End of Diving Dream?

[BrianO]

In all the years I've been teaching and diving in general, I've realized that diving is not a natural act. It requires special equipment and the technical know-how touse it safely.
Sounds like the initial assessment was premature. Mask clearing can be difficult to master especially in cold water. Cold water in your face can be a surprise no matter how many times you've done it. I've seen/heard of students practising mask removal/replacement in a cold shower before moving back into confined water. This diver may also want to get their hands on a mask with a purge valve. Looking down instead of up to clear keeps water out of the nose and is more natural.

Patience is the key to many successes.

As far as the DM candidate declaring no air in your BC while submerged, he is 100% wrong. The BC is there to neutralize buoyancy underwater after wetsuit compression makes you heavy.

The point here is that you will see many good examples of how to do it correctly and many good examples of how to do it wrong. It is up to the individual to recognize the difference. Glad to hear you're not still diving with someone whose ego won't allow them to admit they were wrong or, better yet, make sure that you're doing it properly.

 

[RiverRat]

Without knowing all of the facts I feel the DM should never make a statement like that. I work as a DM from time to time and I would never say anything like that. If someone has a particular worry (many do confide them to a DM) I give them the best advice I can, reassure them and tell them to talk to the Instructor if they still have a problem. I then make a mental note of it. If I were an Instructor and heard my asisstant say that to a student I'd be steamed. I've only got a year in DM'ing but from what I see most students see the DM as more approachable than the Instructor, a role model for the type of diver they may like to be. I've had days where I've felt I really didn't do much and got all kinds of comments like "thanks for helping", "thanks for being so patient", thanks for fixing my o-ring, my mask etc. etc. All this stuff is in the PADI DM book. You're there to assist, be a role model, not overrule the Instructor. Let the Instructor make decisions when that time comes. At times you may actually be totally in charge while helping while OW classes and at that time have the exact same responsibilities as the Instructor (depends on Instructor). You really have to watch what you say and do and try to be as professional as possible. You can talk about it later after the class.

 

[Diver0001]

If I were an Instructor and heard my asisstant say that to a student I'd be steamed.

So would I.... assuming that the DM were functioning in the roll of a CA.

In fact, I think it's pretty ridiculous (getting back to the original post) to write someone off for a little trouble with the mask. There are reasons you might want to suggest to someone that it's unwise for them to take on an OW class, though. For example, I once had a woman in for an intro who was literally terrified of water. She wanted to use learning to dive as a way to confront that fear and while the mere fact that she was taking action more than earned my respect, I eventually told her that she would be better off taking swimming lessons first and then diving lessons after that.

Situations like that are not even that uncommon and I believe as a DM you shouldn't be "prohibited" regardless of how big the instructor's ego is, from forming an opinion about that. When functioning as a CA you obviously need to give your opinion to the instructor and not to the student, but when you're on your own (and this doesn happen) you should speak your mind. The DM in questoin may have been too inexperienced to know that nearly everyone can work out a little mask problem but the fact that she spoke her mind is not what's wrong with this if you ask me.

R..

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea Diver0001, the key part you mentioned being the DM giving his/her opinion to the Instructor, not the student. Many new divemasters especially new ones havent mastered the techniques of confronting a student about something like that without being rude, or disenheartening a student completely, its definently a touchy kind of thing.

 

[rawls]

Nah...She shouldn't be a divemaster, number one...because she was willing to play the diving god's messenger and as such, number two...she doesn't have enough guts to tell dive god that if he or she makes that kind of decision, then it should be he dive god or she dive god who should tell the student. One very important trait of a divemaster is the ability to stop, think, assess and act...Not, hmmm...I think I will kiss then act the *ss

 

[Thalassamania]

Patience is the key to many successes.

You've got that one right, and if I might be so bold as to add: good training is built on breaking each skill down into small enough, and easy enough, steps that each step is a success.

 

[almitywife]

if someone really wants to dive, has the ability (with a little bit of kid glove help) and isnt a danger to themselves... hubby will spend more time with that person to make it happen

eg, 27th Dec is a public holiday for us but i just ofund out hubby going to spend time with a struggling student one on one to sort out the problem and help give him some confidence

im sorry your DM freind thinks its ok to make these calls... they can be life effecting and i hope she learns to treat people in this situation more kindly

cheers

 

[IceIce]

I think you need to consider why someone wants to learn how to dive. There is a big difference between someone who loves the wild-life and sees diving as a means to end; the water baby who sees it as a natural progression from snorkeling and the phobic who wants to dive to confront their fears... (just to name a few examples)

Was it the bolter's dream to be a diver or was it someone else's dream that the bolter be a diver?.

Without know the rest of the story it’s very possible that she told the diver exactly what he wanted to hear – and relay to someone that might have been pushing him to dive. It might have also been something I’ve seen too many times where someone says they always wanted to dive when they actually meant to say they always wanted to tell their friends they are a diver.

I have only ever had one student I felt was not cut out to be a scuba diver ... she was absolutely terrified of the water. She was doing it because her husband was a diver, and she wanted to please him. Still, I allowed her to make the decision on her own ... and she decided that diving was something she would never enjoy doing..

However, I would have no problem telling a student I couldn't certify them and that they would need additional training to do so. Last weekend an instructor friend of mine had to do just that to a family of three who had planned to go to Hawaii over Christmas and dive. Fortunately they accepted her judgment.

Good points.
It's interesting to see it from the other side, I guess the motivation of diving also play a big role here, although in this particular case I believe she was too fast to pass on her deadly judgement on the first day of the student's OW course. I tend to agree that they have the right to find out by themselves, or when the qualified person have more base and background to pass their advice.

I believe the instructor was not present when she made the remark.

The shop I work with tells students "They can quit, but they can't fail." Certification takes as long as it takes for the student to be comfortable and master the skills.

I think the record so far is around 2 years of pool sessions.

if someone really wants to dive, has the ability (with a little bit of kid glove help) and isnt a danger to themselves... hubby will spend more time with that person to make it happen

Kudo for that! Don't know about other, but in my view, it's a very rare dedication and patience. The shop/center that I encounter, 90% repeat the word profit, profit, profit, and it sure eliminates the option your shop offers.

As far as the DM candidate declaring no air in your BC while submerged, he is 100% wrong. The BC is there to neutralize buoyancy underwater after wetsuit compression makes you heavy.

The point here is that you will see many good examples of how to do it correctly and many good examples of how to do it wrong. It is up to the individual to recognize the difference. Glad to hear you're not still diving with someone whose ego won't allow them to admit they were wrong or, better yet, make sure that you're doing it properly.)

Excatly, what is the use of BCD if I can't use it to help to achieve the buoyancy.
I actually spent almost 30 dives adapting his mantra, never put air in the BCD underwater, I managed to get buoyant at times, but it doesn't work all the time. The ridiculous thing was, he made me think I was the stupid and the wrong one. I stopping diving with them (that time I didn't know he was wrong) because I found the way he confront me underwater was dangerous, I could easily panic because in my mask he was trying to prevent me to survive, worse still, in the wrong way.


It's great to be able to read many view from everyone of you.