fundies for experienced diver

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As an alternative, Dan MacKay travels and offers courses in BC as well.
You can get hold of him through NTD :wink:
I don't know whether it would benefit you, I know it did for me. I'm not an instructor though. :D
 
Hey Dave,

I'll second the recommendations for Joe as a teacher. He's a good communicator, which goes beyond scuba... plus he will have you laughing (yes at yourselves sometimes) and really thinking through the "why" of what you do in a true discussion format.

And with the attitude you have going into a class like this, you'll end up taking a lot home. Humility and teachability are two skills most difficult to teach a teacher who does not have them, and 2 of the most necessary.

Aloha, Tim
 
NWGratefulDiver:
I went in thinking my skills were solid, and I'd pretty much breeze through the class ... after all, I'd been diving with DIR folks for about three years.

Boy ... was I wrong. You can read my report in here somewhere ... it wasn't pretty, and I didn't pass.
(Grateful Diver)

Bob,

I took your advice and found your old post from when you first took the course (you're welcome). I thought I would post the actually link here as it has a lot of great information and is especially applicable to WEDIVEBC's original post.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=60602&page=1&pp=10&highlight=NWGratefulDiver+Fundamentals

I am scheduled for the Sept 16th class, with Joe Talavera, and have been reading Fundies threads to get an understanding of what I have in store. You're old post has really changed my outlook on what I have to gain from the class. I view myself as moderately astute, somewhat competitive, and a quick learner. I'm also aware of the pass/provisional pass status when you leave the course. Until I read your old thread, I was unaware that I was building an unconscious mindset that I was going to learn everything I can in the class, so I can be the best I can be, AND finish the course with a Pass status (no Army slogan jokes please).

I'm no longer worrying about the final status. I am viewing the course and an introduction to a set of skills and philosophies that will allow me to learn everything I can as I continue in my diving. I want to thank you and the others that have been so honest in their experiences and conflicts of mindset that the Fundies class has brought about. I'm more excited about the course than ever.

-Chris
 
cbfin:
Bob,

I took your advice and found your old post from when you first took the course (you're welcome). I thought I would post the actually link here as it has a lot of great information and is especially applicable to WEDIVEBC's original post.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=60602&page=1&pp=10&highlight=NWGratefulDiver+Fundamentals

-Chris
Hey Chris ...

Try this thread as well ... starts getting interesting around the bottom of page 4.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=59783&page=1&pp=10

Going back and reading those "old" threads (was it really only a year ago?) makes me realize how much value the class has ... I thought I was pretty good before then, and I've come a long way since. It's funny, actually, reading how frustrated I was between the rig and the skills ... it feels as natural as breathing now.

Retrospectives are enlightening at times ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Hey Bob,
You suggested in your report choice of dive partner can be important for this course. I was originally going to take this course with a friend but she is worried she can't afford it right now. So I can delay training until she can do it with me or can I do the course now and audit the course later when she does her training? Any thoughts?
 
Personally, while I think it's a very good thing for your team, diving with your regular buddy in DIRF isn't really all that important for the class itself.
 
wedivebc:
Hey Bob,
You suggested in your report choice of dive partner can be important for this course. I was originally going to take this course with a friend but she is worried she can't afford it right now. So I can delay training until she can do it with me or can I do the course now and audit the course later when she does her training? Any thoughts?
Dave, chances are that if you did the course with your friend you would either be on a different team, or there would be a third team member joining you. The class is typically run with six students, broken down into two teams of three divers each.

While there are advantages to diving with someone you're familiar with, the point of the class is to help you learn how to approach diving from a team perspective. Diving with strangers may make it more difficult to really do well in the class, but in hindsight, it helped me realize where my weaknesses were, and what I needed to do to improve my buddy skills.

Take the class now ... you can always audit it with your friend later ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
kidspot:
Hey Dave,

I'll second the recommendations for Joe as a teacher. He's a good communicator, which goes beyond scuba... plus he will have you laughing (yes at yourselves sometimes) and really thinking through the "why" of what you do in a true discussion format.

And with the attitude you have going into a class like this, you'll end up taking a lot home. Humility and teachability are two skills most difficult to teach a teacher who does not have them, and 2 of the most necessary.

Aloha, Tim

Just don't ever say to Joe "Ha, I didn't touch the bottom a single time on the entire dive" inevitably the next video review will feature a closeup shot of one of your fins buried in the sand/silt/bottom :) (of course i'd never make such a statmement but I have a buddy who might ...)
 
I stared diving in the 70s. Took GUE Cave I in the late 90s with JJ and Ted Cole (before DIRF existed) and brought in a DIRF class to Santa Rosa, New Mexico in the early 00s. I got a ton out of it, despite all the diving experience I had and the cave class.

Roak
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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