Promoting diving beyond divers skill levels

[k ellis]

The above information is very good advice. Ill be honest the whole thing has spewed over for a while because I have witnessed veteran divers do some bone headed things like piss off wildlife by harassing it to get better photos. None of the above has ever really occured to me personally but I just thought how many times I have traveled to other countries and the divemaster only sees the OW card and then tells the diver ok were going to 120 feet today. Never really asking about experience or anything. Is it a potential liability? By all means.

It is up to each diver though to make their own decision and I understand I cant change the world. I was only attempting to gain insight on what others would do if they were in my shoes.

 

[AfterDark]

The above information is very good advice. Ill be honest the whole thing has spewed over for a while because I have witnessed veteran divers do some bone headed things like piss off wildlife by harassing it to get better photos. None of the above has ever really occured to me personally but I just thought how many times I have traveled to other countries and the divemaster only sees the OW card and then tells the diver ok were going to 120 feet today. Never really asking about experience or anything. Is it a potential liability? By all means.

It is up to each diver though to make their own decision and I understand I cant change the world. I was only attempting to gain insight on what others would do if they were in my shoes.

In fact the OW card means nothing. I had only an OW card for 40 years. This is the 1st year I've been AOW certified. My diving hasn't changed one bit.

 

[k ellis]

Your not alone. My cousin started in 1991 I think (Or somewhere close to that) and he still has never taken anything but Open Water. I do trust him more then I do most divers I have dove with. He has dove alot of dives that are classified as experienced. I do believe he is considering the AOW now because so many places are getting to where they want the AOW just to get to dive the good dives!

 

[CT-Rich]

In fact the OW card means nothing. I had only an OW card for 40 years. This is the 1st year I've been AOW certified. My diving hasn't changed one bit.

My NAUI BASIC card is so old that it is disinitigrating (1980). I will probably go for AOW eventually just to get on dives and learn what the heck the newbies are being taught.

 

[spectrum]

I don't really see this as a discussion of cards beyond open water. Plenty of divers successfully grow into more advanced dives through mentoring, self study and experience. Those that do it right will know far more than the "student" that shows up and goes through the motions of an agency class.

The endangered class is the newer more impressionable diver. Often there is some level of "hero worship" going on. For the excitement of it all they will jump through any door we crack open for them.

Pete

 

[tdtaylor]

Just last night I was talking to two new divers who had only completed their open water dives (5 dives) several months ago, and were headed to Cozmel in a month to dive with a dive operation I dove with last Spring. They were talking about diving Palancar Deep and Palancar Bricks, and if I remember correctly, these were dives approaching 100 feet with some pretty strong down currents. Evidently the dive operation had told them these were "must do" dives. Great dives with lots of swimthroughs for my daughter and I, but not someone with only their open water dives under their belt. I also remember this group taking several newbies on our dives, which were definitely over their heads, and the DM having to spend a lot of time babysitting them.

Needless to say, I told them first, they need to get in the water before their trip and practice their skills, and second, insist on some shallower, more conservative dives.....and don't let a DM talk you into going on a dive beyond their skills.

 

[OldNSalty]

If you are a divemaster don't you have some obligation to speak up?

Personally I would probably simply state that what they are doing is ill-adviced and tell them why, then go back to ignoring them....but I am not a dive master.

 

[tracydr]

The above information is very good advice. Ill be honest the whole thing has spewed over for a while because I have witnessed veteran divers do some bone headed things like piss off wildlife by harassing it to get better photos. None of the above has ever really occured to me personally but I just thought how many times I have traveled to other countries and the divemaster only sees the OW card and then tells the diver ok were going to 120 feet today. Never really asking about experience or anything. Is it a potential liability? By all means.

It is up to each diver though to make their own decision and I understand I cant change the world. I was only attempting to gain insight on what others would do if they were in my shoes.

We were watching a shark special the other night. It was a Rodney Fox research show. One of the divers actually "rode" a whale shark by grabbing it. I was disgusted.

 

[k ellis]

exactly. Thats the point of my thread guys is that people do encourage bad behavior all the time. Though its not been an issue with me it is something that happens enough to where people go out and do these things and either die get hurt or scared so bad we lose a diver forever. It is not responsible to encourage divers to dive beyond their skill level on dives they are not prepared for or as Tracydr mentioned menace the wildlife.

 

[boulderjohn]

We were watching a shark special the other night. It was a Rodney Fox research show. One of the divers actually "rode" a whale shark by grabbing it. I was disgusted.

Perhaps you would prefer this picture from Jean-Michel Cousteau's web site, from an article on shark protection:



Yes, that is a Great White Shark.