Need SSI Check-out Dives

[Sloeber]

We too have gone strictly to elearning so that they have that out of the way - because they are “forced” to get through the material - when I used to go through the expense and hassle of sending the books to students prior to arrival, 9 times out of 10 they hadn’t cracked the book before getting here.

Yes, exactly!

I am glad that we have the ability to offer PADI certs or that we can sign off on SSI referrals for our guests

SSI no longer issues universal referral forms. I suppose there could be extenuating circumstances that might require such, but all SSI documentation is done electronically, and is transferred through their network. Students are not given any paperwork and the only way to access the students' progress is via the SSI database (which is quite slick I might add!). This of course ensures that a student beginning as SSI, finishes as SSI.

Additionally, unlike PADI where their dive instructors can work alone and not under a dive center - they are essentially sub-contractors - any SSI instructor in teaching status must be assigned to an SSI dive center. I know above you alluded to one of your staff being an SSI instructor. I'm just guessing, but suspect your staff has an expired SSI teaching status?

 

[Sloeber]

I've known several of the managers at XTC in Xcalak going back several years and they absolutely will not put any SSI/NAUI advertising anywhere, even though they'll do certifications. That PADI 5 star thing is super special I guess.

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There are more rules than that. There are plenty of PADI 5-Star IDC / SSI centers out there. A google search will quickly show that.

The catch has always been if you sell something other than PADI products, PADI must not sell that same product. Hence why that sign you photographed has TDI. PADI used to not do technical cave diving. Same with free diving, etc. Slowly PADI keeps releasing courses to mirror their competition and try to eliminate this loophole.

The only real value of the 5-Star status, as best as I could discern, was top placement in the PADI search results for local dive centers. Perhaps Dave can fill us in on any additional benefits I'm missing.

 

[Sloeber]

I've known several of the managers at XTC in Xcalak going back several years and they absolutely will not put any SSI/NAUI advertising anywhere, even though they'll do certifications.

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Plus I just checked. XTC in Xcalak is not an SSI dive center, and thus cannot issue SSI certifications - regardless of what they told you. It makes total sense why they wouldn't put SSI on that sign.

 

[horn34]

Plus I just checked. XTC in Xcalak is not an SSI dive center, and thus cannot issue SSI certifications - regardless of what they told you. It makes total sense why they wouldn't put SSI on that sign.

I'm thinking that's a gray area, because all the DMs/DMIs I've known down there were PADI/SSI/NAUI certified....so if someone came down there and wanted SSI/NAUI certs, a DMI with the appropriate licenses would be able to sign off on instruction, regardless of what the shop advertises.

 

[ChuckP]

Plus I just checked. XTC in Xcalak is not an SSI dive center, and thus cannot issue SSI certifications - regardless of what they told you. It makes total sense why they wouldn't put SSI on that sign.

Henry - is the SSI referral thing new or fairly recent? We live in the great white north, I did my OW class and pool up here (SSI) but completed the dives in the Bahamas with Bahama Divers (PADI I'm pretty sure) - some time ago though, with a referral form.

My wife has 50-60 dives in Cozumel with another outfit there and she's PADI only I believe. I want my wife to finish up her AOW so when we move there and travel, we have no issues - our local shop is SSI, so no choice really - I've spent all these dollars on her SSI classes that it doesn't really make sense to start over again in PADI - she needs to complete dives for Deep, Night and I think Buoyancy - you saying she can only come to a SSI shop?

We're moving there in a few months, she may not get there till June but once there, we're there permanent.

 

[Sloeber]

I'm thinking that's a gray area, because all the DMs/DMIs I've known down there were PADI/SSI/NAUI certified....so if someone came down there and wanted SSI/NAUI certs, a DMI with the appropriate licenses would be able to sign off on instruction, regardless of what the shop advertises.

Not exactly. See my reply above to Christie. I won't speak for NAUI as I don't know their rules. For SSI in-status instructors they must be assigned to an SSI dive center. If the dive center is not SSI they simply cannot process an SSI certification. Not at all possible. I won't dispute what they told you. I'm only telling you what the facts are in this situation. There is no grey area.

 

[Sloeber]

Henry - is the SSI referral thing new or fairly recent? We live in the great white north, I did my OW class and pool up here (SSI) but completed the dives in the Bahamas with Bahama Divers (PADI I'm pretty sure) - some time ago though, with a referral form.

My wife has 50-60 dives in Cozumel with another outfit there and she's PADI only I believe. I want my wife to finish up her AOW so when we move there and travel, we have no issues - our local shop is SSI, so no choice really - I've spent all these dollars on her SSI classes that it doesn't really make sense to start over again in PADI - she needs to complete dives for Deep, Night and I think Buoyancy - you saying she can only come to a SSI shop?

We're moving there in a few months, she may not get there till June but once there, we're there permanent.

It started when SSI went digital, but SSI is trying diligently to enforce it only recently. The problem is most SSI shops were originally PADI shops. So not only are old habit are hard to break, but it's likely the instructor is still active status PADI.

For the AOW, I'm assuming she has a log book that the instructor signed off on? That's all she needs. Take the log book to any dive center and show the completed dives and the PADI (or whoever) can finish it up. The catch is you will be paying twice for the certification as you have technically already paid the original dive center for the certificate. The new dive center, not being SSI, won't be able to utilize what you've paid for, and they'll charge you their own PADI fees. PADI fees meaning the book and cert processing.

 

[ChuckP]

It started when SSI went digital, but SSI is trying diligently to enforce it only recently. The problem is most SSI shops were originally PADI shops. So not only are old habit are hard to break, but it's likely the instructor is still active status PADI.

For the AOW, I'm assuming she has a log book that the instructor signed off on? That's all she needs. Take the log book to any dive center and show the completed dives and the PADI (or whoever) can finish it up. The catch is you will be paying twice for the certification as you have technically already paid the original dive center for the certificate. The new dive center, not being SSI, won't be able to utilize what you've paid for, and they'll charge you their own PADI fees.

Been there done that with my son paying twice - we'll just have her come visit you, heck we ought to dive with everyone down there anyways hunh?

Her open water dives are all signed off but the specialty dives are not, even though she's "sorta done" them just thru normal diving - too much diving and we just use digital logbooks anymore as for her, once she hits AOW, I don't think she's really looking to advance into pro or tech levels, numbers don't matter.

I'll come see you when I get there. Thank you.

 

[Sloeber]

Been there done that with my son paying twice - we'll just have her come visit you, heck we ought to dive with everyone down there anyways hunh?

Her open water dives are all signed off but the specialty dives are not, even though she's "sorta done" them just thru normal diving - too much diving and we just use digital logbooks anymore as for her, once she hits AOW, I don't think she's really looking to advance into pro or tech levels, numbers don't matter.

I'll come see you when I get there. Thank you.

The dive center gave you the SSI Advanced Adventurer eLearning, yes? If so, then yes, you paid for the SSI cert already. If you don't have their eLearning textbook then they have not registered you for the class and I'd guess you haven't paid for those materials and certification yet.

Are you using the SSI dive log? If so, did you use your SSI dive professional QR Code to authorize your AOW dives? If not, email them and ask for their QR code It works just the same as the signed paper logbook.

 

[ChuckP]

The dive center gave you the SSI Advanced Adventurer eLearning, yes? If so, then yes, you paid for the SSI cert already. If you don't have their eLearning textbook then they have not registered you for the class and I'd guess you haven't paid for those materials and certification yet.

Are you using the SSI dive log? If so, did you use your SSI dive professional QR Code to authorize your AOW dives? If not, email them and ask for their QR code It works just the same as the signed paper logbook.

We went the "foolish" route, 24 dives plus 4 specialties = AOW. She has Nitrox done, Buoyancy and Night she's done class, pool and the written tests, she hasn't started deep though. All 50 or so of her dives have been with Blanca at BP.

Our local SSI guy from here will be in Cozumel May 4th for a week and he said he'd check her dives off then but with the Temp Residency thing, I think it's a hassle for her to come into the country and leave without completing the Temp Residency process - seems like she is going to wait to come down until our son gets out of school in June but nobody tells me anything and it changes daily at that!

I'll just stop her where she's at and have her do all the deep class down there if she's not really coming till June. It's really just about the card for when we travel.