Dive Specialties

[IndigoBlue]

Mikiko once bubbled...
I was wondering if you could, which 5 specialty courses you would choose and why:
If you have any specialty courses which ones do you have and which would you choose next.
Thank you for you time.

Here is my list:

Advanced navigation
Search & recovery
CPR & first aid
Rescue

These, in this order, all lead up to the basic rescue course.

Basic nitrox
Deeper diving with Air &/or EANx
Boat diving

These, next, in this order all lead up to diving in the range of 50 to 100 ft.

O2 provider
T/A or Divemaster

These, next, in this order then prepare you to assist instructors with classes, which gets you more scuba experience and free lunches.

How's that, for starters?

Beyond that, you could do photography, which is either still or video, and either film or digital. I prefer digital video, myself. It's a thrill to show your non-diving spouse or friends your underwater videos!

Or you could go the tech diving route. Or you could move on to basic rebreathers. It all depends on what interests you the most.

 

[d33ps1x]

5 Specialties and why....Hmm...

Well so far:

Underwater navigation (Used on every dive if you're doing it right)
Search and Recovery (I really wanted some spools, lift bags, etc and it was the perfect excuse!)
Nitrox (Because it's difficult and awkward to get in Ontario [Nitrox fills that is] so why not)

To do:

Deep (Because I enjoy doing specialties)
Cavern (Because its another excuse to go to Mexico)

 

[mddolson]

I don't sell or teach most recreational specialties.
I think they're just a way to suck more cash from the customer.
I do teach bonefied training courses: like Nitrox, Advanced Diver,
First Aid + CPR, O2 provider, Rescue diver, Dm and AI.

Offering C cards for Night , drift, wreck(non-penitration), naviation, enviromentalist, boat diving etc are just cash grabs. IMHO these belong in a club environment.

Peak Bouyancy Performance (Propper Bouyancy Control) should be part of all entree level courses and it is part of mine. Having a separate C card for it just illustrates how low the quality level of new graduates is!

Drysuit diver is also a cash grab.
When we sell a drysuit, we train the diver how to use it.
We loan them the video and course materials, we take them in a controlled enviroment (pool or shallow sheltered bay) for first exposure, then we do a couple of dives until thier comfortable and can master the suit. We don't charge extra, and we don't issue a C card for it either.

Ok, there!
This is strictly my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Feel free to agree or disagree.

I'm off the soap box.


Mike D

 

[IndigoBlue]

mddolson once bubbled...

When we sell a drysuit, we train the diver how to use it.
We loan them the video and course materials, we take them in a controlled enviroment (pool or shallow sheltered bay) for first exposure, then we do a couple of dives until thier comfortable and can master the suit. We don't charge extra, and we don't issue a C card for it either.

Ok, there!
This is strictly my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Feel free to agree or disagree.

I'm off the soap box.


Mike D

Really good stores will do this, yes. I know of one store locally that does. The others do the cash-grabbing [s.i.c.]

Either way, a drysuit course, when you buy a drysuit or decide to rent one, is a really good idea.

 

[dutchfin]

Most LDS's I know won't rent a dry-suit without proof that you know how to dive it..........( C-card ).....Liability??

 

[d33ps1x]

No store should let you walk out without at least an in pool orientation in your drysuit.

I've personally never heard of a store that doesn't do this.

Nor have I heard of one that charges for the orientation. Who knows whether it's to do with liability or not.

Maybe Mike D can answer that one.

As far as specialties being cash grabs. I think some of them are pretty cheesy but others may provide some divers with the additional comfort of being semi supervised while doing something they haven't done before as in drift, night, deep.

For some people the 100-200 dollars is perhaps worth it.

I just like collecting cards...

 

[IndigoBlue]

d33ps1x once bubbled...

I just like collecting cards...

Don't we all?!

Here are the really valuable cards, worth collecting:

Rescue Diver
Divemaster
Nitrox/Advanced Nitrox Diver
Trimix/Advanced Trimix Diver
Instructor
Instructor Trainer
Tech Instructor

Each of the above makes you a better diver by an order of magnitude, and more usefull to someone else who needs a buddy. Anything else that leads up to those, like CPR/First Aid or O2 Provider, are useful too of course. Anything that does not, well, you catch the drift I'm sure.

The "peak performance" cash grab is a rip off because eveyone should be taught peak performance in basic OW. And it should be covered again in Advanced OW.

 

[mwilding]

Well, I am heading towards Padi Master Scuba Diver Rating so I need 5 to get it.

So far I have Nitrox and Drysuit. Nitrox is very valuable and I combined it with AOW to save some cash. I bought my drysuit on the internet, so I paid to get trained on it.

My plans are to get Deep and Wreck plus one more to be determined later. I might take DPV while in Key West in March. Other ones I would like to take are Underwater Navigation and Cavern.

The way things are going, the specialties will be done before I hit the magic 50 dive number...

 

[d33ps1x]

Sounds like your enjoying yourself mwilding...That's the point.

Have fun with it.

 

[mwilding]

d33ps1x once bubbled...
Sounds like your enjoying yourself mwilding...That's the point.

Have fun with it.

I certainly am...