My Venture into GUE - Another view

[Jax]

Actually, I had no problems with the course materials, just in doing them the GUE way. I've taken other classes and am very comfortable with it, as well as reading books like Mark Powell's Deco for Divers.

I wrote a spreadsheet in my phone for gas matching and management, tank factors, etc., when I was on an AN/DP surface interval.

 

[LiteHedded]

I would have worn a hood too

 

[David C R]

Yes, if I was exploring an underwater environment for the first time, I would want that level of exact programming and planning. I certainly understand why Fundies is what it is. It's just not for me.

I have to agree with you that GUE diving is not for everyone... That's a plain true and at the same point it is not the only way of diving.

The course material is always an issue. Definetly it doesn't match the gue high profile on any way. Since my fundies they said "we're working hard on it" but trully still missing good manuals. And yes the part about nitrox is poor too. My only reference are PADI manuals but thought that's the only good thing about padi... having "fun and coloured explicit manuals" on the poor training you will get.

On this I will add that neither they have translated materials. If you're not a good english speaker/reader you wont be able to get the most of the training. The only good effort about is the spanish translation of the book doing it right the fundamentals of
better diving. But since the name is GLOBAL underwater explorers something is Wrong with it.

I disagree on your recommendation about not assisting this class with a certain number of dives with the gear configuration. That leads to another issue by just gaining bad habbits without proper supervission. You will have to unlearn bad habbits and then start the learning. What I recommend on this is always try to dive with gue people previously but if not possible it wont matter. Personally I had no previous experience with doubles when joined my fundies. And it worth it all the way. I will say that we all have different performance and aquaticity. Instead of that I would suggest to make a lot of swimming. Crawl, butterfly, frog, with or without fins.


And yes, since my fundies I'm miles away of the diver I was. Confident, relax and focused on enjoy my diving. But the start requires a lot of work and effort and a task practice mind. I'm 100 % sure since your class you will start to change in a better way. Don't give up. Relax, practice and enjoy it. We all do it.

Thanks for the write up. One of the most detailed I have red and brought good points.
Congrats on everything.

 

[Tortuga68]

Thanks for taking the time to post your open and honest thoughts on the course

.....The worksheets themselves drove some of us engineering-types nuts – please note this is an individual response and YMMV. First, the sheets did not follow mathematical standards for rounding, and seemed to round randomly for “conservatism”

I think Lamont may have touched on this already - rounding up from anything over a whole number is standard for diving eg tables for time/depth, for the reason of conservatism as you mention... you would have come across this in your pre-GUE dive training?

 

[Anti-Hero]

One of my team mates in fundies had a terrible floaty feet problem, and he had a ton of dives in his drysuit. Our instructor told him to try a pair of gaiters and the problem went away. I know this was an "equipment solution to a skill problem" but it was an effective solution.

I on the other hand had the "big gulp of air" problem and it caused me a ton of problems and stress during the class. But some gentle coaching and refinement by the instructors and the problem was remedied.

 

[Fionab]

If it's any consolation I wanted to quit the course during the first 2 days .

My instructor talked me out of it. I have also been surface cover on quite a lot of courses and I am also confused over the lack of in water time. Obviously it depends on the time of year, but 2 x 40 - 60 min dives per day (3 diving day) are not unusual for my instructor.

The GUE websites mentions a minimum amount of in water time.

 

[deadbilly]

Thanks for the honest writeup. As far as the intensity during and post class is concerned, I can attest to the fact that it drops off quite rapidly. I had a chance to do a (very) fun dive with my fundies instructor only a couple weeks after the class and the difference was quite large.

My initial fear of being scrutinized was rapidly taken over with the realization that this is a fun dive for all of us and why would he want to waste time that could be spent taking pictures on nitpicking my various shortcomings? The group of (pretty much all seasoned T2) divers on that boat was as light-hearted and laid back as could be.

Sorry to hear that you all didn't get as much in-water time as you'd hoped. We were incredibly fortunate to have three instructors (all local) to the four class members.

 

[Jax]

Darn it, we need the THANKS button!

Seriously, thank you all for your measured opinions, thoughtful counterpoints, and tolerant acceptance of my differing view. I certainly understand and agree with many of your points; again, my hope to to give a broader view of what one may experience.

 

[rjack321]

In August 2009 I personally contacted JJ to voice my surprise regarding the unacceptable quality of the GUE-F training materials, and to volunteer my corrected copies. He refused my offer of corrected documents, and said new materials were in the works. I had additionally requested a pdf of the actual Power Point presentation (we were given the P/P "notes" printout which was completely illegible). JJ told me that he didn't want to do that, but would instead send me a copy of the new materials when they became available. I'm still waiting.

This is sloppy, avoidable, easily fixed, and - frankly - embarrassing. Inexcusable, really, for a leading training agency. IMO Jesper's "Beginning With The End In Mind" is a good candidate for a replacement text, as it touches on nearly everthing covered in Fundamentals.

Best.

People have been saying this for years about every agency out there (well except PADI, they have different issues with their slick materials).

Certainly TDI, IANTD, and UTD can be criticized for part or all of their materials. Some are better than others of course.

 

[johnkendall]

Since when did fundies become a 20-40min dive once or at most 2x a day?

JKendall, Claire, Guy? Is this "insurance requirement" about direct supervision limiting in-water time accurate?

Hi

Standards require that all in water teaching is under direct in-water supervision of an in-status GUE Instructor.

Depending on the location/risk assessment of the instructor it is sometime possible for a team to go for an independant dive while the class is happening.

I personally do sometimes suggest to a team that they might want to go for a "chill-out" dive, however it is made clear that that is not part of the class.

Thanks
John