Master Diver specialties

[TMHeimer]

The PADI Master is completely unregimented, other than the Rescue requirement. You can select Fish ID, how to grow Coral, Photography and under water basket weaving and become a PADI Master. How does any of that improve your diving skills or show that you have Mastery of the Basic skills? If you take the time to look at the NAUI MSD course requirement everyone does the same program, highly structured, no Fish ID involved. One legit requirement out of 6, does not a Master make.

Oh, guess you missed the part where I said "My only beef has always been that I think only certain specialties should be allowed".
I would also think that very few that get the MSD have taken ONLY those Fish ID type ones. But nevertheless, I agree that these types of courses being accepted cheapens the MSD title.
I do agree that the NAUI one is better in that respect. But, I believe if you take what I'll call "legitimate" PADI specialties (just a title PADI fans, don't get excited -- Fish ID can be very useful to some) that improve diving/safety, you wind up what more actual dives than with the NAUI course.
Of course there is no "theory" with the PADI one, but that's another debate.

 

[TMHeimer]

I'm saddened that several posters on this thread seem to think that the only courses you ought to take are those that "improve your diving skill" or "make you a better diver " Doesn't this miss the point of recreational diving, which is not a contest to get better and better but rather is a way to have fun? OK, maybe for you the fun is unimportant, or perhaps even the fun is kicking ever more efficiently, but please don't demand that everybody be like you. If someone gets their joy from observing and logging the fish they see, who are you to say that is a joke?

I think you are confusing "only courses you ought to take" with ones some of us feel that should go toward a higher certification. Two different things. I think such a course as uw photography or Fish ID can be VERY valuable and a ton of FUN if you're into it. Like a course on shell collecting (if it would ever exist), for which I may plunk down money and take in a moment. But none of these really improve your diving and should mean you now have a higher certification.
If you take a photography course that involves taking pictures from a plane it doesn't mean you'd get a more impressive pilot's license or be a better pilot.
I feel that a higher certification like MSD or even AOW should mean "better" diver, not "more well-rounded interesting diver who has more fun".

 

[TravelGas]

You are wrong.

Well, you supported that very well. Feel better ?

 

[Dody]

You could just cut to the chase and take GUE Fundamentals...after that everything is simple and clear.

please stop advertising GUE. They are radicals that won’t accept you if you smoke high end cuban cigars.

 

[Centrals]

please stop advertising GUE. They are radicals that won’t accept you if you smoke high end cuban cigars.

I am not sure if GUE can/will revoke the certificate after certification.

As for the "Master Diver speciality"? There is NO right or wrong.
I have completed the respective PADI course. Nothing to add.

 

[Blackcrusader]

First off, I don't claim anything. I read the TDI web site and you should too, or we would not even be discussing this.

Per TDI web site, the required # of Dives for different Technical level courses.
Helitrox 50 logged dives
Extended Range 100 logged dives
Trimix 100 logged dives
Advanced Trimix 100 logged dives + 25 dives below 100'

I also never said that you cant show by scrolling the dive history in your computer. A paper log book is but one way to meet the TDI requirements of proof that you have met or exceeded their minimum # of logged dives.

I did read it and for the AN course OW & Nitrox with 25 dives is all that is required. You are listing courses I never mentioned.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Too many people get the wrong idea that something like AN/DP is for deep dives. That's just one of the areas where it is useful. AN/DP can be used by divers who never go below 80 - 100ft for numerous reasons.

I am doing the AN/DP course not because I want to always dive to 45m depth. I am doing it so that I bring myself up to current deco procedures as I only trained for that on air back in the 1980's. Yes I did nitrox later on and I have done dives on nitrox 32% where I did some deco dives. Am I trained for that? Twas so long ago I need to get up to date on the latest methods. Most of my diving is still going to be around 30m or less maybe a third deeper than that to maybe 40m. There are a couple of dive sites that are 40m - 45m with extra bottom time I would like to do someday but no rush.

So I will be able to do deco dives at shallower depths on 32% and use staged tanks with 50% for faster off gassing on deco stops. For me that is still recreational diving. I doubt I will do dives where I need to plan and use O2 for the final deco stop but at least I will have been trained for it.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'm saddened that several posters on this thread seem to think that the only courses you ought to take are those that "improve your diving skill" or "make you a better diver " Doesn't this miss the point of recreational diving, which is not a contest to get better and better but rather is a way to have fun? OK, maybe for you the fun is unimportant, or perhaps even the fun is kicking ever more efficiently, but please don't demand that everybody be like you. If someone gets their joy from observing and logging the fish they see, who are you to say that is a joke?

One of the things I find when diving with those instabuddy OW and AOW divers is they often bring a camera to take video or photos. They dive for having fun on their vacations. When they are with me they find dang this fat dude can be so still in the water, he can change depth without needing to fin, he often doesn't have any bubble trails when taking photos and he can spot things we never knew were there. I often find they improve their diving as they watch and learn from other experienced divers and have fun doing it. They like the fact someone will pass on some tips and they do actually improve their own trim and buoyancy skillset when wanting to get good photos and have fun doing it. If a dive buddy does not have a camera then I am happy to get a few photos on them on the dive and email to them so they have some record of their dives. Some of the instabuddies will also ask about what courses they should take and I always reply nitrox and rescue. I might now add nitrox, rescue, and the TDI AN course. I meet some divers that are not interested in doing any more courses after AOW as they only dive on vacation once or twice a year.

I never took a Fish ID or UW photography course as I do not see the value in paying for something I can learn online for free.

I have a lot of fun learning about the critters I see on dives and if I have a photo of something I need to name of I can find what it is on the internet pretty quickly.

 

[Blackcrusader]

If you take a photography course that involves taking pictures from a plane it doesn't mean you'd get a more impressive pilot's license or be a better pilot.

 

[TravelGas]

You claim tech level courses have a requirement for 50 logged dives.

This TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver - International Training - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI only has a requirement for 25 dives for an OW diver. Therefor it is for recreational divers or are you going to claim an OW diver is a technical diver?

Your English or reading comprehension need work. You cast doubt and were proven wrong.
"Therefore" whahah