Blackcrusader
Contributor
Sometimes I read these threads and think damn, somebody expects a newly minted PADI OW to have the skill set of a cave tech diver using a re-breather. I've done both PADI and BSAC Sports diving courses. I was in a BSAC club which is quite different to taking a vacation to some far away country. I once was asked by a dive center manager if I would buddy up with a diver who had 8 dives since she got her OW. I'm like sure. We do nice slow current dive along a reef wall. I'm like only 8 dives you have to be kidding me. She was one of the best divers I had seen with PADI with so few dives but such great control of trim and buoyancy. She said her instructor was also a BSAC instructor and he would not pass any PADI OW who could not get trim and buoyancy correct. It's all about the instructor.
BSAC Sports diving as others noted is far more intensive in the courses than PADI as PADI is all about NDL and BSAC Sports was all about planning multi deco dives. I'm not really interested in doing any tec courses. I love getting into debates when a tech diver finds me at 45m with a 12l on air then tells me I am going to die. ( let's keep that for another thread OK? ) My BSAC instructor was also head of a commercial Pro Diving outfit at Shell in the country were in. I am sure I was taught some skills about how to rescue yourself that weren't in most training manuals.
Now I just dive on vacation and do so with dive centers. I'll dive with newbies or with those who are experienced I just want to dive and enjoy myself. Dive centers with PADI divers are pretty relaxed and staying within NDL is fine by me. I've done enough planned deco dives using multiple tanks for stops. Sometimes diving with people who are newbies can be fun, you can point out to them marine life they don't recognize, and they come from all walks of life. I've seen really good divers with less than 20 dives and really bad ones with 200 dives.
BSAC Sports diving as others noted is far more intensive in the courses than PADI as PADI is all about NDL and BSAC Sports was all about planning multi deco dives. I'm not really interested in doing any tec courses. I love getting into debates when a tech diver finds me at 45m with a 12l on air then tells me I am going to die. ( let's keep that for another thread OK? ) My BSAC instructor was also head of a commercial Pro Diving outfit at Shell in the country were in. I am sure I was taught some skills about how to rescue yourself that weren't in most training manuals.
Now I just dive on vacation and do so with dive centers. I'll dive with newbies or with those who are experienced I just want to dive and enjoy myself. Dive centers with PADI divers are pretty relaxed and staying within NDL is fine by me. I've done enough planned deco dives using multiple tanks for stops. Sometimes diving with people who are newbies can be fun, you can point out to them marine life they don't recognize, and they come from all walks of life. I've seen really good divers with less than 20 dives and really bad ones with 200 dives.