scubafool
Contributor
We all have read umpteen thousand threads on here about poor instructors, weak training standards, newbie OW divers who shouldn't be OW divers, etc, ad infinitum, blah, blah, blah.
In fact, in many ways, I have found that my own OW course that I went through was lacking in many areas.
But today I had the priviledge of diving with a "relatively" newer diver, and I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised. Said diver has only been certified for ~ 1 year, hasn't dove in nearly 2 months, did AOW on an out of town trip, you know, the story that should equal a flailing train wreck, if all we read on this board is true. This person turned that stereotype squarely on it's head.
It was soon obvious to me that my buddy had been exposed to some good instruction. My new buddy was involved in the planning, and brought up a couple of points that helped us tailor our dive plan to suit us. My new buddy was very receptive to practicing a few drills in shallow water at the start of the dive. Also, it appeared to me that at first this person was a little uncomfortable. The very first thing that this person did was to STOP and breath till everything felt better. No "Let's go, I can handle this" attitude. As the dive progressed, I noticed that my new buddy was regularily looking at me, making sure that I was still around. Also, I noticed that this person seemed to be in horizontal trim, with very acceptable bouyancy control.
On the second dive, we happily had the deep section all too ourselves for a short time. Then the inevitable rain of divers started, and my buddy thumbed us out of the area up to the shallows. And now is when I saw some really bad examples of gear management, some of my biggest pet peeves violated to the 9th degree. Octos blowing in the breeze, bumping into consoles that are also behind the diver. What good are these things if you don't know where they are at?!!? Arrrgh! But looking at my buddy, gauges are clipped off close and tight, and octo is where it was restowed after the OOA drill.
So I just wanted to say to my new buddy's instructor, and to any other instructor out there who teaches to this level, a big huge KUDOS to ya, and don't ever stop. We need more like you, and you are noticed and appreciated.
In fact, in many ways, I have found that my own OW course that I went through was lacking in many areas.
But today I had the priviledge of diving with a "relatively" newer diver, and I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised. Said diver has only been certified for ~ 1 year, hasn't dove in nearly 2 months, did AOW on an out of town trip, you know, the story that should equal a flailing train wreck, if all we read on this board is true. This person turned that stereotype squarely on it's head.
It was soon obvious to me that my buddy had been exposed to some good instruction. My new buddy was involved in the planning, and brought up a couple of points that helped us tailor our dive plan to suit us. My new buddy was very receptive to practicing a few drills in shallow water at the start of the dive. Also, it appeared to me that at first this person was a little uncomfortable. The very first thing that this person did was to STOP and breath till everything felt better. No "Let's go, I can handle this" attitude. As the dive progressed, I noticed that my new buddy was regularily looking at me, making sure that I was still around. Also, I noticed that this person seemed to be in horizontal trim, with very acceptable bouyancy control.
On the second dive, we happily had the deep section all too ourselves for a short time. Then the inevitable rain of divers started, and my buddy thumbed us out of the area up to the shallows. And now is when I saw some really bad examples of gear management, some of my biggest pet peeves violated to the 9th degree. Octos blowing in the breeze, bumping into consoles that are also behind the diver. What good are these things if you don't know where they are at?!!? Arrrgh! But looking at my buddy, gauges are clipped off close and tight, and octo is where it was restowed after the OOA drill.
So I just wanted to say to my new buddy's instructor, and to any other instructor out there who teaches to this level, a big huge KUDOS to ya, and don't ever stop. We need more like you, and you are noticed and appreciated.
