First Dive Trip Without Instructor - Need to Rent Gear & Help Planning

[DogDiver]

Well, they do require a certain minimum of ability to read for comprehension...

They are designed for a 5th grade reading level.

 

[CavernFrog]

There is, but there are three physical volumes: The PADI open water manual, the PADI AOW manual and the PADI EAN manual. I have all three in my bookshelf since iI've taken PADI OW, PADI AOW and PADI EAN. You'll find almost everything covered here in those three bunches of dead trees.

I have the OW manual but somehow made it through AOW and EAN without manuals. I will contact my instructor and request them. Can I order them anywhere else?

 

[RIHappyDiver]

My personal experience with the PADI nitrox course was basically a)here is how to put it into your computer b)see that MOD number? Yeah? Don't go below it or bad **** happens c)pay me

This is another example of it’s the instructor, not the agency. My instructor taught the computer settings but focused a lot on tables and calculating repetitive dives on worksheets. I have no doubt that if my computer goes belly up, I can figure out my next dive with my tables. Haven’t had to, but I keep practicing just in case.

 

[CavernFrog]

I just want to let you all know how much I appreciate all of you on this board for helping me. I even appreciate the members who told me I am not qualified. I am glad that you care. It is actually touching. It has definitely made me consider that I need additional training, which I plan to obtain.

Someone recommended GUE training. Another mentioned TDI and several other organizations. I have PADI OW, AOW, Cavern and EAN certs. My passion is for Cavern diving. Which is the next certification you recommend I should obtain?

 

[boulderjohn]

They are designed for a 5th grade reading level.

As are newspapers.

Since 5th graders (10-year olds) are allowed to be certified, at what grade level do you believe the training materials should be written?

 

[Storker]

Which is the next certification you recommend I should obtain?

Bluntly and frankly: Redo and/or reread (and learn) the curriculum of the courses you've taken, and then get a bunch of dives in your logboook. Preferably with a qualified mentor. Use your brain, and use the high school level physics necessary to properly understand the books you should have received when you did those courses.

This is the main reason I'm a huge fan of European style club diving: join a club and you'll not only get a bunch of buddies, you'll also get a bunch of experienced clubmates who are willing to mentor you. If for nothing else, so at least to avoid that some n00b ruins a good outing and gives the club bad press due to an accident.

 

[azstinger11]

This is another example of it’s the instructor, not the agency. My instructor taught the computer settings but focused a lot on tables and calculating repetitive dives on worksheets. I have no doubt that if my computer goes belly up, I can figure out my next dive with my tables. Haven’t had to, but I keep practicing just in case.

Yeah, no tables were provided or taught by my PADI Nitrox course. I stole my wife’s NAUI Nitrox book and found some Nitrox slates and self taught that aspect of it.

 

[boulderjohn]

[

This is another example of it’s the instructor, not the agency. My instructor taught the computer settings but focused a lot on tables and calculating repetitive dives on worksheets. I have no doubt that if my computer goes belly up, I can figure out my next dive with my tables. Haven’t had to, but I keep practicing just in case.

Okay, then, let's try it.

I just finished doing 33 dives in Palau, so that diving is fresh in my mind. We used either nitrox 33 or 34 on each dive, doing 3 dives a day. The surface interval for each dive was almost exactly one hour. For 3 of those days, I am going to give you the actual details of the first and second dive of each day and give you the depth for the third dive. Choose any one of those 3 days and use the tables (identify which tables) to tell me my time limit for that third dive. To make it easy, assume EANx 33 for each dive.

If you want to make it a little easier, just give me the time limit for the second dive of each day.

5/9/18:

Dive One: 100 feet for 60 minutes
Dive Two: 77 feet for 62 minutes
Dive Three: 96 feet for ??? minutes
​

5/10/18:

Dive One: 91 feet for 66 minutes
Dive Two: 87 feet for 70 minutes
Dive Three: 96 feet for ??? minutes
​

5/11/18:

Dive One: 79 feet for 64 minutes
Dive Two: 87 feet for 67 minutes
Dive Three: 57 feet for ??? minutes

​

 

[tbone1004]

Sorry, very long NACD member and was trained that way. I have a philosophical difference with NAUI’s technical training and even thou I have been an active status instructor for open water for 22 years. I do not feel comfortable taking on the liability of cave training. Just a happy cave diver for 20 years.

what's your objection to NAUI's overhead training that you don't have with GUE? NAUI copied GUE's program almost to the T....

@CavernFrog GUE fundamentals.... or comparable with Edd Sorenson/insert other highly qualified instructor to give you a proper boot camp IMO. No other "certification" needed, just need some adjustments from a good instructor.
also the PADI manuals also IMO are not worth obtaining for nitrox/aow, better ones out there.

 

[CavernFrog]

I'll talk to Edd about a boot camp when I meet him.