colby:
I was lucky in the CW sessions that there was only two of us, so we worked with either the instructor or DM all through the session, and learned extra things, e.g we worked on hovering, buddy breathing around the pool, etc.
We swam around, but she was teaching me the right thing to do as we did. She worked on making me more level, helped me have better bouyancy control, my breathing and most importantly my confidence. And I didn't stir up the bottom, touch or damage the reef, disturb any wildlife and enjoyed myself immensely!
Am I ready for 200 foot deco dive? Absolutely not! But I am eager to get back in the water and continue to work on my skills, there is only so much you can do in a pool.
Colby,
I'm glad you had a better than average DI and a better than average course. For the most part, so did I, but part of the discussion here is that the minimums can be improved upon.
Your course exemplifies this. Nowhere in the RSTC, does the discussion of trim or buoyancy, other than hovering in any position in the water, come into the standard. So in fact the course you got was above the minimum standard, and by your account, has produced a better diver, or at the very least, a diver with a better grasp of the foundations.
Yes there is only so much you can learn in the pool, but included in these are buoyancy control, different fin kicks, proper trim, task loading on safety skills (mask clearing while maintaining a horizontal hover 3 feet from the bottom) etc.
colby:
I think those people should have reported the instructor and/or the PADI training center, the cruise company in this case, for each and every issue that these people had. If PADI doesn't know about these issues, especially from the people who experienced them first hand, then they can never be corrected..
I did concerning my experience. The result...nothing
colby:
And is it truely PADI trying to make all of the profit, or the training agency/instructor who all set their own prices and then try to maximize the throughput of the students. I think if you examined the money that PADI earns from each OW training, you would see that they make their money from the student kit that is sold, not a share of the lesson fees. They may also make some money from the electronic submission of the final certification, I was charged $25.00 but that may all go the training facility I'm not sure..
They make money from EVERY course, including the instructor's courses so it's in their best interest to keep you taking courses. They make a lot of money from training divers of all levels. In fact, they would probably see a marked reduction in income, if the standards were raised. Not from diver's dropping out, or not getting into the sport, but based on the probability that the average diver would not need to take more of their courses.
colby:
Again, it falls back on the facility/instructor to ensure that standards are followed, even at the base level, and that that during the dive, everyone is safe and managed correctly. It's also not unreasonable to expect the student to have some level of common sense and responsibility themselves. For example, the girl who went OOA in your post above, even myself at 6 dives under my belt, and during my OW dives, would have known to ascend safely when my air was getting close to empty, how many times did I have "return with 500PSI" mentioned to me. You are taught to safely surface if you cannot locate your buddy within the specified time limit, is it that hard to extrapolate from that? Ascend along the line if you need to, it should lead you to the boat, and get help from the boat, there SHOULD be someone there!
I too was taught this, but during an AOW deep dive, the DI convinced me to follow his lead...in the end it was me who was hanging on the line on someone else’s air; my tanks empty. If you want the details, PM and I'll tell you how blindly following a DI could have gotten me killed. It's one thing to make the turn around decision at 40 feet of relatively calm water at the Rockport or Carleton Place training ground. Wait until you have to do it at 100 feet in the murky cold water of the St Lawrence. Do not be too quick to criticize someone else's dive options or skills. It can lead to arrogance, and that can get you killed.
As to just blowing to the surface, wait until you're on a wreck in the St Lawrence and you have to worry about high current, boat traffic, extremely heavy chop. Any of which can happen during a fall river dive. Been there, hopefully I've learned enough to avoid under estimating what the sport can throw at me...but I doubt.
colby:
And what is the reason for being terrified? Did the divers not want to learn to dive in the first place? Again it falls back on the instructor to assess the needs of the class to determine who needs help, who may not be ready, etc. I am not a scuba instructor, but I do teach and assessing the skill sets of the individual students is an essential component of a successful class.
Oh, friend let me send you a link to a thread that sounds so familiar to this one. I authored it when I was at your stage in the learning process, and believe me I should have taken the advice given to me by divers who are way out of my league, and perhaps I might have had a better AOW deep dive.
I used to work as a part time outdoor educator. There is very little that applies to teaching in a student friendly environment (classroom, sports field, field trip that can be applied to the physically hostile environment that scuba take you into. You have all the time in the world to learn a skill in the classroom or out in the field. There is always enough air to breathe. However, underwater, air runs out. The stress can compound simply by knowing this little fact. A student who appears ready at 40 feet may very well find himself or herself sucking their tank dry as 60 or 100 feet. Kneeling on the bottom at 25 feet and clearing your mask may not stress the diver until they have to do it while descending and hanging onto the line at 100 feet. I do not have that many more dives than you, but I've had THE one that woke me up, and I now take nothing for granted, and have developed a respect for the sport and for those who have way more experience that I.
Anyway, I too am in the Ottawa area, perhaps we will get the opportunity to dive together this spring/summer. I would look forward to it.
Safe dives.
