Developing new specialties.

[Eric Sedletzky]

Good point. I was thinking about this a bit.

You don't want to turn away potential capable volunteers, but you want to make sure they are able to do the removal safely. A certification requirement could do just that. A lot of people may want to help, but they could see this as a barrier. Perhaps the certification is more of an "Or" type requirement. Not the only path.

I used to volunteer at an aquarium. In order to be added to the team as a volunteer diver, there were some prerequisites that needed to take place. For starters, we had to all be First Aid and CPR certified. Then, once that was confirmed, they would schedule an initial checkout. The checkout would include a swim portion and a dive portion. This allows them to schedule a group of potential volunteers in a controlled environment without just simply turning them loose.

Perhaps that may be an option. Have volunteers sign-up (maybe use something online like Signup Genius). If they have done the dives before (successfully), then they can sign-up. If they are new, then they could supply proof of the Purple Urchin Removal cert OR signup for a checkout dive done when there are enough to make it worthwhile to schedule a checkout. You mentioned that these dives were often done in conjunction with some of the LDS dives, so this may be a route that can ensure that the divers are capable of doing the work without turning too many divers away due to a cert barrier.

The other part of this is that some people like to have instruction to be able to do something like this. It empowers them, gives them confidence, and makes them more dedicated because they paid money for proper training and knowledge. People value that. And since they invested time and money into something they will show up to put their new skills to work.
I’m not overly concerned that it could put off a fence walker. A lot of those types are one-and-done’s anyway. I would rather have a smaller group of well trained dedicated divers instead of some drop-ins that lose stuff, have problems, hardly get anything, etc. it becomes a sh!t show and it’s stressful. I need to be out doing my work too, I don’t have time to babysit.
There’s also logistical considerations at this site.
We are dedicated to this site alone until further notice and that could be years. There’s only so much parking and services. Any more than 25 people and I have to have a permit from the county. If I have a bunch of people showing up willy nilly and they don’t even have the consideration to let me know before hand then it falls on me. So far we’ve been pretty lucky and the ranger has been pretty cool about it. The more this grows the more I want to keep it looking professional and not just a bunch of yahoo’s showing up.
Then there’s the question of how much is a class like this worth? We’re talking about a Saturday in the class room and in the pool, then the following day two ocean dives actually collecting urchins and practicing what they learned in the classroom.
They would have to buy all their collection gear too.

 

[boulderjohn]

The other part of this is that some people like to have instruction to be able to do something like this. It empowers them, gives them confidence, and makes them more dedicated because they paid money for proper training and knowledge. People value that. And since they invested time and money into something they will show up to put their new skills to work.
I’m not overly concerned that it could put off a fence walker. A lot of those types are one-and-done’s anyway. I would rather have a smaller group of well trained dedicated divers instead of some drop-ins that lose stuff, have problems, hardly get anything, etc. it becomes a sh!t show and it’s stressful. I need to be out doing my work too, I don’t have time to babysit.
There’s also logistical considerations at this site.
We are dedicated to this site alone until further notice and that could be years. There’s only so much parking and services. Any more than 25 people and I have to have a permit from the county. If I have a bunch of people showing up willy nilly and they don’t even have the consideration to let me know before hand then it falls on me. So far we’ve been pretty lucky and the ranger has been pretty cool about it. The more this grows the more I want to keep it looking professional and not just a bunch of yahoo’s showing up.
Then there’s the question of how much is a class like this worth? We’re talking about a Saturday in the class room and in the pool, then the following day two ocean dives actually collecting urchins and practicing what they learned in the classroom.
They would have to buy all their collection gear too.

I know this is anathema to many ScubaBoard participants, but it would be nice if the people taking the time to do the instruction got a little pay. This violates the common ScubaBoard belief that Scuba Instructors should donate their time, but it helps them put food on the table.

 

[Belzelbub]

This violates the common ScubaBoard belief that Scuba Instructors should donate their time, but it helps them put food on the table.

<Sarcasm> They can bring home some purple urchin for their table.</Sarcasm>

 

[johndiver999]

I am glad that people are considering both the benefits and potential drawbacks of the certification route. I would probably volunteer if I was local, but I am cheap and would balk at a certification that required considerable time and money, just to help out.

I’m not saying a cert isn’t completely viable and wise, but it does bring another level of complexity

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I know this is anathema to many ScubaBoard participants, but it would be nice if the people taking the time to do the instruction got a little pay. This violates the common ScubaBoard belief that Scuba Instructors should donate their time, but it helps them put food on the table.

Yes, instructors would get paid, in fact they would set their own prices.
99.99999% of the people who would be taking the class have never even heard of scubaboard so there would be no brainwashing. You get what you pay for.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I am glad that people are considering both the benefits and potential drawbacks of the certification route. I would probably volunteer if I was local, but I am cheap and would balk at a certification that required considerable time and money, just to help out.

I’m not saying a cert is completely viable and wise, but it does bring another level of complexity

It would also depend on how good of a diver you are. If you have experience and can figure things out, think for yourself, and think you can handle the job then you probably wouldn’t need the class.
But if you’re a very new nervous diver and struggle with basic skills, have never dived cold water in a thick wetsuit, then maybe urchin diving isn’t for you…at least not right now. Take the class.
What about cave/cavern, why not just let anybody do it because they are too cheap to get training? What about any other specialty that has a degree of difficulty and where there’s a potential for injury?
Just let them go for it with no training because they’re cheap?