If you could change one thing about dive training...

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Let’s see, their is a shore diving cert,

Who has a shore diving cert?

Is your point that a lot of con ed courses could be simple orientations?

 

[Esprise Me]

All of those provide additional training for divers that need it. In fact, that is consistent with my post. You get your generic certification, and then, if you wish, you can add additional training for training not covered in that original certification. I am not sure what the problem is that you are trying to highlight.

My point was that people get certified and then can choose to get further training for areas outside of their initial training. They don't have to get that training if they don't need it. That contrasts with the posts preceding that, in which people seemed to be suggesting that OW certifications be limited to the conditions under which the diver was trained, meaning, of course, that the diver would have to get a different OW certification or required additional training should that diver wish to dive under different conditions. "Oh, this says you were certified to dive in the 80° water of St. Croix. This is Seattle, with colder water, so we need to see some additional certification."

So I guess I don't see your point. You seem to be suggesting that these certifications are required in addition to the OW certification. Are you saying that if I was certified with my OW dives being done on a boat, then someone is going to demand that I have shore diver certification before I can wade in from the beach? If this is what you meant, could you provide links to places requiring this?

It's already the case that some operators want to see specific certs beyond OW, some will accept experience in lieu of training, and some don't care at all. I don't think a cold water specialty would change that dynamic, and it might be useful.

I'm not sure how it would work to change the actual OW cert to be either warm or cold water, though. For one thing, where would you draw the line? Is SoCal cold enough? What about Baja? Or does the water have to be cold enough to potentially cause a first-stage free flow? What if you learn to drive in a drysuit and heavy undergarments because that's normally what's called for, but then you happen to get some unusually warm water? (I visited Washington state this past summer and found myself diving in water that was in the 70s at the surface, 60s at depth!)

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I visited Washington state this past summer and found myself diving in water that was in the 70s at the surface, 60s at depth!)

Hood Canal?

 

[Esprise Me]

Hood Canal?

Yep, Sund Rock.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Yep, Sund Rock.

Hood Canal is an anomaly in the Puget Sound due to the ridge towards the mouth that prevents a full tidal exchange. The closer you get to Belfair, the warmer the water gets when there's calm weather and a greater vertical tide flux. Surface water near my parents beach house on the north shore can hit the low 80s. Nowhere else in Washington state does water get that warm in summer. Though at depth it drops to the 50s.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

There's also a lack of oxygen problem in summer in those waters due to the water temps and that the septic tanks serving all the homes generate nitrogen that displaces oxygen. That's if my non scientific background understood those research papers I read years ago. Divers often comment about lethargic wolf eels and octopuses.

 

[Rukkian]

Nitrox should be incorporated into basic open water. Straight up air is a lousy gas for diving except for rare situations. It either doesn't have enough Oxygen, has too much Nitrogen, or typically both.

Sorry, do not agree on this one. While I am nitrox certified, it has its uses, but it is overkill in many situations. Of the local quarries near me (about 8 of them within 2 hours), only one is deeper than 50', and that one is blackout sulfur cloud below 65'. Nitrox is also double the price (8 vs 16) for a standard tank.

There are many people that would never need or want Nitrox, and adding that in to force everybody to learn it seems overkill imo.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Sorry, do not agree on this one. While I am nitrox certified, it has its uses, but it is overkill in many situations. Of the local quarries near me (about 8 of them within 2 hours), only one is deeper than 50', and that one is blackout sulfur cloud below 65'. Nitrox is also double the price (8 vs 16) for a standard tank.

There are many people that would never need or want Nitrox, and adding that in to force everybody to learn it seems overkill imo.

We can agree to disagree. I think being trained in the use of Nitrox, knowing its benefits, knowing when it makes sense to use it and having it as an available tool when warranted would be beneficial for every single diver IMO. Knowing how and when to use it doesn’t mean you have to use it on every dive. Regardless of my opinion it’s not gonna happen so it’s pretty irrelevant.

 

[Jake 10]

We can agree to disagree. I think being trained in the use of Nitrox, knowing its benefits, knowing when it makes sense to use it and having it as an available tool when warranted would be beneficial for every single diver IMO. Knowing how and when to use it doesn’t mean you have to use it on every dive. Regardless of my opinion it’s not gonna happen so it’s pretty irrelevant.

Agree with @Divin'Papaw. IMHO when diving a 20ft-30ft reef an air tank is more than sufficient for me, and don't need a nitrox. But this is me

 

[Rukkian]

Let’s see, their is a shore diving cert, a night diving cert, a boat diving cert, a deep cert, a drysuit cert, ice diving…. The future is now…

Those are, for the most part optional. They are not required in most circumstances. Drysuit may be required to rent one, and ice diving is really a technical environment, so that is not part of OW anyways.