OldNSalty
Contributor
Every accident/incident hurts the diving community as a whole. It is in our interest to work to minimize negative occurrences.
Diving without license/certification card
- Thread starter climax101
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Every accident/incident hurts the diving community as a whole. It is in our interest to work to minimize negative occurrences.
dead dog
Contributor
Would that be the same 'scuba monopoly' that wouldn't buddy with an untrained diver?
Yes, that's the same 'scuba monopoly'.
I know this will date me but here goes.
Back in the early 50's there were NO Diver Certification Program's. NONE !
We taught each other how to dive and never charged a nickle for the the instruction.
Then some guys up in Los Angeles came up with a great idea the " Los Angeles County C - Card "
and make money at it to boot. It seems each year a new card was incorporated with the rest. How many cards are there in the world ?
L.D.S. just loved the idea more students meant more money. Next a Certification Program for sand collecting. Next came the tank inspections, yep you got it right " MORE MONEY ". Now some L.D.S. wont fill a tank because the valve is to old on your tank..
What to do now ? Have a yearly tank valve inspection? Don't laugh it may be coming.
Save your money and buy your own compressor and learn to rebuild your own equipment.
The main thing here is help each other out like on this forum.
The people who over charge and over price don't do business with. There are some real good L.D.S out there and some bad ones.
Brianna
Registered
As a novice who doesn't have her OW yet, I'm glad these things exist. I understand you can't fix stupid and the certifications and inspections don't make everything perfectly safe.
I'm glad I can pay somebody to teach me the basic safety lessons.
I'm glad when I fill up a tank, I know it's been inspected and tested.
I don't intend at this point to ever get to the level of diving where I'm filling my own tanks and rebuilding my own equipment, so I'm glad to know there's somebody else out there competent to do it for me.
diverdorr68
Contributor
I been 1 years doing many dives in openwater, learning scuba diving from a friend PADI certification card holder. Is it necessary for me to enroll on a diving center to acquire certification card? What is the advantage of having a dive certification card?
Hi climax101,
I also began diving in the Philippines, Surigao City to be exact. Most of us in the area learned from a Philippine Navy diver and Instructor/mentors from Cebu, when they would visit our sites, were often our dive buddies. To be sure, we were lucky to get that level of training for free, and I did not do my OW until after more then 170 dives. But, I still learned a few new skills during my OW, which means I did not know/was not proficient at them before I took the course.
In addition to those skills, my instructor had 20+ years experience. That meant I was able to learn alot more from him then how to replace my BCD, etc.. You will have the opportunity to draw on their experiences, and ask questions outside your field of study. I think it will be a good thing for you to get certified, and by a good instructor.
Just like to recommend my instructor and friend from Mactan Cebu, MSDT Edgar Estrera. He is awesome, has his place in Marigondon right on the water, and over 20 years experience. Here are links to his fb pages if you would like to give him a try. About 12-14k php in 2011 for the price.
Best of luck to you.
https://www.facebook.com/mactancebu.scuba
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stella-Maris-Dive-Experts-Inc/293834247391543
oldschoolto
Contributor
I started diving in the 70's and Never got a c-card... Tanks were filled and gear was repaired, Life was good.... Now it's all about money... And half the people I see diving are so clueless
that I wouldn't buddy dive in a kiddy pool with them... Handing someone a pile of money doesn't make the training, I'd take a new diver that was taught by a old time diver anytime over a "NEW resort diver"...
Jim...
that I wouldn't buddy dive in a kiddy pool with them... Handing someone a pile of money doesn't make the training, I'd take a new diver that was taught by a old time diver anytime over a "NEW resort diver"...Jim...
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A few points of information please: Back in the early 50's there were two forms of diving certification, "shop cards" (e.g., Stan's Scuba) and University of California (e.g., Scripps). We did teach each other how to dive, that's how I learned, and this sort of mentoring was always free. Al Tilman and Bev Morgan took the course at Scripps and developed the " Los Angeles County C - Card " which was taught, at first, within the confines of the LA County Parks are Recreation programs for a nominal fee, like swimming or boating. Tank inspections came about, not because of " MORE MONEY " (though some L.D.S. have abused it that way). Tank inspections were developed by Bill High at NOAA because ICC/DOT had no interest in the problem. Unless there is a documented problem yearly tank valve inspection are stupid. Frankly yearly regulator or BC inspections are stupid because the need for inspection and service depends far more on use and care of the gear than it does on elapsed time. It is a good suggestion to: "Save your money and buy your own compressor and learn to rebuild your own equipment." Some manufacturers (e.g., HOG/EDGE) are part of this movement.
dead dog
Contributor
" I think it will be a good thing for you to get certified, and by a good instructor."
I was certified by the best instructor at the time, his name is Harry Vetter the oldest living NAUI instructor living today
I was also certified by Los Angeles County, by the same instructor.
---------- Post Merged at 03:47 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:27 PM ----------
" A few points of information please: Back in the early 50's there were two forms of diving certification, "shop cards" (e.g., Stan's Scuba) and University of California (e.g., Scripps). We did teach each other how to dive, that's how I learned, and this sort of mentoring was always free. "
These were shop cards, were not certification cards. Shops used these to fill tanks since you had some kind of training underwater. Scripps was the same way very small groups but no certification cards. The first really certification cards came from LA County Parks are Recreation programs for a nominal fee ( this is where the money started ) Other organizations ( NAUI ) came in to play. Scripps was always free.
I was certified by the best instructor at the time, his name is Harry Vetter the oldest living NAUI instructor living today
I was also certified by Los Angeles County, by the same instructor.
---------- Post Merged at 03:47 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:27 PM ----------
" A few points of information please: Back in the early 50's there were two forms of diving certification, "shop cards" (e.g., Stan's Scuba) and University of California (e.g., Scripps). We did teach each other how to dive, that's how I learned, and this sort of mentoring was always free. "
These were shop cards, were not certification cards. Shops used these to fill tanks since you had some kind of training underwater. Scripps was the same way very small groups but no certification cards. The first really certification cards came from LA County Parks are Recreation programs for a nominal fee ( this is where the money started ) Other organizations ( NAUI ) came in to play. Scripps was always free.
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With all due respect, Harry's a great instructor (and NAUI #4), but your ignoring a passel of folks with legitimate claim to the title: Jim Stewart, Connie Limbaugh, Bob Dill, Andy Rechnitzer, Al Tillman, Bev Morgan, Homer Fletcher, Glen Egstrom, Walt Hendricks Sr., Lee Somers, etc. (and that's just the "old guys").
dead dog
Contributor
And who certified these people you list, no one they taught each other. This was long before any certification group was even around. This is what I've been saying all along we taught each other.
READ IT !
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Actually almost all of them were certified by Connie Limbaugh or a member of the staff at Scripps. I do not see that as an argument for certification, especially in the depauperate state we find diving certification today.
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