New diver lost in the arguments

[scubadada]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I will go dive!

Hey jstamets,

I think you arrived at the correct answer. Go dive, you'll like it. Your skills and confidence will increase with your experience.

Good diving, Craig

 

[jstamets]

jstamets, the fact that you are asking questions is a very good omen for you becoming a good diver. But it takes time, and everyone starts somewhere. There are certainly more things to learn than you have gotten from your OW classes, but not all of them need to be learned at once. I WOULD highly suggest you read THIS article by our NW Grateful Diver, because learning how to think about your gas supply is something you can do right away, and the article will give you tools for managing that supply better than "back on the boat with 500 psi".

There is more to learn about decompression theory, and more to learn about buoyancy control, and a variety of kicking techniques to learn . . . I've been at this for five years, and I haven't run out of things to learn and things to improve. What you want to be at the beginning is safe, and the scary thing about that is not knowing what you don't know. The gas management article is a good place to start, but all the articles on Bob's site are excellent. Then go look up the 5thD-X videos on YouTube and get an idea of what you are working toward!

Thanks! I came very close to drowning as a child and have a very healthy respect for water as a result. I love the article on gas management. From the reading I have been doing in Dive Tranining and here on the boards, I have put together some of that, but it is so nice to have that all together in one place. I ran acrss the 5thD-X videos last week when I was trying to figure out exactly how a frog kick was executed. We have a shallow quarry here that is great for simulating night dives at noon due to the silt and one of my dive instructors was using that kick in front of us and it really did the trick for helping to keep the water clear. Once I realized from the video it was a breaststroke kick with bent knees (essentially), it all clicked. It's important for me to understand why we do things rather than just what to do, so I really enjoy these resources. Thanks again.

 

[jstamets]

Would love to hear from you. In fact if you are going to be anywhere near Columbus in March I will be at Scubafest (Index Page) representing SEI Diving. I will also be giving two presentation/workshop type talks. One on Underwater Navigation and another titled "The Buddy System- Is it failing divers or are they failing it?". If you want oa littel more insight into my training methods have look at my website. I did not mean to come across as a real hardass when it comes to safety and training. Even though I am . One of the hardest things that I have worked on and think I have done a pretty good job of is keep that and still make my courses FUN.

I could most likely get more business if I made it seem like taking a course from me would be like a day at an amusement park with lots of laughs and good times for all. But that is not me. This stuff is fun. But it is serious fun. Someone expecting all laughs would most likely not appreciate me handing them an autopsy report of a diver that got separated from their group, or the photo of a deceased diver who ignored training and had to be brought out of a cave or up from a wreck.

I have a pool session scheduled for this week for two divers. Refresher type deal if you will. One is going to Puerto Rico next week and I will be flying down to do his checkouts later that week. The other is going to Cozumel and wants to work on his weighting and will most likely be retaking AOW with me as his previous AOW class with another instructor was not up to his expectations. It also looks like he will be bringing his 17 yr old son and his wife if she wants. The 17 yr old is typical of kids these days. 10 feet tall and bullet proof. But wants to do deeper dives and wrecks.

According to the dad his buddy skills "need some work". My attitude and class practices are why he thinks taking AOW from me would help. It will be fun for the boy. But it will also be made clear that he needs to stay with his buddy. And he will know in no uncertain terms WHY he needs to. And that is one of the keys to my teaching methods. I do not feel that monkey see monkey do courses are effective ways of instructing. They do work- sort of.

Usually until the diver gets in a situation where everything is going really smooth and they are in a really sweet space. Then some clod kicks their mask off and knocks the reg out of their mouth! it then becomes very clear why I spend time not only showing them how to clear the mask but explain why I have them do it between 20 and 30 times during the class in every conceivable yet safe condition I can create.

While swimming, hovering, during the doff and don, bailout, with the mask blacked out. With the sweep method, reach, going for the octo instead of the primary, and signalling the buddy. It is why I spend time going over lung expansion injuries in class and make sure the student understands above all else that there are very few life threatening situations. FOR THE WELL TRAINED DIVER who is comfortable and confident of their abilities. For the less well trained and anxious there are many.

I live in Columbus so I will most likely be there, assuming work does not interfere. If I get there I will be sure to look you up! The classes sound good too. From what I have read here, it sounds like the buddy system you learn in class has a significant likelyhood of dissolving in the real world if you aren't diligent. Your methods remind me alot of the first class I took and I didn't feel threatened at all, but I sure felt more confident by the end, so I completely understand.

 

[jstamets]

Just a followup - We got back from Key Largo and wow - what a great time! Six dives in three days. We were fortunate enough to see just about every critter in the keys, from a 10' or so Goliath Grouper to a Spotted Eagle Ray to Stingrays to a Green Moray and lots more. Great trip and the diving was easy. After my first dive, I realized I have a new passion. Heading back in May for more! Loved the guys (and gal) at Silent World - great shop! Chris, Avery, Hale, Thom and Bob were awesome.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Thanks for the update and glad you had a good time. More importantly you had a safe one as well. Silent World is a great op and I consider Chris one of my friends I've yet to meet in person thanks to some things he's done for me on the Deco Stop. Hope to meet you at Scubafest!

 

[Thalassamania]

Take "Advanced" both times, since "advanced" is a very different course from different agencies. Take PADI's course right after O/W ... it really is just a few extra guided dives. When you feel ready take NAUI Advanced, or GUE Fundies (or both).

 

[TSandM]

Glad you had a good trip! The Silent World folks are a good resource for further good quality training, should you elect to do more classes at some point.

 

[vladimir]

We were fortunate enough to see just about every critter in the keys, from a 10' or so Goliath Grouper

Cool that you got to see the largest goliath grouper on record. Or maybe got a lesson in refraction.

 

[jstamets]

Cool that you got to see the largest goliath grouper on record. Or maybe got a lesson in refraction.

No, really! It was at least 12' no... 14'! I really wish I had a pic - it was probably closer to six or seven feet, but it sure seemed big at the time. Avery was familiar with it and said that it is more typical of the size found on the Spiegel Grove.

 

[jstamets]

Thanks for the update and glad you had a good time. More importantly you had a safe one as well. Silent World is a great op and I consider Chris one of my friends I've yet to meet in person thanks to some things he's done for me on the Deco Stop. Hope to meet you at Scubafest!

I can't recommend them enough. They really went out of their way to make sure we were safe.

Take "Advanced" both times, since "advanced" is a very different course from different agencies. Take PADI's course right after O/W ... it really is just a few extra guided dives. When you feel ready take NAUI Advanced, or GUE Fundies (or both).

I took a class years ago that was pretty aggressive (YMCA?) for college credit, but never finished my open water. When I went for my PADI OW last year, it seemed too easy, so I felt undertrained and immediately got my AOW. The GUE approach really appeals to me and that is the long term track. Besides, since SW is a GUE shop, it gives me an excuse to go to Key Largo...

Glad you had a good trip! The Silent World folks are a good resource for further good quality training, should you elect to do more classes at some point.

I just set up Wreck/Deep with Avery for late April! I also lost 25 lbs and my BCD doesn't fit anymore, so I am the proud owner of a new Halcyon Eclipse that I picked up while there - SO much more freedom! I hope to work with some of the Great Lakes wreck survey teams and so that is my long term goal. I was thinking of you (well, actually some of your gas-management posts) as I was finning back against some current and chewed through some gas. Still made it back on board with 800 (SW asks that you be back on with 500), but it dropped pretty quick - enough for me to give pause regarding safety margins. I haven't calculated my SAC on that dive yet, but I am curious. Normally (not that I have a huge sample size) my SAC is .65 or so. The more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn.