FB posting - standards violations - how many can you pick out?

[SandyRobinson]

...I will never be called into court to defend myself ... I will also never be called into court to answer how....

And the older I get, the more I appreciate this.

 

[Wookie]

But @Wookie , no one can learn from silence and private grumbling amongst the Scuba elite wove known each other years. When I am planning my family’s vacation, i need all the public shaming of bad practices to be right out there with its knickers off, or i might book the wrong boat! I can’t fly out to California or Red Sea to pre-inspect boats!
EVERYBODY needs to share honest, crisp assessments or what is the point of an online forum? I don’t mind saying...
HHHEEEELLLLPPP!!!

So what if I told you that every boat has operated outside of their inspection criteria, and the potential for fire exists on every boat in certain situations. That every instructor has the potential to lose control of their students and they could die.

What if I told you that Scuba is a dangerous sport that can be done safely, and that boat rides are dangerous, but a watchful eye can mitigate those dangers?

So if you came to me or 10,000 other people and said "I want to pick a rebreather instructor to teach me the best way to dive my (insert bad choice here) rebreather, can you help me?" -- or -- if you said "I want to go on a liveaboard to XXX place, can you give me advice?" I would jump up to do so. I would be happy to provide my opinion.

Mr. Palma would not be on the list of instructors I would recommend for your helitrox course on the Florida Gulf Coast. I would refer you to a NAUI instructor, on the Gulf Coast, who is an expert spearfisherman. He does not pump his steel 108's to 4500 PSI. He teaches the course fairly regularly. I would not recommend Mr. Palma because I do not know him.

My AN/DP/Normoxic/ course was taught by a member of the IANTD Board of Directors. To complete my AN/DP/Normoxic class, I completed exactly one session in the pool, 2 dives in the ocean, and took exactly 0 tests. I thought I was getting a highly regarded instructor, after all, he was on the IANTD BOD. After receiving my cards in the mail, and my TDI cards as well, because hey, if you're going to blow standards for one agency, might as well go for 2, I did a little talking to people. My instructor had a terrible reputation, and still does.

So I do not recommend him to AN/DP/Normoxic class. We got technical gas blender thrown in as well, IIRC. But I don't slag him off online. And I don't look at facebook as a reliable source of information. People post a lot of BS on facebook, as well as any online forums.

Today's rule. Don't slag off a scuba instructor until you took a class from them and walked a mile in their moccasins.

 

[Bubblesong]

So what if I told you that every boat has operated outside of their inspection criteria, and the potential for fire exists on every boat in certain situations. That every instructor has the potential to lose control of their students and they could die.

What if I told you that Scuba is a dangerous sport that can be done safely, and that boat rides are dangerous, but a watchful eye can mitigate those dangers?

So if you came to me or 10,000 other people and said "I want to pick a rebreather instructor to teach me the best way to dive my (insert bad choice here) rebreather, can you help me?" -- or -- if you said "I want to go on a liveaboard to XXX place, can you give me advice?" I would jump up to do so. I would be happy to provide my opinion.

Mr. Palma would not be on the list of instructors I would recommend for your helitrox course on the Florida Gulf Coast. I would refer you to a NAUI instructor, on the Gulf Coast, who is an expert spearfisherman. He does not pump his steel 108's to 4500 PSI. He teaches the course fairly regularly. I would not recommend Mr. Palma because I do not know him.

My AN/DP/Normoxic/ course was taught by a member of the IANTD Board of Directors. To complete my AN/DP/Normoxic class, I completed exactly one session in the pool, 2 dives in the ocean, and took exactly 0 tests. I thought I was getting a highly regarded instructor, after all, he was on the IANTD BOD. After receiving my cards in the mail, and my TDI cards as well, because hey, if you're going to blow standards for one agency, might as well go for 2, I did a little talking to people. My instructor had a terrible reputation, and still does.

So I do not recommend him to AN/DP/Normoxic class. We got technical gas blender thrown in as well, IIRC. But I don't slag him off online. And I don't look at facebook as a reliable source of information. People post a lot of BS on facebook, as well as any online forums.

Today's rule. Don't slag off a scuba instructor until you took a class from them and walked a mile in their moccasins.

Um Wookie, are you seriously recommending that people go to this “River Styx Dive Shop” that we just saw the video from?
Wookie, think about that.
The whole point of an online forum is to advise others and get advice which means i never have to go do a bounce dive on Mystery Mix to see that it is dangerous.
As for that broad, sweeping remark, “we are all Scuba sinners with the mark of Cain” yep, that would be me. Which is why I am on SB saying Hheeelllpppp! Please post warnings i can read about before I put down my deposit on a boat that is currently moored 50 feet under the waves!!!

 

[Wookie]

Yo

Um Wookie, are you seriously recommending that people go to this “River Styx Dive Shop” that we just saw the video from?
Wookie, think about that.
The whole point of an online forum is to advise others and get advice which means i never have to go do a bounce dive on Mystery Mix to see that it is dangerous.
As for that broad, sweeping remark, “we are all Scuba sinners with the mark of Cain” yep, that would be me. Which is why I am on SB saying Hheeelllpppp! Please post warnings i can read about before I put down my deposit on a boat that is currently moored 50 feet under the waves!!!

your response confuses me.

 

[markmud]

I read this whole thread (to this point).

Marie has a point: Those pictures look like a train wreck in the making.

Wookie has a point: They were all consenting adults who have access to information as we all do (with the click of a mouse). It's their life, why should I care what or how they dive (as long as my money isn't used to recover their bodies). I am not against suicide; if you need it, do it (just make sure your family members have money to pay for the psychological counseling that said suicide will incur on their part). Dive and let Dive.

Here is my point: I now know why industry pros don't think my certs are worth a dam*. Between the OP's pictures and Wookie's certification experience, who could possibly think those cards mean anything. Add to that my experience with my AOW instructor.

What a klusterfoxtrot.
m

PS: If you have trouble understanding the metric and imperial systems at the same time, I seriously wonder about your cognitive capabilities; both are easy.

 

[Manatee Diver]

PS: If you have trouble understanding the metric and imperial systems at the same time, I seriously wonder about your cognitive capabilities; both are easy.

I disagree about cognitive capabilities, I think in most cases it is about people not even trying but I agree, understanding metric with some simple conversions is pretty easy. My foreign friends and I have no issues converting each others numbers in our heads.

Granted we aren't launching probes to Mars, so basic conversions like 3ft for every meter, and 15 psi for every bar is close enough.

 

[Jcp2]

Many Europeans speak multiple languages. Many Americans need subtitles for English/Scottish/Irish accented English.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Many Europeans speak multiple languages. Many Americans need subtitles for English/Scottish/Irish accented English.

This Southerner often needs subtitles in New York.

 

[Marie13]

Many Europeans speak multiple languages. Many Americans need subtitles for English/Scottish/Irish accented English.

Listening to BBC Radio online (Radio 4 or 5 Live, not the World Service) has considerably helped me with that.

I’ve been in rural Louisiana with a friend who is an area native. She had to translate for me at a restaurant. Couldn’t understand a word the waitress said.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Many Europeans speak multiple languages. Many Americans need subtitles for English/Scottish/Irish accented English.

Well, I am European and speak 2 other languages besides English, but grew up in the US. Being a Monty Python fan helped me immensely. Except with Scottish accents. Can't understand a thing. I just nod my head a smile like an idiot.