Milsimdiver
Registered
OK so I only have 7 dives and just got NITROX certified online through SDA. So what now? Go diving more? Stay shallow until I am very comfortable? Comments and advice appreciated.
NITROX certified!
- Thread starter Milsimdiver
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Well, to become a good diver, you have to spend time underwater. It's not a bad idea to keep that time relatively shallow in the beginning, just because if you make any mistakes, they're generally less harmful if you are and have been shallow. As you keep diving, the mechanics of doing it get more and more natural, and you can manage more information and make more decisions.
In addition to getting underwater (which shouldn't be too hard to make yourself do, given where you are!) spend some time reading stuff here and looking at some of the links that people commonly put up. Read some of the threads about gas consumption, and about buoyancy control, and go to the links. Watch some of the videos people recommend as examples of good diving. You can learn an enormous amount just from going through and reading the "Near Misses and Lessons Learned" subforum. It will give you an idea of the mistakes other people have made, so you can learn from them without making them.
Above all, have fun. Turn over on your back from time to time and watch the sunlight on the water above you. Being weightless in the middle of the sea is an enormous pleasure and a huge gift we give ourselves, and it should be reveled in!
In addition to getting underwater (which shouldn't be too hard to make yourself do, given where you are!) spend some time reading stuff here and looking at some of the links that people commonly put up. Read some of the threads about gas consumption, and about buoyancy control, and go to the links. Watch some of the videos people recommend as examples of good diving. You can learn an enormous amount just from going through and reading the "Near Misses and Lessons Learned" subforum. It will give you an idea of the mistakes other people have made, so you can learn from them without making them.
Above all, have fun. Turn over on your back from time to time and watch the sunlight on the water above you. Being weightless in the middle of the sea is an enormous pleasure and a huge gift we give ourselves, and it should be reveled in!
Boardndave
Contributor
Congrats! I would recommend getting a few more dives under your belt before heading off on a dive that reaches depths near your MOD. Just watch depth and maintain buoyancy and you will be fine! Other than that, just keep diving on a regular basis and enjoy!
Hate to be the one to bring this up, but isn't SDA a scam? Could be wrong but:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/192712-online-nitrox-sda.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/192712-online-nitrox-sda.html
SDA is indeed a scam. Unfortunately, you are not nitrox certified by a recognized dive agency. On the other hand, there are so many legitimate dive agencies around that it is hard to keep track of them all. Consequently, if you show your card in the hope of getting nitrox, then the odds are good that the nitrox supplier won't realize they are not a legitimate agency and will accept it.
A philosophical question, similar to what is the difference between a religion versus a cult (sorry if I've offended some/every one with that). I've never heard of SDA and just found them online. They certainly appear to offer certifcations and I have every reason to believe that the OP did some kind of training to get the c card. At least the comment on staying shallow suggests knowledge of MOD. I doesn't necessarily sound like a scam to me, it just sounds like it might be a new agency that I've not heard of.
So, my question is what differentiates SDA, the scam, from the "real" agencies like PADI, NAUI, etc. aside from the fact that they've been around longer and have gained some level of acceptance? There is no overarching governing body that certifies the agencies. The industry is self-regulated. So how does an new agency become legit?
Thanks.
So, my question is what differentiates SDA, the scam, from the "real" agencies like PADI, NAUI, etc. aside from the fact that they've been around longer and have gained some level of acceptance? There is no overarching governing body that certifies the agencies. The industry is self-regulated. So how does an new agency become legit?
Thanks.
That's a good question.
SDA is an agency that was formed by one person after he was kicked out of NAUI. His wife may be involved as well.
Similarly, UTD (Unified Team Diving) was recently formed by one person after he was dismissed from another agency.
Let's compare the two.
UTD recruited members and now has an entire workforce of instructors and administrative staff. It has established and published standards that were reviewed and approved by the agencies that insure scuba instructors and agencies. Its standards have thus been shown to be within industry guidelines, and its instructors are fully insured. It has a web site that has a truthful representation of its status and its policies.
SDA is still one man. If it has published standards, I was unable to find them when I searched. I am quite sure (although not 100%) that it is not insured. The address of the agency is a vacant lot. Its web site has lies about its status that other agencies have had to refute. For example, it says that its online academic materials are fully accepted by ALL other agencies in lieu of their own academic preparation. To be certain of that stance, I called the SDA guy pretending I was interested in taking the course and got a clear statement that a local PADI shop would accept that work. The truth is that for quite a few years now PADI's web site has clearly stated that it does not recognize SDA and does not accept its online course work. The RSTC (a group of agencies that includes PADI, SSI, SDI, and others) has said the same thing.
You be the judge.
SDA is an agency that was formed by one person after he was kicked out of NAUI. His wife may be involved as well.
Similarly, UTD (Unified Team Diving) was recently formed by one person after he was dismissed from another agency.
Let's compare the two.
UTD recruited members and now has an entire workforce of instructors and administrative staff. It has established and published standards that were reviewed and approved by the agencies that insure scuba instructors and agencies. Its standards have thus been shown to be within industry guidelines, and its instructors are fully insured. It has a web site that has a truthful representation of its status and its policies.
SDA is still one man. If it has published standards, I was unable to find them when I searched. I am quite sure (although not 100%) that it is not insured. The address of the agency is a vacant lot. Its web site has lies about its status that other agencies have had to refute. For example, it says that its online academic materials are fully accepted by ALL other agencies in lieu of their own academic preparation. To be certain of that stance, I called the SDA guy pretending I was interested in taking the course and got a clear statement that a local PADI shop would accept that work. The truth is that for quite a few years now PADI's web site has clearly stated that it does not recognize SDA and does not accept its online course work. The RSTC (a group of agencies that includes PADI, SSI, SDI, and others) has said the same thing.
You be the judge.
Okay! This is helpful. Sounds kind of "scam-like" here, I must admit. If you look at their FAQ they claim their stuff is accepted by all major agencies and instructors. Sounds like there are a lot of folks out there with a legitimate beef, based on this. Why isn't anyone stopping it? Disclaiming on your website seems kind of weak.
I sent a complaint to the Attorney General's office in Arizona a couple of years ago after several people got scammed on the online education part and complained. I never got a reply. I think I had to be the one scammed for the AG to get excited. In a recent thread related to this, a nearby dive shop said that when this person had a dive business in the area, he was their greatest source of students because everyone would leave that shop in anger and come to his shop. He spoke int he past tense because he thought the guy was out of business. He did not realize he was running this Internet deal, even though they were near neighbors. I think it is under the radar, with just enough people getting fooled for him to make a little spare cash.
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