Master Diver specialties

[Jake 10]

Interestingly, I recently took out my NAUI MSD card to put in my wallet as my advanced card is now in pieces. I guess I never really looked at the card when I got it before tossing it into a drawer, but when I took it out, on the front it said 'Master Diver'. Wait, what!? It's supposed to say Master Scuba Diver. Flipped it over and it said that on the back. Not sure why they dropped the SCUBA on the front. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My PADI card has all three words on the front. While on the back , birth date, cert date, my cert number, instructor name, instructor number, but nothing about MSD on the back

 

[scubadada]

My 2005 MSD card had the option of adding Nitrox, nice addition, only card I need. Nothing remarkable on the back

 

[Centrals]

I had never used my PADI MSD card as proof of qualification. It is always either PADI AOW or IANTD Tech nitrox.

 

[scubadada]

MSD is Rescue +, perfectly adequate

 

[restondive]

I'll echo a previous post. Try to find an instructor that has a lot of experience in the specialty. TBH, I learn a lot from Youtube and diving with experienced divers. Still, I like the specialty classes to meet other divers and to pick up tips on other topics. I'm 3 specialties away from PADI Master Diver. Here's the route I took:

Open Water
Advanced
- Deep specialty
- Navigation specialty
- Wreck specialty
Rescue Diver
Master
1. Enhanced Air Nitrox
2. Drysuit
3. Aquarium (yep, a little-known specialty, check your local aquarium)
4. Equipment
5. Search and Recovery

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

My 2005 MSD card had the option of adding Nitrox, nice addition, only card I need. Nothing remarkable on the back

View attachment 714874

I wish PADI (and all other agencies) would offer the option of consolidating all certs on a single card. Just like the FAA does.

 

[formernuke]

Overall I think master is a waste.

Your profile says your in Canada so drysuit would be a recommendation. You have nitrox already so deep if you want to do deep recreational dives.

Rescue is good for everyone but is not included in the five but still do it.

After those 3 save the money for charters and fills.

 

[boulderjohn]

I wish PADI (and all other agencies) would offer the option of consolidating all certs on a single card. Just like the FAA does.

My stack of certification cards is 2 inches thick. What size type should they use for that all in one card?

Oh, but that stack includes certifications from 5 different agencies. How do I get all of those on one card?

 

[restondive]

I use an online site to make the same plastic cert with the same instructor info for $14. Sorry PADI, $53 for a physical card, no thanks, even $53 for an E-card, wow. You could easily print all of the cert numbers for each agency on one card. Dive ops can verify the cert online if they want. I've only experienced them verifying my PADI advanced cert and nitrox card. Having the physical card does streamlines the check-in greatly. Relying on your cellphone to show an E-cert can be dicey due to no wifi/ cell coverage and many dive ops even have spotty internet to look your cert up.

 

[Outbound]

Overall I think master is a waste.

Your profile says your in Canada so drysuit would be a recommendation. You have nitrox already so deep if you want to do deep recreational dives.

Rescue is good for everyone but is not included in the five but still do it.

After those 3 save the money for charters and fills.

Emergency Oxygen Provider is a good companion cert to have if doing Rescue. I would argue that Deep Diver is also worth it to some folks.