Do you consider yourself an 'Advanced' diver?

[Diver0001]

A thread in another forum got me thinking, a dangerous thing for sure .

Do you consider yourself to be an Advanced diver, and if so, why?

And no, I'm not asking if you've got a card that says Advanced on it as most people, I would hope, would agree that a little piece of plastic isn't a good indicator of diving ability and we really don't need another thread about how poor AOW course are.

Whether your answer is yes or no, would you mind listing some reasons?
For example, is it number of dives (total / per year)? Depth reached? Skills exhibited? Diving environment? Buddies you dive with?

Thanks for your responses. :14:

Bjorn

Tricky question. I guess I can say that I don't feel particularly "advanced" because I think that the whole concept of "advanced" implies a hierarchy that I don't believe should exist in diving. It's a sport, we all perform to our limits. The goal is to have fun. Perhaps you could say that the most advanced diver is the one who has the most fun.

One thing I've learned for sure is that years certified or numbers of dives is a meaningless measure of "advanced". I know divers with 3 times as many dives as I have who are less skilled and experienced than I am. If you dive 10 times a week on the same 100m2 of reef you can rack op lots of dives too. Likewise, I know divers with few dives than I ahve who have more skill and experience in some environments. Both of my IANTD instructors fall into this category. I even assisted in training one of them.... LOL

R..

 

[divermatt]

Folks--here's another concept about an advanced diver. Let's make a rule: If SOMTHING hasn't gone wrong underwater in your presence, you aren't really advanced. Once you see how you react--then guage whether or not you're advanced.
Just throwing that out there. Not trying to be a jerk.

 

[jeckyll]

divermatt: I don't think the point is here to define what "advanced" means, I was more curious as to how people would classify themselves. I completely agree with your point, you don't know how people react to emergencies until they have been in one.

Thanks for all the responses so far. It sounds to me like 'advanced' is a moving target to alot of people, especially if they dive with folks who are more experience / have different or better skills than they have.

Bjorn

 

[MoonWrasse]

Folks--here's another concept about an advanced diver. Let's make a rule: If SOMTHING hasn't gone wrong underwater in your presence, you aren't really advanced. Once you see how you react--then guage whether or not you're advanced.
Just throwing that out there. Not trying to be a jerk.

I agree - if you haven't gone for a chamber ride yet, you're not "advanced".

 

[Diver0001]

Thanks for all the responses so far. It sounds to me like 'advanced' is a moving target to alot of people, especially if they dive with folks who are more experience / have different or better skills than they have.

Bjorn

By George, Bjorn, I think you put your finger right on the hot-spot. If you think you're advanced you're not diving with good enough divers.....

My old KungFu teacher (sifu) used to say "Rob, winning or or losing a competition depends on only one thing...........who showed up"

R..

 

[Phreak]

Diver0001 is right..."I don't feel particularly "advanced" because I think that the whole concept of "advanced" implies a hierarchy that I don't believe should exist in diving"

Plus scuba is not a true sport. Its just a hobby. I consider a sport something competitive / challenging vs. an opponent. Football is a sport. In football you are trying to win. In scuba you are getting a great look at anothr world...

In the eyes of some Hawaiian divers I'm considerd "advanced" because I was simply certified and do the majority of my diving in cold, murky Puget Sound. I showed them my log book a few years ago and they just gave it back and said, "no problem, you can dive w/ us anywhere". So "Advanced" is subjective. Depends on where you are are who you dive with ... by the way the dive in Hawaii had more chop than anything I've seen in Seattle yet. Big swells that threw some divers off the exit ladder back into the water! And the swell came from no where! Dive no 1 had zero choppy water...and 45 minutes later it was...pretty wild. I didnt feel so Advanced in Maui...lemmie tell ya.

As a PADI DM for the last 2 years I feel maybe just slighly advanced next to Joe New Diver. But it's still totally subjective. Standing next to "deep dive-5 hour required deco wearing twin HP tanks diver" guy with 3000 dives I still feel like I havent even been born yet. I'm an embryo.

 

[Divmstr223]

I would certainly consider myself an advanced diver.

*I have logged well over 200 dives, all being in many different types of conditions. Deep dives (100 to 130 feet), night dives, wreck dives, some novice cave diving, and plenty of very cold and zero visibility diving.

*Any type of bad situation I have been in or my dive buddies have been in, I have handled well and very calm/comfortably.

*I have a great understanding about what safe diving is all about and have been tested on many occasions via class exercises and real life experience.

*I know what to do when something goes wrong and I'm always prepared ahead of time to assure a good dive.

*I consider myself a good leader and I feel that I make others around me better divers and feel more comfortable about diving in general.

*As far as C-cards go, I am certified DiveCon / DM through SSI for over 10 years now. I have been responsible for other divers I have led on several occasions via boat or shore dives and I take their saftey as my #1 priority.

Am I the best diver out there?, no even close.....but an advanced diver I would say yes..:14:

 

[TSandM]

If you think you're advanced you're not diving with good enough divers.....

As so often, Diver0001 has turned a beautiful phrase.

When I look at the skills my GUE instructor has, I realize how much of a beginner I am.

When I went out with my buddy the other day, I realized how far I've come.

To be trite but true, I'll quote the DAN magazine: "A good diver is always learning."

In medicine, if you start to think you've gotten there, you're losing ground.

 

[spectrum]

I think you really need to put it the context of the type of diving you seek to be proficient in.

Am I? Nahhhh That will take some more training and certainly more experience.
And another 1,000 posts her on SB..... Just kidding.

Meanwile I consider myself a capable diver learning the ropes and that's further along than I anticipated at the end of year 1.

Pete

 

[Divmstr223]

Advanced does not mean elite, nor does it mean you've reached the top of the mountain and there is no more to learn.....it pretty much means Intermediate, not a novice diver anymore.

Most of you probably do not give yourself enough credit, or don't have enough confidence in yourselves to consider yourself advanced....who knows..