Considering PADI master diver

[dl348]

I rarely thing wrong, once in a while, but rarely and it appears that this was not one of those times, and that's especially good since I designed the class and wrote the standards (at NAUI's request).

That is especially good, but I think you should have typed THINK not THING.
BTW, I like your new avatar.

 

[Thalassamania]

When the value of your arguments is reduced to correcting typos you really need to get in the fresh air.

 

[Notso_Ken]

so sorry I wasn't clearer. yeah i'll need 5 specialties...but is it worth my money to take up these 5 specialties, or shall i just be happy with my rescue, and just dive
looking at the list of specialties, nothing really screams out at me. i'll do enriched air for sure. the rest...kinda iffy. I mean...peak buoyancy? just jump in and dive, and the buoyancy will come in my humble opinion. and wreck diving? I did that for AOW and we just counted kick cycles, and estimated the size of the wreck, and got oriented with it's topography (to be able to find it again.) and if this is the sort of thing i'd be doing, I rather not spend over a hundred bucks to do this.

Sorry for the cynicism but if I invest money, I wanna learn something practical and IMPROVE myself. thanks for all the replies so far folks, appreciate it.

What is the benefit of the specialty classes you will take? If the benefit outweighs the cost take them. If you get at least 5 that way, weighing the cost of each one individually, then weigh the cost versus benefit of the MSD. Ohh, sorry, I don't see a benefit to the MSD.

In weighing the costs and benefits, I have taken exactly one specialty class to date - nitrox. I'm currently weighing the cost/benefit of dry suit class. Afraid I don't see much benefit to the formal class that I can't get from all the experienced people I dive with, so I might not take that one. (The only benefit I can see is if I want to rent a dry suit, I might get carded--if I don't rent, I don't get carded, benefit goes to 0.)


Ken

 

[Divin'Papaw]

What is the benefit of the specialty classes you will take? If the benefit outweighs the cost take them. If you get at least 5 that way, weighing the cost of each one individually, then weigh the cost versus benefit of the MSD. Ohh, sorry, I don't see a benefit to the MSD.

In weighing the costs and benefits, I have taken exactly one specialty class to date - nitrox. I'm currently weighing the cost/benefit of dry suit class. Afraid I don't see much benefit to the formal class that I can't get from all the experienced people I dive with, so I might not take that one. (The only benefit I can see is if I want to rent a dry suit, I might get carded--if I don't rent, I don't get carded, benefit goes to 0.)


Ken

Ken going dry! Say it isn't so Ken!!!!

 

[dl348]

When the value of your arguments is reduced to correcting typos you really need to get in the fresh air.

Not arguing at all, just stating the facts. Love that avatar. :mooner:

 

[Thalassamania]

Love that avatar. :mooner:

Don't get too attached, I change it often.

 

[skywalk]

Thanks for all the replies. wow it's certainly gone off in a tangent! hahaha
I'll probably skip the MSD route. There's only one thing stopping me from doing DM course (apart from $$$$$) and that's the fact that i love underwater photography, and all I like to do is dive and snap pics of stuff. If I become a DM, wouldn't i have to start leading groups, taking care of no-so-steady divers, etc? I wanna keep things fun for me too!!

 

[DanBMW]

I mean...peak buoyancy? just jump in and dive, and the buoyancy will come in my humble opinion. .

Sorry but I did not read the entire thread and if this has been previously said, I apologize in advance.

This is one of the most important skills and severely lacking in many many divers. It is not hard, but most unfortunately think they will pick it up by osmosis. It rarely just comes by it's self. Just watch underwater photographers for a real show!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Sorry but I did not read the entire thread and if this has been previously said, I apologize in advance.

This is one of the most important skills and severely lacking in many many divers. It is not hard, but most unfortunately think they will pick it up by osmosis. It rarely just comes by it's self. Just watch underwater photographers for a real show!

True training and instruction in buoyancy is valuable. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the same thing as the PPB course. I took the PPB specialty along with my AOW and I can honestly tell you I received absolutely zero instruction. None ... nada. On the PPB dive we did as part of AOW me and another student were told "go over there and descent to 20-30 feet and work on your buoyancy." The instructor then went about working with her OW student. That was the extent of the training. The PPB dive that I did was then done along with other AOW students and it was truly just a buddy dive. No observation from the instructor. No tips, buoyancy games, drills. No instruction whatsoever. Now this may be an exception, but I fear it is more the norm.

The point is that buoyancy is very important. You need to understand the concepts and then put them into practice over and over and over again. That doesn't require a Specialty course, a fancy c-card nor more money going to PADI. It just takes self-aware diving with more experienced divers. Period.

 

[drew52]

Choose a better instructor next time. Clearly your instructor wasn't worth paying. If it was a PADI course even the so called bare minimum which many on these boards complain about was not followed.

If done properly nearly anyone can learn from these dives. This course or even the 1 adventure dive for AOW helps people to understand the concepts faster and then put them into practice.