Doc Intrepid:[SARCASM_ON]...the reason I hang around on ScubaBoard is so I can blow smoke up people's rear ends and bend over and talk out my butt about things I know nothing of. I do this primarily because I enjoy misleading the gullible as a recreational activity.I was never a Marine Corps officer stationed in the South Pacific, I am not PADI instructor #19309, and I've never done any drift diving in Palau and the Western Carolines, Okinawa, the Philippines, nor Micronesia. Mostly I just make all this up as I go along.
Your guess is correct, classes are insidious things designed to separate fools from their hard-earned dollars. Classes to teach people how to do simple and obvious tasks, moreover, are farm animal stupid and would only appeal to certifiable Jerry Lewis Telethonites.[/SARCASM]
It is quite true that very few divers would need to know about satellite telephones if drift diving where you do, off the coast from Fort Lauderdale. It's likely rare that your charter boat trips last longer than an hour to 90% of the locations where you'd be drift diving. You may even still have cell phone service while anchored at the dive site.
The 'drift diving' I've done in the Columbia River and the St. Lawrence Seaway could likewise not be considered "remote". A GPS-enabled EPIRB would quite likely be overkill, as you can see the shore on both sides in most locations where you're drifting. I agree that one of the risks you face is a potential fine for being a navigational hazard, but this consequence is rarely fatal - even in Canada.
The environment I was referring to is nothing like drift diving along the coast of Florida nor along a defined route like a river. It's true that you're drifting along with the current in both cases, however, the consequences for any sort of failure, oversight, or omission in the more remote regions of the South Pacific are significantly more problematic than for coastal North America. I'm willing to bet that the family of Dan Grenier, who went on a drift dive in Fiji one day and drifted off to oblivion while his wife, who was driving the boat, frantically searched for him, wishes like hell that Dan had taken an EPIRB with him that day.
To each their own opinions.
To Stever2002 and anyone else contemplating this or any course, courses can be a waste of your time or can be very valuable. The only way to know for sure in any case is to meet with the instructor before you sign up for it and ask questions about the course. Ultimately the instructor and their experience (and willingness to ensure the course meets your needs) will determine whether a Drift Diving course, or indeed any course, will satisfy your requirements.
Regards,
Doc
Wow... such sarchasm... But my point which is still valid is - these items ARE NOT taught in a PADI drift diving course. Your sanctimonious response is talking about a world that is NOT the PADI drift diving course. You mention this hypothetical course that people COULD take, that doesn't exist. Whether diving like you describe exists or not (and I certainly don't doubt your expertise nor did I ever call into question your expert skill and experience) - your point is moot.
