You do realize that this is "New Divers and Those Considering Diving"? I'm saying for this crowd, yes, indeed it is.
And I state for a fact; No, it is not. You are confusing the skill required to dive a certain site with the skill required to get on and off the boat. Boat Diver specialty will not back you a better diver. And I'd still like to know what this instructor could possibly teach that isn't common sense.
You hope for seas that are 2-3 feet. Much more common is 3-4. 4-5 is common. You lose your grip or the downstroke knocks you or your mask off, even you will be wanting your fins..
Then...don't lose your grip. Hold the ladder at the bottom; as the boat goes down, the ladder goes up; minimizing the force needed to keep a grip.
Now, I agree; I like to keep my fins until I'm on the boat. But I have yet to lose my grip; even in 6-8 foot seas. Yours is not the only place with waves.
Regarding the fins thing, just do what the boat tells you to do. The ones I've dived on has never had ladders designed for fins so I've always had to take them off before climbing on even when the water was rough. You might want to keep your fins on but if the ladder isn't designed for fins, I doubt it's going to work out well.
What we're talking about is the common practice of removing the fins and putting them around your wrists, so you can retain them if you fall of the ladder, and need to swim back to the boat.
However, in strong seas and heavy currents, your best bet may be to just inflate the BCD, chill out, and wait for the boat to come and get you again.
You are just as entitled to your position as I am. No prob. C'mon up and dive with us sometime. Just don't ask what to do. It's all common sense...
It is. And getting on and off the boat is not challenging or counter-intuitive. The dives are different. You may have an advanced site requiring experienced divers to safely dive it. That's fine. But do not confuse the skill required to dive a site with the ability to get on and off a boat; which doesn't change from place to place.
Really? Not here. I am proof that a cert will get you a seat.
I know. See previous post. It's a marketing strategy.
You don't, it's a myth that PADI likes to keep going. Shops may ask for either liability (Deep come to mind), or to get you to buy the card (training) from them in order to do the dive.