class cost $300 or $350 unless you wanted all ocean water check out and that would be your cost, otherwise they would take place at a local spring as part of the course cost. hey, can't say I blame the gentleman, he has to pay the light bill. So NAUI would be like starting over as far as cost goes. it would be up to me to get out of the class what i wanted or needed. The owner was pretty clear with me, until he knew i had some refresher somewhere by a certified program, I was not welcome on the store sanctioned trips. If i would have not said anything he would not have known, but I would be a danger to his DIVERS and well as myself.
Again, off track. Back to SSI, NAUI, PADI. Do any of them really have any ranking or status. If i was going to pull out my SSI Century (100+ dives) Master Diver C-Card with Nitrox endorsement would the Divemaster do a back flip off the refill station like Carl Edwards or would he just say, find you a seat on the boat, first come first serve? Do you think he would get more excited to hand him three Cert Cards, a NAUI Open Water Diver, my SSI Century Master Diver, and then my PADI Nitrox C-Card. i think that would at least make him think more or at least let him know he could be diving with some strange fun group of people that day.
If you are still with me, what are your thoughts, other than a talk too much.
Thanks
no, certified NASDS 1969. When old card started to crumble, applied through LDS (now PADI but had NASDS #'s) who provided form to NASDS and certified number of dives and specialty training. This form was placed into my new NASDS C-Card as a Micro Fiche. At that time, in the mid 80's, I had over 280 logged dives and was considered an AOW diver as indicated on the form.Just found out NASDS no longer is around and SSI provides certification.
Followed the requirements as SSI asked for and received my new SSI AOW card (and backup) last week listing at least four specialty qualifications. The SSI group was very helpful.Now my problem.
I do live in Florida so we are spoiled by diving locations and types. I did most of my dives in caves and deep sinks. I dove with Hal Watts at the old Zuber Sink (now Devils Den), Eagles Nest, Peacock, Blue Springs. All these locations were unregulated until the people abused the property with trash, fires, and just general misconduct (we call it misconduct today but back then we called it fun). in a string of about three years, i recall news about losing about 7 divers in these caves in just that short period of time. On more than one ocasion, we drove our two hours and in the dark got suited up, droped down thru that yucky duck weed and once we open up to the crystal clear water and moved to our entry way only to find out somebody had install an iron grated gate prohibiting our entry. We dove at night so the farmer wouldn't run us off. Now certification for cave diving is hard to obtain, but it should be. Off track, a story for another day.Anyway, my problem is the two closest SSI LDS are more than an hour away. We have a NAUI LDS in my city and just a 20 minute ride is a PADI LDS. I was at the NAUI LDS today and the NAUI Rep was there and he told me that one of the SSI shops was planing to convert to NAUI.
The PADI shop seems to be a lot easier to migrate between the certifications as I want to take the refresher and a mixed gas class quickly. Also, under the SSI program, I just need the rescue course and I'll get my Master Diver Certification. Not sure it means too much but the PADI owner said he would work with me on duplicate certifications.
Now my confusion, does it really matter what program name your certification falls under. It appears to me that PADI requires fewer dives for likewise certification in other programs? The NAUI LDS, like all LDS say the are supervised and certified by the best program. i will say this, I value my life, training is not an area I want to shy away from. Then you also get into diving buddies. Do you refuse to dive with Diver A because they are certified by program A. I want my diving partner to know what I'm thinking as he may need to save my life. So, where is the line in the sand drawn? Are all the programs and certification equal, can't be. If SSI requires 50 dives for one certification and Program A only requires 5 or 10, who would you dive with or certification you consider better?
Is there a ranking system for the different programs? I've told several divers I know that I'm certified through SSI or SSI and NASDS and more than half have never heard of them. I was exploring the certifications required for cave diving and I saw more acronyms for training programs that I've never heard of. Looks like to me that most of the common programs washed their hands of training divers for restricted ceiling dives and i would assume its due to the liability and the State of Florida claiming the land these springs, caves, and sink holes reside along with with water.
Another issue is cost or expense. I really don't need to do anything. I have my Cert card, i can buy air and go diving but like i said, i would be a fool and you would be one also to dive with me. Don't quote me on prices and expenses please as I'm sure I'll miss or forget some extra expense or what i was told. PADI said I could take the Refresher for $75 but that does not include the book(s), dive tables, and other normal course materials. Bottom line, for the $75, i would be allowed to have a seat in one of their Basic Open Water classes. Watch, listen, ask questions. I would not take any test or water training. For a few dollars more I could do the pool work with the class to feel more comfortable. I could also pay the money on go on the certification dive trip(s), but all water work was optional and at my own expense. At the end of the course i would not have a PADI Cert card. Just learn what i have missed in the last 15 years. If I paid the full amount, I would get some type of PADI certification but he was not sure as I already have a SSI AOW with four specialties. He said he would need to talk to PADI. Also, some of the Basic Open Water Classes run concurrent with mixed gas, so i think (here is were i could have misunderstood), for either another $50-$75 i could get my refresher and a PADI Nitrox Cert Card. Now the NAUI LDS, the refresher would be full classroom cost with the open water dives up to me as well as taking the test and so forth. The class cost $300 or $350 unless you wanted all ocean water check out and that would be your cost, otherwise they would take place at a local spring as part of the course cost. hey, can't say I blame the gentleman, he has to pay the light bill. So NAUI would be like starting over as far as cost goes. it would be up to me to get out of the class what i wanted or needed. The owner was pretty clear with me, until he knew i had some refresher somewhere by a certified program, I was not welcome on the store sanctioned trips. If i would have not said anything he would not have known, but I would be a danger to his DIVERS and well as myself.
Again, off track. Back to SSI, NAUI, PADI. Do any of them really have any ranking or status. If i was going to pull out my SSI Century (100+ dives) Master Diver C-Card with Nitrox endorsement would the Divemaster do a back flip off the refill station like Carl Edwards or would he just say, find you a seat on the boat, first come first serve? Do you think he would get more excited to hand him three Cert Cards, a NAUI Open Water Diver, my SSI Century Master Diver, and then my PADI Nitrox C-Card. i think that would at least make him think more or at least let him know he could be diving with some strange fun group of people that day.
If you are still with me, what are your thoughts, other than a talk too much.
Thanks
