I am skeptical about a close friend of mine and her diving experience.

[MXGratefulDiver]

I call bull****.

As mentioned, master diver is nothing at all to boast about... a piece of plastic that simply means its owner has completed a handful of specialties under the guidance of an Open Water instructor. The process is simple and participants rarely fail because there are no skills required. Even Divemaster is an entry-level qualification.

Well, that's one agency's definition of the term. I can think of at least two other agencies that apply somewhat more stringent conditions to achieving that particular certification ... and as previously mentioned, it means something completely different if you're in the US Navy ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fjpatrum]

It is possible to start diving at 14 but in order to rack up a decent amount of diving between then and 22 she would have needed quite a bit of pocket money or some wealthy parents who invested heavily in her diving education, equipment & experience. For the kind of job you are explaining (if it exists) I would be very surprised if a 22 yr old has managed to rack up the credentials and contacts in order to pick up a paid gig of that nature.

There is no license I know of that requires swimming in a shark tank in order to get it

It doesn't cost a lot of money to dive if you don't have to travel to do it. The OP doesn't state a location but it could be this woman started diving at 14 and has dove every day a couple dives per day as shore dives. Or maybe her parents own a dive operation, or who knows?

Is it likely, probably not. Is it possible, certainly.

I have a friend whose daughter is almost 19 and has well into the hundreds of dives. She's only been diving since she was 16 and she lives here in the DC area. (They aren't all quarry dives either.)

 

[chillyinCanada]

A friend of mine got paid $1200 to take pictures of a grate in a pond. Took longer to gear up than the actual project. She had a couple of gigs like that. Wouldn't take long to rack up $60,000 at that rate per grate. Of course, she had her instructor's, he he.

 

[rhwestfall]

certified or certifiable? You got yourself a "winner"...:wacko:

---------- Post added March 7th, 2014 at 02:04 PM ----------

There's meme advising people not to stick their d!ck in the crazy. I think the advice may be appropriate here.

:lol:

 

[freewillie]

My daughter certified as Junior Open Water diver at age 13. When she was 15 certified for Advanced Open Water. Neither of her training courses required diving in a shark cage. She (and I) have seen many sharks in the open water however.

 

[herbdb]

A few years ago, I participated in a project with divers from the Maritime Research Division of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA). Maritime Research | SCIAA | Arts & Sciences | University of South Carolina

They do survey known wrecks and participate in other research projects involving diving. They were part of the team that brought up the Huntley.

She might work for a similar organization. These were great people and very good divers, but I don't know that they had special training. The shark thing sounds "fishy" unless it was coincidental to demonstrating her skills in an aquarium.

So it is possible, but probably exaggerated.

 

[Hank49]

Can you post a picture of her? At least I can see if it's worth all the bull ****. It could be…….

 

[dmoore19]

Ah yes, the crazy one. Lot's of fun and very interesting until it isn't. I think most guys have dated a gal like that. I know I did.

You can dive with the sharks in the aquarium here. If I am not mistaken you can get the Scuba Diver card while diving in the aquarium. It is not the OW card but the dives do give you 2 of the dives necessary to to attain your OW certificate.

She still sounds a bit of a looney to me.

 

[cerich]

if you need to post that question on here...you KNOW the answer to your questions....

 

[iluvtheocean]

if you need to post that question on here...you KNOW the answer to your questions....

i got rid of the crazy girfriend years ago... now my wife just needs to put up with me...and me... and me
is it bad that i can hold a conversation in my head with my selves? only a couple of the them tend to be on the weird side