Milestone Reached - Master Scuba Diver

[Quero]

I can understand why a person might want to do the NAUI one as well. They are somewhat different ratings even though they have similar names, so I'm guessing he'd want to do it for the content. The NAUI rating requires a lot of book-learning dive theory in addition to the in-water skills. PADI requires primarily the in-water work with the only academic material being that associated with each specialty.

 

[TMHeimer]

A side question. To anyone with knowledge of both, what are the academic differences between the NAUI MSD and the new PADI DM courses? I believe the NAUI MSD and old PADI DM basically had the same academics, no?

 

[XS-NRG]

Why did you go for MSD?

That's a good question. It was simply the next level and by attaining that level I knew I would have proficiency in diving. That said I don't feel it's the end at all, rather the start really.

Did he get five specialties he though would be useful, or did he do five specialties he thought would be easy just to get to MSD.

My choosen specialties are:
Nitrox (so I could dive longer and do multiple dives all day for the entire week),
Shark (because the water was shark infested and seemed pretty cool),
Drysuit (I live in Canada - enough said there lol),
Altitude (I live in Canada lol, serious it's all mountainous lakes here for me),
Night (I absolutely LOVE night diving and there are chances to do that here too as the sun goes down quickly in mountainous areas)

Now a question -- what do you feel you learned that you now feel was valuable from your various specialties, AOW and Rescue?

Another good question. My specialties are geared to my typical dive types locally as well as the type I'd do in exotic places. I feel much more proficient especially with rescue as you learn to watch out for things more in other people which lends well to watching out for yourself. Pre-dive checks are much more important if someone uses something non traditional such as the i3 inflation system so determining what my buddy has or what someone else on the boat has is good and useful as I find myself asking: how would I rescue him using that gear if there were trouble?

Bottom line I feel I'm not a novice diver at all anymore. I may not be a grandmaster expert but every dive teaches something and there are many more courses to be taken and much more knowledge to gain. I find it quite humbling when my instructor tells me she doesn't have to worry about me at all and that she finds I have excellent buoyancy, control and sense of direction while diving a 3 way dive with a novice diver and her attention is more towards the newbie than me. It really wasn't until she said that many days after that I felt like I had accomplished something and am worthy of the title Master Scuba Diver. She is right though, she doesn't need to hold my hand anymore at all. No one does. I'm at a level of competence that both I and my instructor feel is adequate to conduct myself accordingly without worry. We are able to just enjoy our dives now.

Curious, why would you want to earn a NAUI Master Diver cert when you're already PADI?

There is more meat to the master course in NAUI than there is in PADI. NAUI covers alot more whereas PADI simply wants you up to rescue with 5 specialties and 50 dives. I'm not sure the exact requirements for NAUI (other than having AOW and performing the required 8 dives) but I have read through some of the book and there's alot of details I find I didn't learn with PADI and there are more types of dives that I haven't necessarily done (region specific perhaps).

A side question. To anyone with knowledge of both, what are the academic differences between the NAUI MSD and the new PADI DM courses? I believe the NAUI MSD and old PADI DM basically had the same academics, no?

I have heard the same thing. Rather than go the DM route with PADI I was curious about the theory and knew I'd get a different variety of dives and more knowledge taking the NAUI Master course.

 

[drbill]

That's a good question. It was simply the next level and by attaining that level I knew I would have proficiency in diving. That said I don't feel it's the end at all, rather the start really.

Now that is a great attitude towards it. I was going to question how one could be considered a Master Diver with less than 100 logged dives, but I like your attitude towards that accomplishment. You took a variety of specialties to broaden your experience within the limited number of dives you have done and view it as a means of gaining greater proficiency (I agree) and as just a start. Shows a great deal of wisdom IMHO. I think of some with less than 100 dives, all in one specific location and none particularly challenging, yet think they have it wired. Your diversity of dive experiences is a far better approach. Congratulations.

 

[Hawkwood]

Now that is a great attitude towards it. I was going to question how one could be considered a Master Diver with less than 100 logged dives, but I like your attitude towards that accomplishment. You took a variety of specialties to broaden your experience within the limited number of dives you have done and view it as a means of gaining greater proficiency (I agree) and as just a start. Shows a great deal of wisdom IMHO. I think of some with less than 100 dives, all in one specific location and none particularly challenging, yet think they have it wired. Your diversity of dive experiences is a far better approach. Congratulations.

Well said drbill.

Given where he is from, and the challenges for him just to dive locally, much less to travel elsewhere, it really is an accomplishment. It truly shows a commitment.

 

[victorzamora]

XS-NRG, I'm glad you didn't take offense to my question. There are too many instructors pushing the next cert just for the sake of selling a new cert. Your specialties were all useful (except maybe shark, but that one sounds AWESOME) and I like where you're headed. As Dr. Bill said, you have a great attitude. Master diver shouldn't mean you're done learning. It's simply a step along the never ending road to perfection. If your road leads you across master diver, then you're progressing.

Just remember it was the next step and not the end all course. I strive to do better on every dive, and so do all of the divers I respect. Now, forget about what certs mean what to whom and go enjoy diving! Also, congrats!!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Bogtrotter]

Congrats, it sounds like you have a great attitude towards the sport. Just to touch on the PADI DM route, I recently talked to someone who found this course a bit of a letdown. I think a lot of padi divers go that route thinking it's the next best level to improve skills, even if they don't intend to pursue instruction or a career etc. I think your choice of NAUI is a good one, mix it up a little and get into more rigorous and challenging training. It's not for everyone, but teaching isn't for everyone either.

 

[corvettejoe]

Congrats! Don't ever stop learning!

I remember how proud I was when I got that one... and then I kept going... and going...and going... It's been a fun learning experience for sure!
I only think I've stopped for now, but then I find something else I want to get into and keep on learning...

 

[Bob DBF]

Congratulations on MSD and good luck on your continued diving.

As I was working on my MSD, I picked up "The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving" on Ebay and studied that, as well a completing the AOW book regardless of actually doing the dives. With that and my ongoing use of the Navy Diving Manual over the years, I was not their typical student. Your knowledge need not be limited by the training classes, or the material they provide.

My actual reason for certifying MSD, rather than just get the cards I needed, was a bet who's outcome was my daughter certifying SSI Dive Control Specialist. A bet, even if for $1, can turn talk into action.



Bob
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I may be old. but I'm not dead yet.

 

[TMHeimer]

Congratulations on MSD and good luck on your continued diving.

As I was working on my MSD, I picked up "The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving" on Ebay and studied that, as well a completing the AOW book regardless of actually doing the dives. With that and my ongoing use of the Navy Diving Manual over the years, I was not their typical student. Your knowledge need not be limited by the training classes, or the material they provide.

My actual reason for certifying MSD, rather than just get the cards I needed, was a bet who's outcome was my daughter certifying SSI Dive Control Specialist. A bet, even if for $1, can turn talk into action.




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That's funny. I picked up the Encyclopedia as well around when I was doing MSD (I pretty much skipped all that physics stuff until I had to do it for DM--now there is much less physics, I hear). While doing AOW I too did all the chapters and KRs just for the heck of it (ie., I'll probably never Altitude Dive).