SDI Solo training in Cayman

[Fastmarc]

I have only been there once before and I think that was with Cayman Airways. Some prefer to fly through Miami though as this would avoid Jamaican having to get a Cayman Visa which is not required if you have a US visa. I may go with that option.
I think Caribbean airlines also flies there.
Don't know about a direct flight to Brac.

 

[tkaelin]

Cayman airways would be my guess as the best way

 

[tursiops]

Interesting.

When I did my SDI Solo, the third and fourth dives were solo. The instructor monitored my actual depth against my planned depth from the dive log on my computer, actual gas consumption was compared against planned gas consumption based on residual tank pressure, navigation to specific points during the dive was monitored through GoPro video footage that I had to take, and ascent time and place was monitored by watching where and when my SMB surfaced.

I was under the impression that a solo dive was a requirement of the SDI course. Guess I was wrong.

SDI requires at least 2 dives, PADI 3. The final dive *may* be solo, at instructor's discretion with indirect supervision. I watch bubbles, and look at the computer log afterwards.

 

[KathyV]

I have no experience with tourism associations but I am sure that they have positive goals to support the community and better business like most similar associations, but I get the feeling that they can be very powerful groups in some places.

That interpretation is not just based on the strong influence of CITA on diving practices in Cayman, but I am also reminded of the incident when Gary McNabb was fatally injured during a dive in Belize, the dive op reported the incident to the Belize Tourism Board but not to the legal authorities:

Diver Succumbs to Injuries; Boat Captain Fails to Report Accident to Authorities - The San Pedro Sun

 

[tursiops]

It’s one thing for a dive agency to say that divers in their classes need to wear a snorkel or whatever. It’s quite another for them to try to impose their rules on other divers that aren’t even associated with them. They do so by intimidation, saying if you don’t follow our rules you’ll get sued.

I think you made this up. Can you give an example of it happening?

 

[CWK]

SDI requires at least 2 dives, PADI 3. The final dive *may* be solo, at instructor's discretion with indirect supervision. I watch bubbles, and look at the computer log afterwards.

When I did my Padi Self Reliant, I had 3 non-solo dives. When my Self Reliant was not accepted for solo diving, I went for the SDI Solo to avoid a recurrence of this issue. The SDI manual was more thorough and it just felt natural that they would have more training dives. Bit surprised that SDI actually requires less dives than Padi.

My Padi course was conducted by a CD, and my SDI course was conducted by a TDI Instructor Trainer (who may or may not also be a SDI CD). If anyone is debating between the two, I can recommend the TDIcourse, but much would depend on the instructor.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I think you made this up. Can you give an example of it happening?

Scooters, dry suits and stages.

 

[tursiops]

Scooters, dry suits and stages.

And what agency -- by intimidation -- says you can't use these or you'll get sued?

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Well, they twist arms to get dive shops, land owners and boat operators to buy into their rules, rules that are primarily designed for OW divers.

The first time it happened to me was back in the early 90s. I had an OW card and had quite a few dives on wrecks in the 90 to 130 foot range. My deepest dive then was 172. One day I showed up at the dive shop and my OW card isn't good enough. Now, I need this new "advanced" card to go on dives deeper than 100ft. I resisted for years, but eventually got tired of sitting out the dives I wanted to do and got AOW. Eventually, they lowered the depth rating on OW to 60ft, cutting off even more divers from dives they had already been doing.

Solo is the same category to me. I've been doing solo dives since day one. And it's bad, bad, bad. Can't say how many times I'm been chastised for diving solo, even by total strangers. Suddenly, now that there's a cert for it, it's okay. Assuming you have the cert. Anyone else is cutoff once again...

At least they aren't enforcing the Drift & Boat Diver certs, at least not yet...

 

[tursiops]

Well, they twist arms to get dive shops, land owners and boat operators to buy into their rules, rules that are primarily designed for OW divers.

The first time it happened to me was back in the early 90s. I had an OW card and had quite a few dives on wrecks in the 90 to 130 foot range. My deepest dive then was 172. One day I showed up at the dive shop and my OW card isn't good enough. Now, I need this new "advanced" card to go on dives deeper than 100ft. I resisted for years, but eventually got tired of sitting out the dives I wanted to do and got AOW. Eventually, they lowered the depth rating on OW to 60ft, cutting off even more divers from dives they had already been doing.

Solo is the same category to me. I've been doing solo dives since day one. And it's bad, bad, bad. Can't say how many times I'm been chastised for diving solo, even by total strangers. Suddenly, now that there's a cert for it, it's okay. Assuming you have the cert. Anyone else is cutoff once again...

At least they aren't enforcing the Drift & Boat Diver certs, at least not yet...

I understand where you are coming from, but I'm not sure I end up in the same place when I follow your story.

The reason for the additional training required -- and a certification to prove it -- is because people both lie about their experience and over-rate their competence. So accidents happen....and the new regulations start coming in. Now, I suspect you and I are not lying and are highly competent, but what about all those other folks? I don't think this is coming from the agencies....but rather lawyers.

Reminds me of when I moved to Belgium many years ago. There were no drivers licenses, and pretty much the only rule was absolute priority of the right -- except when in a city with tram tracks and then the car on the street with the most tram tracks had the right-of-way. While I was living there, they started issuing drivers licenses. Lots of people complaining....but the number of accidents slowly decreased.