Mark of the Tech Diver!

[The Chairman]

I am not sure WHY there needs to be a distinction between being professional and not here. Expert, highly paid commercial boat builders built the titanic: amateurs built the ark.

Payment often has little bearing on competence. A desire to learn and to improve will take you far further than just being a paid professional. As a former Master Automotive Technician and Service Advisor, it amazed me at how some people can just fix anything given the proper tools, and sometimes in spite of the tools that they had. I met some very innovative shade tree mechanics who often out performed my professionals. They would have made lousy line techs, but their automotive acumen was astonishing. I also remember the disparaging talk by some of my under performing techs about how they could NOT make it as a line tech. So what? Their accomplishments were driven by passion, which is something a lot of professionals seem to lose along the way.

Passion is lost on those who do not possess it. They don't see it's value and they surely don't benefit from the resultant drive. But passion pushes you to the edge over and over again. Not for some atavistic adrenaline rush, but in a sincere desire to be the very best. If you really want to see passion, ask me about ScubaBoard sometime.

 

[Scott L]

I have no idea what's required to dive a rebreather in England, but I will agree that the requirements to do so in the US are absolutely minimal, and there are people diving them who have no business doing so.

Good for I am not going to get into a debate about this as it seems obvious to me you have no idea what you are talking about. Suggest you check with any reputable rebreather manufacturer try and purchase one with zero training, and while you are at it check the course curriculum for say TDI to become certified for a rebreather.

But to be honest this is only one part of his post to which I took offence, If you want to accept the fact that he is insinuating the pre dive cert requirements to dive a rebreather, training and diving is more difficult in the UK when compared to North America to each his own I guess, By the way I am born and raised in Exeter, Devon, UK so no animosity againt the UK here.

A rather rude post directed to the heart and soul of Scuba Board IMO. Not to put words in her mouth I believe she was refering to the pre-rebreather training requirements which are minimal at best. Several agencies/instructors/manufactures will now combine advanced nitrox and rebreather training in one consecutive multiday class. This obviously translates into zero technical diving experience before embarking upon aruguably the most mentally demanding diving being accomplished within the "non paid" scuba ranks...

 

[Scott L]

What if you're doing PhD-level research inside cave systems on paleoclimatology? Is that still recreational diving?

Isn't that covered within PADI's specialty course - Underwater Naturalists?

Underwater Naturalist Aquatic Life Groupings & Interaction Courses - PADI Scuba Diving Training Instructor Organization

 

[wedivebc]

I have no idea what's required to dive a rebreather in England, but I will agree that the requirements to do so in the US are absolutely minimal, and there are people diving them who have no business doing so.

True as in any facet of diving but RB diving is definitelyheadding in a more mainstream direction as is most of "tech" diving. It is not in the RB community that you find instructors and divers trying to make a 130ft dive akin to a lunar landing. While one group seems to be trying to complicate what was once a fairly basic dive profile by requiring big double tanks, helium etc. the RB community is trying to focus on essential tools to dive safely.
Just because the prerequisites of adv nitrox and prior technical training have been relaxed does not mean anyone is dumbing down RB training. As a RB instructor I am having a hard time not finding your post offensive. If you have first hand knowledge of any RB instructor not providing adequate training please pm me with that information. It has not been my observation

 

[David_57]

A rather rude post directed to the heart and soul of Scuba Board IMO. Not to put words in her mouth I believe she was refering to the pre-rebreather training requirements which are minimal at best. Several agencies/instructors/manufactures will now combine advanced nitrox and rebreather training in one consecutive multiday class. This obviously translates into zero technical diving experience before embarking upon aruguably the most mentally demanding diving being accomplished within the "non paid scuba ranks"...

Dont know TSandM just going by what she stated in her post contradictory to what I had said, as far as I know Scuba Board is about diving and freedom of speech. So sorry if I seem to have infringed on your so called opinion of the heart and soul of Scuba Board. I just find it hard to take when someone starts pointing their negative finger at a certain dicipline of diving and felt the need to speak up.

 

[Scott L]

Dont know TSandM just going by what she stated in her post contradictory to what I had said, as far as I know Scuba Board is about diving and freedom of speech. So sorry if I seem to have infringed on your so called opinion of the heart and soul of Scuba Board. I just find it hard to take when someone starts pointing their negative finger at a certain dicipline of diving and felt the need to speak up.

TSandM is more than capable in defending herself and I will let her do so from this point forward. I have no dog in this fight but I do have 15 minutes before the Gators kick-off. I am sure yourself and wedivebc advocate RB training in the USA is more than adaquate. As an outside observer of rebreathers I have read countless posts on TDS and Rebreather World with many rebreather divers declaring that they were well served having gone through the ranks of technical doubles diving. This seems to be consistant with the UK's philosophy. Once again I know nothing abount rebreathers but have Dr. Mel Clark's big book on the subject next to read. By the way, both you and wedivebc seem like cool cats. I am just keeping the conversation going on a slow night...

 

[RJP]

What if you're doing PhD-level research inside cave systems on paleoclimatology? Is that still recreational diving?

Not if you carry a pony bottle full of nitrox, apparently.

 

[Scott L]

Not if you carry a pony bottle full of nitrox, apparently.

 

[David_57]

The rebreather divers I know are very well trained, knowledgeable and exhibit very good diving abilities especially buoyancy control definitely divers I look up to and can learn from. When I have asked a question they have be glad to answer and very helpful. To be quite honest I find it hard to believe as TsandM stated that there could be people using rebreathers that should not due to inadequate training or diving abilities, and as she is not a rebreather diver wonder how she can even determine this?

Again I find it offensive when someone makes a blanket statement like the OP did in post #54 insinuating the training in the UK is superior and the diving conditions are tougher than North America.

 

[RJP]

To be quite honest I find it hard to believe as TsandM stated that there could be people using rebreathers that should not due to inadequate training or diving abilities, and as she is not a rebreather diver wonder how she can even determine this?

I'm not a rebreather diver, but I crew on a dive boat. I see plenty of rebreather divers. I'd tend to agree with TSandM.