Messed up my OW dive - advice for the future please?

[mmerriman]

I didn't learn anything in the pool. They managed to grab some pool time at the local leisure centre to do the 200m/treading water test but that's all.

Well that's it. The instructor's immediate response after I bolted and came out of the water was 'you could always do it in Spain' and 'the problem is, its going to be a bit tricky completing the rest of the week now' despite the fact I'd paid for the week's course. She basically suggested they didn't have enough instructors but there seemed to be plenty of them.

I am reluctant to begin a complaint RE getting money back purely because I want the referral from them for another school. Is it possible to get a referral now (like getting an employment reference, for example) or do I wait until I am booking the course again? Thanks.

referral be damned. it sound like the only thing you completed that they would sign off on the referral paperwork was the swim. Do it again.

 

[lv2dive]

This was a clear standards violation. You were doing your skills dives in “bad vis” and the instructor did not wait for you get to get dressed to start reaching (note: bolding is mine, to emphasize above.)

You are not eligible for a referral letter because you did not do the confined water skills during the class. I would ask to speak to the manager of the facility and let them know that you are aware that there were standard violations during your course (the dives being conducted in low visibility, instructor “teaching” critical skills without all students present, instructor not helping/teaching you to do a proper weighting check, etc.) I would then say that it’s my understanding that standards violations should be reported to PADI (?)...then I would ask if they have any thoughts on how to resolve it. And then be silent. People are uncomfortable with silence. There are two possible positive outcomes here: the manager could give you a refund or they could offer a make up class with a (different) private instructor
It is possible that the manager did not know that the instructor was conducting dives in such a manner and in that case, you are doing them a favor in letting them know what was going on. On the other hand, if the manager does not offer you anything to your satisfaction,and/or does not seem remorseful,, you can then report the instructor AND the shop..

...
- We carried our stuff down to the shore and put on gloves, mask and hood. The dive master added 2 extra weights each side of my hips and this is when things started to go wrong. While the dive master was adding these weights/still getting me set up, the instructor was giving out important info which she then quizzed on me - I hadn't heard most of it as I was occupied with getting set up.
- She told us to kneel on the floor once in the water and that she would carry out a series of tests following this. Once in there, though, I couldn't kneel on the floor and vis was bad. I just kept floating to the top and I was all over the place. She said 'Use your leg muscles, show that cylinder whose boss' but honestly I wasn't 100% sure what I was meant to be doing.
...

 

[flyboy08]

Yep, you got burned! I would definitely have a chat with the facility manager....just the fact they put you in a dry suit is enough to make me file a complaint.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@AllyBee,

If I understand you correctly, your confined water session was being conducted in the open water. Now this in itself isn't a violation, but all the agencies for which I teach or have taught, there is one constant. Confined water has to be like a pool in terms of visibility, depth, and calmness. Please note, that temperature is not listed.

Based on this and the behavior of the instructors (who were not teaching you), I'd suggest talking to the shop management and requesting a full refund or raise Hell at the agency, as this is a huge safety violation. I wouldn't want people I don't like to have their confined water sessions in those conditions.

If I was at the location and I overheard that this was the confined water portion of an open water class, I would have told all the students to get out of the water, as these clowns were dangerous as they were clearly violating standards. And then deal with the fallout later.

 

[Marie13]

Yep, you got burned! I would definitely have a chat with the facility manager....just the fact they put you in a dry suit is enough to make me file a complaint.

Just because she was in a drysuit isn’t enough for a complaint. There are plenty of places where you’re in drysuit from the beginning due to local conditions.

ETA: although her situation is all kinds of messed up. First time in drysuit should be in the pool.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am frankly confused. It sounds as if she was in a drysuit for the first time on her first OW dive. Is this correct? If this is PADI, it is a serious standards violation.

 

[yle]

I am frankly confused. It sounds as if she was in a drysuit for the first time on her first OW dive. Is this correct? If this is PADI, it is a serious standards violation.

This seems to be what she's saying: only used the pool for the 200 m swim, then into the ocean in a drysuit and full scuba gear.

I would think it's a standards violation for any agency. Of course she should report it to the proper agency and demand a refund for the course they didn't provide.

 

[Landau]

My LDS does drysuits for the first open water dive, but the student will have done 5 pool sessions learning skills plus a sixth pool session in a drysuit before doing the first ocean dive. Often students repeat some of the sessions before getting in the ocean if the aren’t feeling comfortable or haven’t mastered the skills.

As a dive master in training I’ve helped out with many courses and I never do anything to distract the students when they should be listening to the instructor.

The students also don the drysuits in the shop to confirm sizing before getting near the water. Oh and we do weight checks before doing any skillls. Students supply their own undergarments in endless variety and estimating the weight needed is not a science. (How buoyant is a bright yellow fleece Pichacoo onesie with a tail?)

By the end of the course students will have assembled their gear at least 10 times. No need to do it 5 times in a row quickly.

Everything you describe sounds like poor instruction and standards violations. I’d demand a refund

 

[Bubblesong]

Can you tell us the Dive Shop’s name? I would like to lambast them in a derisive limerick.

 

[Rred]

Ally, you might want to correspond to the certifying agency with a copy to the dive shop. It sounds as if they were rushing to keep to a schedule and not really paying attention to how the students (you) were doing. Or perhaps let the shop know first that you will be following up with the certifying agency if the shop can't make a better accommodation for you.

Fitting out a dry suit and fitting weights is nothing that should ever be rushed through, there's just no reason for that. If the weights hurt your hips (or if any equipment causes pain) that's something that should be corrected on the spot. I think every diver pretty much positions and spreads the weights on their weight belt (especially if they are used to hard weights and a belt!) in a personal sequence, located so they don't poke any bones and they do feel as comfortable as possible.

There's an old saying that there are no poor students, only poor teachers. I think you've run up against some of these.