Is Master Scuba Diver "worth it" in your opinion

[Belzelbub]

Just got my 4th, 5th and 6th specialties (ice, advanced ice and altitude) and have rescue and plenty of dives. Is it 'worth it' for the piece of (not really) plastic to get the MSD cert? I think the only remaining step is to ask and pay ~$100, unless Padi does another waiver this year.

For me, getting my MSD card (and challenge coin) was worth every cent I paid for it. In my case, that was 0 cents. I got the MSD recognition after completing Stress & Rescue. There was value in that class, and the other specialties I'd taken before. SSI doesn't charge extra for the recognition certs. If they did, it's highly unlikely that I would have paid for it.

 

[The Chairman]

I’ve done plenty of 100-130ft dives within NDL.

I've done hundreds within NDL. Caca occurs. Once we had an anchor stuck. I was one of two with sufficient gas to go get it. I was the only one with the training and experience. They sent their Divemaster instead and guess what? He got bent. He didn't dive for 4 months.

It's better to overprepare and get the training before you need it.

 

[The Chairman]

Hmmm ... almost happened.

When I first got my CPAP a couple decades ago, I put it on the floor by the bed as I had no nightstand. My Saint Bernard slept by the bed. She was, let's say, gassy. Great big dog farts. The CPAP sucked in said dog fart. Pressurized it. Further humidified it. And pumped it down a hose straight into my nose. It woke me up. I was convinced I was dying.

Huh, mine is filtered.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Huh, mine is filtered.

Mine is filtered too. But dog farts are awful powerful. Don't believe there's a filter for that.

 

[USdiver1]

dog farts are awful powerful. Don't believe there's a filter for that.

They have been known to burn corneas if released in close proximity to one's eyes.

 

[The Chairman]

Mine is filtered too. But dog farts are awful powerful. Don't believe there's a filter for that.

It's why I prefer cats. They don't fart like dogs do. They release pressure with their purrs, instead. They aren't nearly as needy, either.

 

[Diver-Drex]

They have been known to burn corneas if released in close proximity to one's eyes.

And the relevance to diving… keep your dog away from the compressor intake.

 

[Cthippo]

It's unfortunate because MSD  should be meaningful. It is a recognition that a diver has at least taken the core classes and a certain number of elective courses and it should be an indication that they are highly competent within their experience. Unfortunately the variability of quality of instruction lets this down and leaves it meaningless.

Status is a powerful driver of actilns and It would be nice if there were a meaningful certification of competence as a rec diver. Unfortunately, given how the industry is set up that seems unlikely.

 

[fred32176]

Isn't MSD a Boy Scout thing? Earn 5 merit badges and they given you a patch.

 

[boulderjohn]

Isn't MSD a Boy Scout thing? Earn 5 merit badges and they given you a patch.

Yes. When I was working on instructor certification, I had to read a number of historical documents, and I do remember that the Boy Scout merit badge program was the model. At that time, there weren't much more than 5 specialties in existence, so someone who got that many had pretty much exhausted the possibilities for instruction.