PADI? A necessity?

[The Chairman]

I know you're kidding around about 'having a card printed up'.

Kidding? In today's world of counterfeit watches and identity theft, do you really think that coming up with a shiny new dive card is anything harder than finding someone with a good scanner and a sublimation dye printer? I have actually seen one at Blue Spring, in Orange City Florida for a cave diver that I KNOW to be fake. The guy was kidding about it with his homies. When I brought this up to the front gate, they told me that they were not in the business of checking out certification agencies. If you have ANY card, you can go dive! Go figure.

 

[Thalassamania]

There always a card from NUDIE!

 

[plot]

Kidding? In today's world of counterfeit watches and identity theft, do you really think that coming up with a shiny new dive card is anything harder than finding someone with a good scanner and a sublimation dye printer? I have actually seen one at Blue Spring, in Orange City Florida for a cave diver that I KNOW to be fake. The guy was kidding about it with his homies. When I brought this up to the front gate, they told me that they were not in the business of checking out certification agencies. If you have ANY card, you can go dive! Go figure.

A dive card is nothing more than a low-tech ID badge from what I can tell. I could scan mine and easily reprint it on a badge-printer at work... adding to it as I like.

Would take a surprisenly little amount of effort to do. I've never heard of anyone actually calling the agency to verify anything.

 

[CrackedConch]

Kidding? In today's world of counterfeit watches and identity theft, do you really think that coming up with a shiny new dive card is anything harder than finding someone with a good scanner and a sublimation dye printer? I have actually seen one at Blue Spring, in Orange City Florida for a cave diver that I KNOW to be fake. The guy was kidding about it with his homies. When I brought this up to the front gate, they told me that they were not in the business of checking out certification agencies. If you have ANY card, you can go dive! Go figure.

When I said you were kidding about it, I meant I knew you weren't really giving the guy advice to go print up his own card...

Yeah, I know counterfeiting happens! It's sad that people put their own lives, the lives of their buddies and sometimes rescue teams at risk because they are too cheap or lazy to actually take the training they need for the type of diving they want to do.

 

[CrackedConch]

I'm sure that it has happened, but I've never seen it and I often offer up a paper university reaseach diver card and have never had it refused, but that might not be the case if I was 20ish with brand new, misrigged gear.

A girl brought a laminated business card in from a shop in Hawaii that said she was a certified scuba diver. We tried to call the shop in Hawaii and got no answer. We called PADI, who has a database of all the training agencies and their phone numbers for verifications. PADI had never heard of this agency. We tried to pull up the website on the card and it said "site under construction". We didn't sell her the boat ticket for the weekend. She was very cooperative and understood why.

I can't remember the name of this ghost agency now, but I'll ask tomorrow and see if anybody else remembers it...

 

[Scuba Laura]

Go to the shop you are considering and "hang out". Watch and listen to how the shop is ran and for any feedback from customers. Ask lots of questions, and remember, there are no dumb questions. The shop should be able to answer all and make you comfortable with going with them. If you like what you see and hear, then go with them.

The Instructor does make the class worth while and safe. Some here have said there are good and bad instructors working for a shop. This should not be. If the shop is ran effeciently, then they should not have "bad" instructors who could ruin their reputation. Instructors should meet the standards and expectations of a reputable shop. If it is a PADI operation, this is high on the list. If there is an operation who does not believe this, then you need to voice it to PADI so they can assist in making it right, which they will.

I am a firm supporter of PADI. I believe in their teaching programs. BUT, it is YOU who needs to take it seriously and be responsible in your own education and safety.

Good luck. You will love it. Diving is a wonderful life and a true mind get-a-away and we all could use a little more of that!!

 

[Tigerman]

...
Good luck. You will love it. Diving is a wonderful life and a true mind get-a-away and we all could use a little more of that!!

People who know me could be saying im weird enough already

 

[jopperdepopper]

You could also try a 'discover scuba diving' session (as PADI calls it, other agency may call it different) to not only check if you actually like diving (which of course you will ) but also to get a bit closer to an instructor and actually 'do something' together... I agree that having an instructor you like/feel comfortable with goes a long way.

Some PADI training centers offer a discover scuba diving (or DSD) as being the first leg of your open water course as well (you may want to check this for the other agency)...

cheers!

 

[paulwall]

Wow! You all really came through for me with the bootie issue so now I have one final question before I book my scuba class. I have the choice of 2 very good dive shops here at home. One of these shops is a PADI 5 star shop while the other is not. Should I go with a PADI shop? Why? The other, non-PADI shop is a very active shop with good equipment and their own pool for instructional classes. Let me know. I've looked at the PADI web site but am still not convinced that the other non-PADI shop is not up to 'snuff'. Again, thanks in advance.

Doc Sparty

I know both those shops. I've met the training Crew from Caribbean, and have met Cindy at Harry's. If you get Cindy as an instructor, I'd rate the two shops very close. I don't know any of the other instructors at Harry's.

Personally, I use Caribbean (although I hate the parking at the new place) for air fills, and buy gear (when not online) at Harry's. Caribbean is a Scubapro old-school store, Harry's has more variety/selection.

That being said, Adventure Quest also has turned out some excellently trained divers.

 

[in_cavediver]

A girl brought a laminated business card in from a shop in Hawaii that said she was a certified scuba diver. We tried to call the shop in Hawaii and got no answer. We called PADI, who has a database of all the training agencies and their phone numbers for verifications. PADI had never heard of this agency. We tried to pull up the website on the card and it said "site under construction". We didn't sell her the boat ticket for the weekend. She was very cooperative and understood why.

I can't remember the name of this ghost agency now, but I'll ask tomorrow and see if anybody else remembers it...

Remember, there is no law requiring dive training/certification from a specific agency in the US to scuba dive. (Some exceptions I am sure exist in specific locales). Many private entities (dive parks, boats etc) do require them for liability reasons. That said, there is nothing preventing someone from creating thier own agency and proclaiming themselves an instructor and to start teaching/offering certs.

That said, any sane individual would seek competent instruction from a reputable agency for an activity that could kill you.