I've noticed some new divers tend to get completely different experiences from the OW course than I did. I've done eight dives in four days, all of them in the sea. I never came near the pool for the first introductory dives. My mask removal skill was done on a first day in -10m depth! It was a shocker for me, but I've done it from the second try after bolting at first attempt with nose and mouth full of water... blurb... blurb...
During the course I had a faulty BCD, and had to do my buoyancy skills inflating it manually, had an instructor accidentally pull the regulator out of my mouth while trying to stop another diver from bolting to the surface... Also, my instructor was French, so I could barely make out what he was saying on his broken English and thanks to the PADI OW book and CD I managed to get a grip on things. But I overcame all of those problems and by the last dive I was completely comfortable diving. I have no complaints for my course or the instructor other than I wish I did more skills during the course. Some of those that I believe are required, unfortunately, I never did - freeflow breathing for instance.
How much can this course differ from the proper method? It seems to me a lot!
During the course I had a faulty BCD, and had to do my buoyancy skills inflating it manually, had an instructor accidentally pull the regulator out of my mouth while trying to stop another diver from bolting to the surface... Also, my instructor was French, so I could barely make out what he was saying on his broken English and thanks to the PADI OW book and CD I managed to get a grip on things. But I overcame all of those problems and by the last dive I was completely comfortable diving. I have no complaints for my course or the instructor other than I wish I did more skills during the course. Some of those that I believe are required, unfortunately, I never did - freeflow breathing for instance.
How much can this course differ from the proper method? It seems to me a lot!