History of PDIC

[The Chairman]

What English word didn't you understand? I have to admit to having a strong British influence in my English.

"I love these kinds of threads" : I (NetDoc) appreciate the information presented in these discussions (threads).

"Dude, if you don't addend this thread with what you suss out," : Trace (informal greeting), if (conditional) you (Trace) fails to post further information and understanding you garner,

"I'll have to retaliate" : I (me, myself and I) will (consequence of the previous conditional) be compelled to seek revenge.

Does that help?

 

[TerryWoods]

What English word didn't you understand? I to admit to having a strong British influence in my English.

"I love tf threads" : I (NetDoc) appreciate the information presented in these discussions (threads).

"Dude, if you don't addend this thread with what you suss out," : Trace (informal greeting), if (conditional) you (Trace) fails to post further information and understanding you garner,

"I'll have to retaliate" : I (me, myself and I) will (consequence of the previous conditional) be compelled to seek revenge.

Does that help?

It helps a little. Not sure how much more I can tell you. As I recall Brawley was working wIth a guy (bloke) from Ft. Collins CO and they were putting together a new certification that I think was called SSI . I don't recalled Ed having anything to do with NASDS. Padi was competing at that time with NASDS and NAUI which was some how associated with the YMCA.

I spend part of my winter each year in Grasmere in Cumbria and/or in Scotland.

 

[kelemvor]

This seemed somewhat familiar to me, a relatively new diver. I just realized why. It's covered in some detail in a book by Dr. Alex Brylske, Ph. D. "The Complete Diver".

This stuff is in "Section 1: A brief history of time underwater, Chapter 2: The Untethered Diver & Daddy Scuba. It's under the heading "Scuba American Style."

The Complete Diver: The History, Science and Practice of Scuba Diving: Alex Brylske Ph.D.: 9780615721330: Amazon.com: Books

Good book, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

There are details in this thread not included in the book, but there may be some in the book not already mentioned in the thread.

It's interesting how some of the information appears to differ. Maybe it's just the way things are written. In the book, it sounds like NAUI was a Hess brainchild, and he was assisted by Tillman. In this thread it almost sounds inverted. In the end, it was obviously Hess and Tillman together so perhaps it doesn't matter.

 

[The Chairman]

NAUI was a Hess brainchild, and he was assisted by Tillman.

I think it's interesting to note how many agencies were given birth by pissed off NAUI instructors. PADI, TDI/SDI and NASE come to mind.

 

[kelemvor]

I think it's interesting to note how many agencies were given birth by pissed off NAUI instructors. PADI, TDI/SDI and NASE come to mind.

You would certainly know more than I. The stories I have so far heard made it sound more like they wanted to make more money than the nonprofit NAUI was providing opportunity for rather than a problem with the training its-self. Dr. Brylske's book cites padi as being started because NAUI was "unresponsive to the needs of inland instructors". That sounded to me a lot like Ralph Erickson wanted to create the "referral" program we know today for instructors who really weren't in a place to teach scuba to get a piece of the financial pie. It also covers briefly NASDS and IDEA/FSDA.

 

[The Chairman]

unresponsive

Yeah... that's a code word for being pissed off, ie frustrated, about not being listened to. Very few people teach or create a new agency to 'get rich'. They see a need that's not being addressed and have probably gotten frustrated trying to get it dealt with. Hey, that's why I became an instructor. I didn't like the teaching I saw being given.

 

[blast pass]

Hey Terry, I was @ PDIC in 1976. I think we had abt 25 guys that started in our instructor class. We stayed in a dorm house in pacific grove. Trying to remember the instructors names. We all had many choices upon completion, since that was one of the few instructor colleges at that time. We had guys from all over the world there. Let's chat.

 

[kelemvor]

Yeah... that's a code word for being pissed off, ie frustrated, about not being listened to. Very few people teach or create a new agency to 'get rich'. They see a need that's not being addressed and have probably gotten frustrated trying to get it dealt with. Hey, that's why I became an instructor. I didn't like the teaching I saw being given.

Other than financial reasons, what do you suppose the members weren't being listened to about? I'm pretty curious how we came to have so many agencies, so if it's not an attempt to get rich then I would like to know what the deal was. Assuming folks are around who know and are willing to share, it might be a very interesting story to read.

Divers and dive instructors might not be getting rich. However, according to this PADI are issuing an average of 900,000 certs a year for the past 19 years. It's a privately held company, so someone at the top is making some serious cheddar. I'd bet that the owners and executives at SSI are doing well also. Those stats seem to lend credence to the "get rich" theory of why these agencies exist. The wealth just isn't shared with instructors...

 

[Spack9]

I know a older Instructor Trainer who certified me with PDIC. I will get in contact with him, he had ties somewhere in the late 60s and early 70s. He is about 70 now.

 

[blast pass]

I know a older Instructor Trainer who certified me with PDIC. I will get in contact with him, he had ties somewhere in the late 60s and early 70s. He is about 70 now.

Yes that was in 1975/76 @ seven seas school just up from cannery row monterey,ca. I have some pics of hand feeding the sea otters back then.