Have anyone been turned down for diving because of their certification agency?
- Thread starter johnmckenzie
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Yes, I know some places where the agency is important. I am TDI full cave diver, but with just that cert I am not allowed to dive in the 'Schwalefeld mine' in Germany. Then you need to have an IANTD or gue full cave diver cert. I have an IANTD cave diver cert too, so I can dive there, but some of my friends can't.
Even though most reputable agencies now are able to search for your certification online in the case you forget your card, I have to say that it can be quite annoying to try and find numerous people on the PADI system when they show up in the morning wanting to dive without their CCard.
As for being rejected. I think it doesn't happen as much as it should. I know it differs from shop to shop. But so many shops are so desperate for divers, if you seem even a bit legitimate they will put you on the boat because they need your money. In a perfect world this would never happen and we would all be competent and safe divers.. In the real world it happens quite regularly and people get hurt..
As for being rejected. I think it doesn't happen as much as it should. I know it differs from shop to shop. But so many shops are so desperate for divers, if you seem even a bit legitimate they will put you on the boat because they need your money. In a perfect world this would never happen and we would all be competent and safe divers.. In the real world it happens quite regularly and people get hurt..
Mr Carcharodon
Contributor
I know of a GUE instructor who was refused an air fill based on only having a GUE card. They are a boutique agency at one level and not known to everyone.
In general however anyone asking for a card for anything is rare in my experience. On a recent dive the shop owner at least asked about certification which got a shrug. Number of dives and recency of diving is what he cared about which is the way it should be.
In general however anyone asking for a card for anything is rare in my experience. On a recent dive the shop owner at least asked about certification which got a shrug. Number of dives and recency of diving is what he cared about which is the way it should be.
Really? What's the reasoning behind it? Any IANTD cert is better than the TDI Full Cave? And no way around it? Here at Ojamo mine, no matter the cert, first divers have to do 5 OW dives before being allowed in the tunnels.
That's surprising!
I think so to, not as much to do with fake certifications, but more about the levels of certain dives. Many shops take divers beyond their certifications.
sphyrnidus
Contributor
On the other hand, I met people who were certified DM's, and had not been diving for years and were not able to assemble their kit. And I've seen them being rejected from a day trip with the advice to get a refresher course.
That's not too surprising.
Some people stop diving at some point for one reason or another. Some of them stop diving for a long time or even never start again.
I personally know several Dutch divers with DM ratings who haven't been in the water for a long time. One of them had a traumatic experience in Egypt (getting separated from the boat) and swam to shore over a shallow reef-head. His weightbelt fell off during the entry on a drift dive and he was left behind as the boat followed the group 1+ km downstream in heavy current.
He was close to shore so decided to swim there but the waves rolled and smashed him against the reef and by the time he got to shore his gear was shredded and he was bleeding to the point that bystanders thought that he may have been attacked by a shark. He stopped diving because of that.
Another executed one of the most astonishing rescues in Dutch diving history and came out of it with PTSS. You could say (and may be right) that is is one of the best DM's in Holland... but we've tried to take him diving since then and soon as he's under water he gets panic attacks and hyperventilates. He's a real-life hero, but damaged.
Another (in fact, several others, now that I think of it) got children and took breaks ranging from 6 to 22 years.
So yeah..... having a DM rating does not mean that you are an active diver and it does not mean that don't need to "get back into it".
R..
Not so far but I have had a few take close looks at my dive log. I have seen a couple places where they insisted a diver who couldn't show evidence of recent enough diving was required to do a skills assessment with their instructor before being allowed on the boat.
Wingy
Contributor
Not refused to dive but handed my CMAS card over when getting a card of airfills and the young guy behind the counter looked at it and asked if it was some new foreign agency and said he would need to check with his boss. He had never seen a CMAS card so I gave him the PADI one which I also have. I have never had anyone ask to take a look through my log books or computer.
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