PADI 2 day OW class

[GA Under Water]

Let's see,

1) Dangling hoses YEP they match
2) Oops you have a shortie on??
3) OH NO!! The end all (is that a Wing)??
4) My fins aren't marked??


Do you REALLY think you are better than I because you don't look at the camera? get off your high horse. My first chance to get my picture taken under water, I am going to go vertical and wave. Then again maybe since I don't use a 7' hose and wrap it around my neck and swim with my hands in a triangle I suck at diving. Oh yeah THAT's it.

 

[loosebits]

I think the issue that he is taking up is that in none of your photos do you show any evidence of having heard of what trim is - even in the ones where you seem unaware of the camera. You can't be blamed for this. Trim is something that simply can't be taught in such a sort class.

Were these taken during your OW checkout dives? If so, I find the loose hoses unfathomable. Again, I don't blame you for it, a lot is going through your mind before you enter OW for the first time especially considering how little time you've been given to prepare. I do blame your instructor; how can she let you in the water like that without correcting you? I'm sure it was stated during class that everything should be stowed and then she lets you in the water with a dangling octo anyway??

 

[GA Under Water]

So, what excuse does Mr. Expert, return to Diving have for his loose console??

This was not a check out dive. It was just after. we weren't allowed to take cameras on the checkout dives. But the console clip and leaky secondary on this day in the pictures are the very reason I built my own rig.

I agreed to disagree with you. Only free diving to our gear that you stated you did did we not do. You admitted that you have never even been to an OW class other than your own and didn't know what was lacking. You also, as you have stated, do not know what your own class was lacking, so how can you even fathom telling someone else what is missing from a class you have never attended? answer is, you can't.

 

[PerroneFord]

What you see dangling in that photo is my SPG I bought 30 minutes before I got in the water, and hadn't yet gotten a clip for. Nothing else is dangling and I do not have a console. But that is no matter.

The issue to me is not only as loosebits pointed out, that you have no trim, but that in each photo you appear to be negative in the water and finning to stay up. Your arm position in the photos indicate that you are off balance and are swimming with your hands. YOur comment about being able to swim with hands together is poignant, because that posture indicates that you are actually in control of your buoyancy, and you can't do it unless your buoyancy is spot on. Try it sometime.

Given this, it is clear you could not have managed to swim a navigation course, nor done any basic rescue work. You can't be negative, and rescue someone else.

There is no high horse here to be had. That was my first dive in 11 years, and I was AWFUL in my own mind. My point, is that in your critque of my post, it was clear that you were not even AWARE that you were demostrating the very deficiencies we are discussing here. As loosebits said, that's not your fault. You simply did not get the instruction you should have. Neither do most divers which is our point. The training standards are awful.

I know you feel attacked, and I am sorry for that. I don't mean to do it. But I ask that you try to understand that you are a good example of someone that seems to be a nice guy, who was undertrained and doesn't understand how much.

 

[GA Under Water]

There is a high horse. tell you what, next time I have someone take my picture I will make sure I pose just for you. How you can decide what is going on in a still picture is your big head trying to prove that someone isn't doing it to your satisfaction.

You sir have wasted my time by reading your posts for last time.

 

[loosebits]

Please don't take it so personally. We are simply pointing out, through the only evidence we have, that there is more for you to learn than you realize. The problem I find with a lot of divers is that proper buoyancy and trim was never even demonstrated so they never know what it looks like or that it is a goal they should strive for. If they ever do see a diver with proper trim, they don't even notice it as again, it was something barely mentioned during their class.

 

[waynel]

Haven't read anything on NAUI OW. And this is my experience only. We could not purchase the books and video (wife and I) on the day of the class. Purchased them two weeks in advance. In fact, we couldn't schedule the class date we originally wanted because there wasn't enough time to study for that particular upcoming class.

We were required to read the chapters, watch the video on that chapter, fill out the chapter review (it's open book at home, of course). We then had to bring the books and our completed chapter reviews on the first day of class. We had class session for half a day and then in the pool for the second half. On the second day, same routine. Same routine on the 3rd and 4th days. We then had a final written test.

A couple of weeks later, we went on the open water dives and again reviewed everything we learned in class and in the pool before even getting into the water. We reviewed the chapters on skill sets for each dive before doing the dive and working on those skills.

I agree with everything others have said here about resort courses, fast courses, etc. When you dive you are entering a different world, you need to be prepared. My dream was to one day be in outer space. Didn't get there, but the only other world comparable to it is the world underwater. As much as I love it, there is not one minute when I'm diving that I forget it's not my world, I'm just terrestrial tourist.

 

[PerroneFord]

Putting me ignore is most certainly your perogative, but it won't change the facts. I don't pose for the camera. Believe it or not, some people do conduct entire dives in a position of good trim and under control.

I think it is terribly unfortunate that OW divers are not taught more about buoyancy and trim, but that simply cannot be done in a weekend course. It's too short. Even if you were diving 12-18 hour days, it would be too short.

 

[mjatkins]

It's my understanding that PADI was formed out of a desire to offer a higher standard of training than was widely available at the time. There are a few folks here who seem to have a constant struggle with the current "standard" of training that the scuba industry offers.

It would seem as though the nagging question then would be, what are they going to do about it? In my experience there are doers and talkers. I invite all those who like to talk about the way things "should" be done, to step up and make a difference. I don't disagree with some of the points that are being made, but complaint combined with inaction equals nothing. Obviously these people have the desire to teach others what they believe, as is evidenced by the staggering amount of posts that appear next to their names. So why not put up or shut up? I can only assume that it's because it's much safer to attack something when you aren't prepared to put yourself out their to have to defend yourself.

Any takers? Are we about to witness the birth of a new agency, a new standard?

Matthew

 

[waynel]

ls1mtz...please do not think the attacking posts here are indicative of all divers. Your education is ultimatley up to you. Seek out all the knowledge you can but the only way I have learned is to dive. Also keep in mind, there are no "masters of the universe" when it comes to the underwater world. Keep yourself focused on safety skills first. Diving is fun but it still carries a degree of risk. If you feel you didn't learn enough (safety skills) in OW, seek out the knowledge on your own. A dive master with 1,000+ dives can drown just as easily as a newbie with 10 dives. Safety is the best dive buddy you will ever have. Work on being a safe diver first and worry about trim, breathing techniques to save gas, streamlining, etc. later. If you keep diving, believe me you will learn about all these others things, to one degree or another, over time.