Solo diving class

[cortez]

I'm scheduled to take the SDI class in the upcoming months. Whenever the instructor and I don't have another class to do Anyway, we've already gone over the execution of the class and it will go something like this.

Dive 1: Planned by student done with instructor. Instructor will evaluate appropriate skills.

Dive 2: Planned by student, done with instructor. Instructor will essentially b e there in the "shadows" to verify that he student doesn't wander off dive plan.

Dive 3: Planned by student. Dive will start with instructor, but student will be given a nav course to run solo, ie. out and back returning to start point. Instructor will validate after dive (with computer) that the dive was performed within planned parameters.

Dive 4: Planned by student, executed entirely solo by student. Same basic principle as dive 3, but instructor will wait on surface.

I can't wait.

 

[Dive Source]

Asking a question is an admission of a lack of knowledge, and at least a suggestion that you are willing to learn.

Good Point ... Asking a question is a way to gain more knowledge as it is impossible to know everything. If people think they already know everything and cannot learn by asking, then they are doomed to repeat the errors of others and never improve.

I actually think I am qualified to solo dive and to teach it but I want to know/learn what others think is needed?

I hope I will never be arrogant enough to think I know everything and cannot learn from others.... I want to pass along as much knowledge as I can to my students and try and instill that attitude into them along with some humility and caution.

SOLO diving is not to be entered into lightly by students or Instructors...

 

[glbirch]

Now on another note this thread is certainly getting interesting and sparks more questions and good points at every turn so here is another.

Instructor qualification seems to be one issue with people, so I was wondering what qualifications would you expect a solo instructor to have? (outside the SDI requirements). I have been diving for 15 years,with around 500 dives most of which are in cold water. I am a NAUI Instructor, TDI technical instructor and have my full cave with NACD/IANTD.(No GUE stuff since they came along after I did my cave stuff)

Am I qualified to teach Solo Diving?

Is anyone?

And if no one is qualified to teach it then is anybody qualified to do it?

My thought is that to properly instruct anything, you need a combination of knowledge, experience and training, and the ability to effectively communicate all of that to someone else. Without that last one, the rest doesn't matter so much. Especially when the subject in question is a difficult, detailed or complicated one.So, having never taken a course with/from you I personally couldn't say whether you can teach a course like that or not.