Night diver specialty

[DiveBandit]

Going for my Master Diver (concurrent with DM) and was thinking of taking the night diver specialty.

Anybody do that one yet? I know I could simply just try diving at night but I would feel better being introduced to it by an instructor. Getting the cert would open up more opportunities to dive as I could go diving after work instead of just on weekends.

 

[Diver0001]

Other than making a couple more dives under supervision I very much doubt that you'll learn anything more than you learned in your advanced class.

In your position I would just re-read that section in your advanced book, grab an experienced buddy and go diving. Start easy, build up....you know the routine.

R..

 

[H2Andy]

frankly, most of the specilaty classes are worthless

like Diver0001 said, read about it, grab an experienced buddy, and go do it

 

[karstdvr]

frankly, most of the specilaty classes are worthless

like Diver0001 said, read about it, grab an experienced buddy, and go do it

If his goal is to be a master diver then the specialties are required. Friend of mine did a photography specialty with the Church's in the Caymens-I don't know if I'd call that worthless. I'd like to see a forum specialty. If you make more than 16K posts you get a c-card

 

[DiveBandit]

If his goal is to be a master diver then the specialties are required.

Exactly. If I wasn't going for MD i'd do as they previous posters say and just grab an experienced buddy and go, but I have to do them, so I'd like to do ones that may actually improve my knowledge and experience.

 

[scubamickey]

Exactly. If I wasn't going for MD i'd do as they previous posters say and just grab an experienced buddy and go, but I have to do them, so I'd like to do ones that may actually improve my knowledge and experience.

You said you are also going for DM. Why would you bother with Master Diver? I mean--you are already spending bucks on DM, why would you bother spending more money on a bunch of specialties just to get another card? Unless you are getting the classes for free and just want the cards.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I chose deep, underwater navigation, dry suit, nitrox, and equipment specialist. These all seemed to go well with my DM plans. Based on my location, type of dives I do, most likely people I'll run into, and What i may have to do with them. My equip spec is not the average though that I hear alot of people get. I've serviced my regs, BC, lights, and dry suit. Visualed tanks, rebuilt valves, and adjusted IP's. The usual course seems not to go this deep. I'm lucky. If I had to take any other what I call basic courses they would be search and recovery, wreck, and peak buoyancy(which I'll be taking as soon as I finish DM). To me stuff like night, boat, photo and video are fluff courses which may be fun and may help in some areas but if you are concentrating on a picture, need to carry a light, or do a good giant stride you aren't necessarily building your basic skills or those which may be needed to assist others as a DM. Some may disagree with me on this but to do night grab a competent buddy with good nav skills and dive while working on your own. Save your money for air fills and gear and forget the courses that are just collectible cards.

 

[Michael Schlink]

I don't agree that specialties are worthless, poorly taught specialties are, but if taught well there are quite few apecialties that can be a lot of fun and a benefit to a new diver. In fact I've made quite a few dives and saw quite few divers that could have benefited from a well taught specialty course. Now I'll certainly agree that experience is often a good teacher but sometimes bad habits are developed and then are more difficult to change inot good habits. As far as night dives go I have seen a boat load of divers get into and out of the water safely but "missed the boat" as to what some of the benefits of night diving offer. Short bottom times, got cold, sucked the air, didn't see much, dropped their light, flooded their light, lost buddy, ascended and didn't even know it, kicked the living sh@* out of the reef, kicked the living sh@* out their buddy, churned up the bottom and on and on and on. I'd venture to say that alot more of new or inexperienced could gain a great deal from a WELL TAUGHT night diver specialty

 

[H2Andy]

master diver = worthless

it follows that since

specilaties = master diver

then

specialties = worthless


get OW, AOW, Rescue, and Nitrox, and you have all the skills you need
to do any kind of non-technical diving

if you want to do tech diving, get tech training (for example, ice
diving, cavern, and DPV diving)

invest in real training, not card collecting

guys, night diving ain't rocket science. take two lights, go with a buddy,
expand your skills slowly, and you're there. what on earth can
possibly be taught in a night diving class to justify the cost?

if you're hesitant, hire a DM to dive with you.

 

[Michael Schlink]

Andy, re read your post and mine, you're wrong on this one. Not everyone and from what I'm seeing, not many are gaining great skills by just getting out there with a buddy and learning by doing. Short, one, two or three dive "specialty" classes can shorten the learning curve for many divers, Keep in mind that there are a lot of divers, in fact the highest percentage of divers, that can't or don't dive but a few times a year. Even the even fewer number of divers only get to go diving 4-6 times a year. Also a great benefit of specialty dives can be the simple motivator to get a new diver back into the water at the local quarry or lake to "brush up" on skills and learn a few more.