Discover scuba from hell

[FFMDiver]

Hello:

I had my first boat dive experience on Oahu last month. I am an OW diver and was getting used to 35' reef dives. (I learned more from four boat dives than 15 lake dives combined and felt lucky to have had the opportunity). However, I did see some very interesting events taking place. The boat would depart each morning with 15 young japanese tourists on board. These folks looked like they had never been in the ocean, never mind on a dive boat before. They signed up for "discover scuba." When we anchored, the two instructors politely showed them how to breath from a reg and equalize. After that it was mini tanks on and in the water. Each instructor took one on each arm and immediately took them down to 36' upon which they would tour the reef for 20min. Many times I saw the instructors bear hugging tourists on the three lines and thought nothing of it.
A few dives over the next few days and I realized these operators were supressing panicked tourists with no dive experience. I also reaized that they could not afford to lose one to the surface and scare the bejesus out of the others. As soon as one group finished, they took 1/2 of them back to the dock with the dingy. Can you imagine signing up without ever having dived before and immediately dropping to 36'??? I started questioning my buddy who is an instructor that merely rents the ride and he just said "well these guys are experts, they know how to handle em."
I felt bad for these japanese tourists....I called it "Discover scuba from hell"

 

[Jonathan]

don't start me!

 

[Juls64]

Then they could hold more of them under at one time and make more money.

 

[ktarlecky]

Although it is a little better than 16 years ago where they just showed us how to breath off a reg and clear a mask for about 5 minutes before having us dive to 50 feet. I was 12 years old the first time I tried SCUBA and they never even checked my swim abilities. Anything for a buck. People should not be allowed to dive without certification under any circumstances. (obviously not including students completing OW checkout)

 

[DeepTechScuba]

Every agency has a "discover scuba" program of one sort or another. Clasically these used to be called "resort courses" and the program allowed someone to scuba with an instructor in a small group setting or one-on-one.

Since every agency does it, you cannot honestly blame it on any particular agency, no matter how frightening it looks underwater.

Ultimately, the individual instructor needs to bear responsibility for what he or she does. Since every agency has a disciplinary board of one sort or another, problematic instructors will ultimately meet their own judgment day if something goes wrong on their watch.

If I see a scuba instructor in the water with a student, I enjoy watching that particular instructor's methodology. I feel assured that this instructor has gone through a lot of expensive and time consuming training. If I also know the agency the instructor is working with, it also allows me to note the instructor's own particular style as opposed to that agency's protocols alone.

I have friends who are NAUI instructors, YMCA instructors, SSI instructors, PADI instructors, IANTD instructors, TDI instructors, GUE instructors, and even a few WASI instructors (bet you haven't heard of them yet!) If you are one-on-one with any instructor, that is normally the best dive buddy you could possibly have.

The Japanese tourists you saw are probably safe. Don't worry. They will go home and brag about their scuba adventures, and then a whole bunch of their friends next year will follow in their footsteps! The Japanese are a major economic force in the world, including tourists. The scuba industry is coping with their economic demand. Its not a perfect world yet.

 

[Albion]

Once on a dive in japan, i was heading back to shore on a beach dive, when at about 10-15 feet i was passed by a guy with a small child (about 4-5 years old) under his arm, the child was wearing a simple mask and breathing off his Fathers octopus.

 

[anav711]

I felt the need to give a "well done" to MDA GUAM. They put on a discover scuba session for us NAVY Submariners in GUAM and our families in May 2003. The classroom portion lasted about 2 hours. Then the dive was controlled with numerous instructors 1 for every 2 students. We got to tour the reef at Gab Gab 1 at 25 feet and were in the water for approxiately 35min. Seems like a very long time now. haha.
The staff was cortoues and helpfull and provided all that was needed to ensure we wanted to get certified ASAP. That said we were not pushed towards their dive shop for future certification. But as any good buisness understands by providing us a comfortable and knowledgable session they would most likely be our choice.
Since that time both my sons and me and my wife have gotten certified. Approaching 75 dives in only 90 days. (love the weather) Me and the wife just finished A/OW with the boys to follow when they reach the appropriate limits.
My point would be that if more shops took the time to provide this type of care their business would prosper long term from repeat business i.e. word of mouth. and we as a diving comminity would have safer divers who have been taught correctly and not just quickly.
Oh Yeah my INST still grills me each time we dive together. Just can't get it out of his system.

Chris

 

[twatto]

Juls64 once bubbled...
Then they could hold more of them under at one time and make more money.

...and you could use the same equipment when back onboard for a bit of an exciting 'de-brief' ....

 

[MikeFerrara]

A PADI discover Scuba is done in confined water or confined open water. It was never an issue for me cuz we always did it in the pool but, if I remember right the max depth is 20 ft for a diver 12 or over.

A discover Scuba Diving program involves teaching all the skills from confined water module one, which takes me over three hours. The student may them be taken on what is essentially OW dive one which is just a tour. The max depth for this dive is 40 ft. When dive one is done this way student to instructor ratios are also reduced.

I would never actually conduct this program because students aren't tought neutral buoyant swimming until module three and they aren't required to demontstrate hovering until module 4. How the hell can you take some one on a reef if they can't swim neutrally buoyant? They don't do mask removal and replacement until module two so if the get their mask kicked off they'll probably drown.

IMO, the instructors at this place arent experts they are non-diving idiots and it's only a matter of time till they get some one killed. My money says they have already gotten many hurt. I have met dozens and dozens of divers who's first experience diving was a program like this and an ear injury to show for it. These people aren't given enough time to learn to equalize and they have no control over their decent because they haven't learned anything at all about using a bc yet.

 

[Cave Diver]

DeepTechScuba once bubbled...
I have friends who are NAUI instructors, YMCA instructors, SSI instructors, PADI instructors, IANTD instructors, TDI instructors, GUE instructors, and even a few WASI instructors (bet you haven't heard of them yet!) If you are one-on-one with any instructor, that is normally the best dive buddy you could possibly have.

Aren't they part of the NASE organization?

What did I win?