Did you honor your training?

[DaleC]

I second Lynnes answer. I wasn't taught any of that in OW or AOW.
I like my old instructor but I don't feel any need to honour him or the techniques he demonstrated as we now have very different diving phylosophies.

 

[eponym]

A training course is merely a starting point, nothing more, nothing less. It does surprise me that some divers view training courses, especially OW and AOW, as a level of total competence. Rather than consolidating that training, they use it as a 'springboard' to venture immediately into more advanced and/or risky diving practices.
Scuba skills have to be ingrained. A training course can provide you with that skill, but it is never going to provide sufficient in-water time to embed the skill into your muscle memory at an instinctive level. Consequently, there is an expectation that the newly qualified diver will keep their diving conservative, prudent and safe - whilst they continue the longer-term process of refining and ingraining their new skills. That doesn't happen... and we see examples of it all the time.

I like how you put it: consolidating one's training, ingraining the skills.

Cetrainly venturing beyond their level of training comes into it.

Even if the water's better (clearer, warmer) than it was in training, new stressors come into play. It seems to me the biggest differences between training dives and pleasure dives are a relative lack of supervision and no clearly-stated standards for conducting the dive.

Not that anyone wants to book regimented reef cruises, of course, but there's room for improvement as regards stating expectations before the dive, yes?

-Bryan

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

AFAIUI, drivers are trained to; use turn signals, follow speed limits, maintain liability insurance, stop at red lights and stop signs, yield to traffic that has the right of way, not drive when BAC is over .08% and keep their vehicle in proper working order (just to name a few).

What percentage of drivers are "honoring" at least those listed competent driver trainings?

I think it likely the percentage of certified divers "honoring" their OW training is similar if not worse (60' max depth recommended?).

 

[Majickyl]

I am a new diver, and I agree with TSandM. There was not nearly enough focus on trim, good buoyancy control, and non-silting techniques. These were not things I learned in my OW and AOW classes IMO.

I didn't throw those skills out the window when I finished training because I didn't have them to throw. Instead I set out to get them myself and continue to work on them.

It bothers me when new divers have the "trust the divemaster and you'll be fine" approach. I've actually never been on a trip that had divemasters that planned and run the dive... all the diving I've done have either been dives my buddies and I have planned and executed, or charters that have a "we'll drop you here, come back at this time/see you down current" approach. All situations where you have to think for yourself.

I think part of the problem is that new OW divers are certified that don't feel comfortable planning their own dives and executing those dives. So they stay under the wing of a divemaster, have a great time doing it, and think that's all enough.

One of the best things I ever did diving was take my temporary OW certification, as soon as it was signed, across the street to another dive site. My buddy and I planned our next dives while the ink on the paper was drying, and executed those dives the next day. No time to forget, to second guess ourselves, to decide we couldn't do it without a DM or instructor.

That was also a confidence builder. We convinced ourselves from day 1 that we could plan dives and dive plans. We did it and we could do it again. We were divers now. And the more we dove, the more we knew we had a heck of a lot more to learn.

 

[James R]

Regulator & Snorkel exchange...I have not done that in years

 

[diver 85]

I didn't forget. I actually went further and took additional courses from the same instructors, such as Peak Performance Buoyancy. I have kept all that training in mind whenever I dive. My safety and possibly my buddy's, depends on it!

And your 'same instructors' appreciated you greatly, I bet.....

 

[fnfalman]

I'm a bad boy. I ditched my snorkel after basic OW course.

 

[eponym]

I am a new diver, and I agree with TSandM. There was not nearly enough focus on trim, good buoyancy control, and non-silting techniques. These were not things I learned in my OW and AOW classes IMO.
I didn't throw those skills out the window when I finished training because I didn't have them to throw. Instead I set out to get them myself and continue to work on them.

Nicely put!

One of the best things I ever did diving was take my temporary OW certification, as soon as it was signed, across the street to another dive site. My buddy and I planned our next dives while the ink on the paper was drying, and executed those dives the next day. No time to forget, to second guess ourselves, to decide we couldn't do it without a DM or instructor.
That was also a confidence builder. We convinced ourselves from day 1 that we could plan dives and dive plans. We did it and we could do it again. We were divers now. And the more we dove, the more we knew we had a heck of a lot more to learn.

That reminds me of my first post-cert dive. I don't ever want to forget that feeling.

-Bryan

 

[jbtut]

I don't maintain proper weight, trim, buoyancy etc. because my training suggested it. (And my PADI course spent 2hr a week for 12 weeks in the pool, so there was a lot of trim/buoyancy practice and training). I do it because I like to enjoy the dives. Having proper buoyancy and trim makes diving more enjoyable because I can control myself and I don't have to work very hard. So I guess it's a result of training, but I continue to do it for my own benefit.

I just got back from Cozumel and dove with a couple guys who had poor control of trim and buoyancy. In addition to fun things like crashing the reef they also had very short dives. Probably <30 minutes, while my dive partner and I were only limited by our no-dico limits. If nothing else proper technique provides for longer bottom times.

I also still use a snorkel. Every dive that I'm w/in swimming distance of shore. Never know when you'd need to use it. I've run out of air on shore dives before getting back to the beach. Having a snorkel was very handy in that situation. Plus I don't really see a downside other than you might not look "cool".

 

[diver_doug]

Yes, I did honor my training.

Upon receipt of my PADI OW card I journeyed to the beach, placed the card in the sand, and traced a large circle around it with my finger. I then set a dozen dried-roses within the circle, and lit them ablaze. As the they majestically burned, I turned my gaze towards the heavens, sliced my left shoulder with my dive knife, and let out a primordial yell that resonated throughout the shore and all eternity! TRAINING...I DID HONOR THEEEEE!!!!!!!