French exception

[scubadada]

I did not know, too. And before becoming a professional instructor, I did sone 30 or perhaps 40 deep air dives, at 60 m or even more (75 at Montecristo island, just once).
However I had a couple of high risk situations and one very close call.
I classify now those dives as youngster's crazyness.
Never did anything so risky in the last 40 years.

75 meters, 246 feet, pO2 nearly 1.8. I could do that dive with a 10 min bottom time at my usual RMV on an AL80 with only 18.5 min of deco. I would easily have enough air to reduce my surfacing GF to something reasonable . That's crazy @Angelo Farina The old days, what was the narcosis like?

 

[evandroairton]

The Brazilian confederation (Cmas associated) used to teach/allow 3* divers to 60 meters on air, even single tank.
I don't know if any of it's schools do that, in fact, by the early 80's some local independent schools get away with that, and since very early 90's PADI, PDIC, NAUI, etc take the country by storm, and nobody beyond their ranks listem to then anymore, although they still claim that their "Brevet" is the only really recognized... maybe on their fantasy land

 

[Angelo Farina]

75 meters, 246 feet, pO2 nearly 1.8. @Angelo Farina The old days, what was the narcosis like?

At 75m narcosys was bad, but just something as twice than at 60 m.
So the equivalent of 4 Martinis instead of 2.
Still bearable.
The problem was oxygen, I got tunnel vision, and after one minute I got complete loss of vision, everything was black.
After that experience I never exceeded 60m again. Once was enough...
I barely survived...

 

[ABCdivepro]

PPO2 1.4 at 21% gives MOD 56mtrs /187 ft. France does not recognize many international qualifications, you think they do because they offer courses and diving with Padi or SSI flags and courses, but in reality you are under French dive regulations as the guide/instructor has the obligatory French national dive instructor qualification and is responsible for you.

France does not recognize any other qualification for dive instructor except their own national standards per code du sport A322-77, must be obtained through one of the 5 main government CREPS centers. This is not compliant with European law forcing inclusivity and standards recognition, Padi took France to the European court in the 2000s and won, so there is now an equivalency process to obtain the French BPJEPS, DEJEPS or DESJEPS qualification, but it is so complex and discriminatory that almost nobody with international instructor quals does it. Not worth the hassle or cost vs living/salary in France as a dive instructor compared to Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, liveboards etc.

Good French diving marine reserve around Port Cros and Hyeres islands, Corsica, but expensive and doesn't compare to eg Malta. New Caledonia, French Caribbean or Polynesia are great, marine life in the Med has declined so much in the last 30 years.

In the 70s BSAC did not differentiate, deco was part of dive learning from the start. During my first week dive course (PASS dive agency, doesn't exist now) we dove to 30 ft, left the tank and reg on the bottom, forced ascent (with fenzy) back to the surface, then freedived back down to put it all on again. Things were different before Padi created recreational diving.

 

[JMBL]

Good French diving marine reserve around Port Cros and Hyeres islands, Corsica, but expensive and doesn't compare to eg Malta. New Caledonia, French Caribbean or Polynesia are great, marine life in the Med has declined so much in the last 30 years.

I will agree to disagree :

- I'd say the Med improved in the last 30 years : around 1990, seeing a grouper longer than a flash of the tail was possible only in Port Cros national reserve
- Obviously you prefer to dive elsewhere, that's fair with me, but is it really accurate to compare French Med coast with New Caledonia, Caribbean or Polynesia ? To the best of my knowledge, the Med is not yet a tropical sea
- I've got fond memories of diving Malta some years back, but I'm not so sure the sea was in richer in life than off the coast of France. I must admit that water was bluer, cristal clear and warmer, though.

 

[Vicko]

France does not recognize any other qualification for dive instructor except their own national standards per code du sport A322-77, must be obtained through one of the 5 main government CREPS centers. This is not compliant with European law forcing inclusivity and standards recognition, Padi took France to the European court in the 2000s and won, so there is now an equivalency process to obtain the French BPJEPS, DEJEPS or DESJEPS qualification, but it is so complex and discriminatory that almost nobody with international instructor quals does it. Not worth the hassle or cost vs living/salary in France as a dive instructor compared to Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, liveboards etc.

Every EU country only recognizes the government issued certification, not just France.
If you work in a dive center in EU without one you are working illegally.

 

[ABCdivepro]

Every EU country only recognizes the government issued certification, not just France.
If you work in a dive center in EU without one you are working illegally.

Not true, CMAS equivalencies, courses to international DIN / ISO standards etc are accepted across most of Europe. Top of my head, Malta, Italy, UK - look at UK HSE diving at work regulations 1997, accepts international quals from all the major dive agencies.

 

[berndo]

Every EU country only recognizes the government issued certification, not just France.
If you work in a dive center in EU without one you are working illegally.

What EU governments issue scuba certifications?

 

[Cheizz]

What EU governments issue scuba certifications?

None, I think. I suppose certifications are issued through the national organizations under CMAS?

 

[Vicko]

It's not a scuba certification, it's a licence to work that only has diving in it's name.