#$%#$%@# Dive Training!

[Genesis]

is SAFELY on my network file server and is backed up nightly to DLT tape. Its not going anywhere. That computer is basically always in gauge mode and is used by both her and her daughter (alternately, of course) as a very fancy dive timer - neither is comfortable using it as a computer at this point, but it makes a damn fine dive watch and depth gauge, with an ascent rate indicator built in.

Her logbook may by sitting here at the house (either hers or her daughter's is - I'll have to look.)

In any event, if someone from SSI contacts me, I'll be more than happy to chat with them. If the logbook is here, I will be happy to make a photocopy of the page(s) involved, which I'm sure have her instructor's signature and I# on it. As far as HER getting involved, I can talk with her about it, but can't control her and wouldn't dream of doing so - so whether she gets involved herself is entirely at her discretion.

You can PM me for contact info.

 

[PhotoTJ]

OK, let me get this straight.

LDS' are bad.
Agencies are bad.
Instructors are bad.
Other divers are bad.

Is there anything about diving that you actually enjoy?

And, if you have ALL the answers, (as it seems you think you do), then become the lead instructor in your own agency while running your own manufacturing and retail outlet. Since you have all the answers, you should have no problem getting rich, so you'll be able to buy an island, and only allow divers that you trained, wearing your gear, breathing gas off your compressor to dive there.

Happy now?

 

[mcse_jacksonvil]

Having very recently completed my OW courses. I can assure you that this skill is ighly focused upon in PADI courses. I guarantee we spent a minimum of an hour and a half concentrating on neutral bouyancy.
To me I see two possibilities.
1. The instructor is at fault.
2. Your Newly certified GF simply has not mastered the skill.

I place my bets on 2 (no offense intended.)

 

[divermasterB]

PhotoTJ once bubbled...
OK, let me get this straight.

LDS' are bad.
Agencies are bad.
Instructors are bad.
Other divers are bad.

You left out the evil manufacturers that have product liability to worry about too.

 

[Genesis]

people try to dismiss the point by making claims that I haven't made.

I haven't said that all LDSs are bad. Or that all instructors are bad. And certainly not that most divers are bad.

Specifically, the instructors (2) who I took classes from are both good! Unfortunately, one no longer lives here, and the second is an SSI instructor and is now the "senior" one at that shop (and thus doesn't do OW and such anymore)

 

[divermasterB]

This is the opening to this thread....

Genesis once fumed...
Ok, so yesterday I go diving with my newly-certified g/f.

And I now have a rant about training. See, this was her first "real" Ow experience after class.

So we drop down to a nice reef at about 70' (her last two training dives were at 57', so this is not much deeper.) Its a little-dove and little-known natural reef around here, with the salient feature of it being that off the ledges the natural bottom surrounding it is MUD - not sand.

So, if you hit the bottom, you make a HUGE silt cloud and destroy the visability.

A good place to learn what happens if your do NOT have decent buoyancy control! We dropped the anchor just off the hard bottom and jumped in.

Needless to say, she smoked it up and good. We're going to go spend some time at the Jetties this coming weekend, or somewhere that a tank will last her an hour (and the depth will permit such an exposure) and do NOTHING OTHER THAN LEARNING TO GET AND STAY NEUTRAL.

This was basically ignored in her class, and its obvious.

I showed her the video I shot of her diving, and she said "oh god" when we got back on the surface. There was another guy down there with a video camera, and he shot some of me. The difference was immediately able to be appreciated

Anyway, its time for a few hours of playing around the 20' mark; thank god I have my own compressor and as such the time and tanks will be cheap.....

Folks, do you think it is reasonable to expect that when someone gets done with OW class they can decend on an anchor line, stop without crashing into the bottom, and hover without having to fin upwards against their negative buoyancy?

Is this not a basic skill?

It was one with my instructor, but apparently was not with hers!

Now, it seems to me that since you are getting called out on this post, you are going back into your bag of tricks to pull out things to help us support your point of view.

Since you posted this you have added several pieces of information and are backing away from the buoyancy control issue, to rant on this one instructor.

Which issue do you want to discuss? The buoyancy control one, or the instructor?

I am perfectly willing to debate valid issues, lets just not make it a moving target.

 

[PhotoTJ]

Genesis once bubbled...
people try to dismiss the point by making claims that I haven't made.

I haven't said that all LDSs are bad. Or that all instructors are bad. And certainly not that most divers are bad.

Specifically, the instructors (2) who I took classes from are both good! Unfortunately, one no longer lives here, and the second is an SSI instructor and is now the "senior" one at that shop (and thus doesn't do OW and such anymore)

My point is, (and you are certainly not the only board member guilty of this), you bi**h about everything. I don't recall ever seeing a post from you about the great dive you had that day. Granted, I could point this out about several posters, due to shear volume of posts, you're the one that gets noticed. When was the last time you enjoyed everything about a dive, without thinking about the LDS' prices or how bad this divers buoyancy was?

I dunno about the rest of you, but I'm a diver, first and formost, to have fun.

 

[divermasterB]

Genesis

One thing I see that is bothering me is this.

It seems that you are more than happy to point out what is wrong with diving.

If you see so much that is wrong, I would challenge you to quit complaining about it and get into the @#$% ring and do something about it!

The view from the spectators seats is always the easiest one.

 

[mcse_jacksonvil]

Actually, here is what amazes me.

an experienced diver passing judgement on a novice. I can only imagine how your GF feels now that you have no doubt critiqued and criticized her new skills (or rather lack of perfection within them). Your GF is new to the sport, I have never seen a diver come out of a class having every skill down pat. So she had some trouble, Big deal. I am sure you had your faults during your own novice dives. What you are doing is basically called "being an A$$hole". I understand the importance of bouyancy control, I appreciate a complaint about a diver who has not mastered this skill after 10 or so dives. What I do not appreciate is an experienced diver openly criticizing a novice in a public forum. Typically this type of bullying is done to cover up ones own insecurities.

My advice to you:
shut up and quit placing blame everywhere. Work with your Girlfriend to perfect her skills through frequent shallow dives without being such a demeaning prick. Skills are taught in class, not perfected. Only repetition creates perfection. Something she has not had an adequate chance to accomplish yet.

 

[divermasterB]

Hmmm

Someone has mysteriously dissapeared from this thread....


I guess it is easier to jump to another thread and spread a lot more paranoid garbage than to stick to your guns and defend your original position.