Solo cert on Bonaire?

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I'm not commenting on the carrying of an SMB/Reel on every dive or the necessity of one (indisputable IMO), nor am i referencing the validity of SMB/Reels for boat diving. I'm commenting on the frustration of doing a series of certification shore dives for the assessment and having to deploy a full SMB on every single one of the 3 certification dives as opposed to just running the drill on one of them and ticking the box for the assessment. I am sure you would probably get frustrated if I insisted that you deploy your SMB/REEL on every shore dive you do, whether you need to or not.....especially in that 'those killer Tobermory shore swells'

I honestly felt that the 'ability to deploy the smb/reel' assessment could have taken place on only one of the 3 dives (possibly the last) and would have sufficed for the qualification of the assessment, particularly as you can only take the course once you are AOW 100+ dives and as such you have been assessed on this drill on prior qualifications.

 

[cjibber]

I honestly felt that the 'ability to deploy the smb/reel' assessment could have taken place on only one of the 3 dives (possibly the last) and would have sufficed for the qualification of the assessment, particularly as you can only take the course once you are AOW 100+ dives and as such you have been assessed on this drill on prior qualifications.

I'm not disagreeing with you about how many times you should have had to do this but when I had done 100 dives and was AOW, I had never been assessed on my ability to deploy an SMB.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

i actually can't recall if it's part of the OW/AOW course/cert to be honest...

Instructor to chime in?

 

[morty343]

I'm not disagreeing with you about how many times you should have had to do this but when I had done 100 dives and was AOW, I had never been assessed on my ability to deploy an SMB.

That's curious. If your AOW was through PADI, one of the required, "non-electives" is deep diving, and one of this module's lessons is proper deployment of DSMB at depth.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

i thought that was the case too....

 

[cjibber]

That's curious. If your AOW was through PADI, one of the required, "non-electives" is deep diving, and one of this module's lessons is proper deployment of DSMB at depth.

We did AOW 19 years ago. Not sure if it was part of the course then but we certainly did not do it. It may just have been a badly taught course!

 

[tursiops]

We did AOW 19 years ago. Not sure if it was part of the course then but we certainly did not do it. It may just have been a badly taught course!

It was not required until recently.

 

[mmerriman]

That's curious. If your AOW was through PADI, one of the required, "non-electives" is deep diving, and one of this module's lessons is proper deployment of DSMB at depth.

yes - deep is required. no - DSMB is NOT required for AOW
Performance Requirements
1. With a buddy, plan and manage gas use, including
determining turn pressure, ascent pressure and
reserve pressure. Establish no stop and dive
time limits.
2. Descend using a line, wall or sloping bottom.
3. Compare changes in color at the surface and
at depth.
4. Compare a dive computer (or depth gauge) reading
to another diver’s depth reading.
5. Ascend at a rate not to exceed 18 metres/60 feet per
minute using a dive computer (or depth gauge and
timing device).
6. Make a safety stop at 5 metres/15 feet for at least
three minutes.

 

[morty343]

yes - deep is required. no - DSMB is NOT required for AOW
Performance Requirements
1. With a buddy, plan and manage gas use, including
determining turn pressure, ascent pressure and
reserve pressure. Establish no stop and dive
time limits.
2. Descend using a line, wall or sloping bottom.
3. Compare changes in color at the surface and
at depth.
4. Compare a dive computer (or depth gauge) reading
to another diver’s depth reading.
5. Ascend at a rate not to exceed 18 metres/60 feet per
minute using a dive computer (or depth gauge and
timing device).
6. Make a safety stop at 5 metres/15 feet for at least
three minutes.

Interesting, perhaps it was something our dive shop simply wanted included with their AOW course. We got our AOW in Jupiter, FL, and because the diving there is a ways offshore in a sport fishing area, typically with currents, they may just want their students to be practiced with DSMB.

 

[morty343]

I did the self-reliant course in Bonaire the week of 9/8 with Bart B. at Dive Friends, and thought it was a great experience. (I have a great respect for instructors who are able to teach so well while not using their first language.) I of course learned some new concepts, and got new insight on some things taught a long time ago. I think it was time & money well-spent.