I think I got it, thanks fellas.
Solo Diving
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Arduous
Contributor
This subject is always one that provokes a hot debate. As some may have picked up on from my past posts, I am not one to engage in an on-line argument. I put my two cents worth in and let it go. If someone takes a stab at or a cheep shot at what I have posted, youll find that I will not reply to it. Regardless of how strongly I disagree. After all who am I ? Just another diver with his own opinion. ( And we all know what opinions are like ). However after reading some of the posts and getting the view points from those like myself who do, and those that say they wont. I would just like to throw this out there. Scuba is a sport or a recreational activity. It is an activity with some inherent risks. Many sports and recreational activities have there risks. One that come to the top of my mind is something Ive tried myself once. (Skydiving). There are those who will tell you there is absolutely no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and there are those who will tell you theres nothing like it in the world. Let me tell you, when you jump out of an airplane, there is no one by your side to hold your hand. You are on your own ! If your going to do this activity, you except the risk, you train and prepare for the activity and you have contingency plans. You pack your own shoot, you carry a back up shoot ect..ect..ect. Diving is the same thing. You except the risks, you plan and prepare for your dives, you maintain your equipment and so on. In my OPINION it is every divers responsibility to be self sufficient and be able to effect a self rescue if necessary. Solo diving is not for everyone, but for those that dont
.please dont call those that do stupid.
Peace and Safe Diving ..Arduous
Peace and Safe Diving ..Arduous
Arduous,
You are 100% in everything you say. I dont jump so I can't speak for that industry sky diving.
The problem in diving is the promoted ignorance of the risks. It's safe, safe, safe, fun, fun, fun. In the end many divers are not aware and not educated about the risks. Just like the statement "dive within your limits" is often meaningless just like "equalize early and often". What the heck does it mean? How early and how often is often not instructed.
I am sure we all have seen the out of air exercises. "Are you ready, are you ready, Oh yoohoo, can I borrow some of your air please". That's not the real world, but many divers don't know any better.
So, those that speak up, often get bricks thrown at them by the LDS, the industry, etc. And the dilution goes on.
You are 100% in everything you say. I dont jump so I can't speak for that industry sky diving.
The problem in diving is the promoted ignorance of the risks. It's safe, safe, safe, fun, fun, fun. In the end many divers are not aware and not educated about the risks. Just like the statement "dive within your limits" is often meaningless just like "equalize early and often". What the heck does it mean? How early and how often is often not instructed.
I am sure we all have seen the out of air exercises. "Are you ready, are you ready, Oh yoohoo, can I borrow some of your air please". That's not the real world, but many divers don't know any better.
So, those that speak up, often get bricks thrown at them by the LDS, the industry, etc. And the dilution goes on.
Kayla
Contributor
Arduous, i couldn't agree with you more. When I first read this post, I was totally against it. But after seeing some of the very good points that those who dive solo have brought up, I think that if you enjoy it, and can handle a malfunction that may happen underwater, then go for it! I think that it might be a very relaxing time. As far as stupid goes, that was my fault.. I didn't really mean for it to sound like that, but after somewhat changing my opinion, I can honestly say that I am sorry. It's your choice, and I totally respect it either way! Stupid was not the best choice of words, not by far, and I apologize for it again. 
Kayla
Kayla
Well then...
Congratulations solo advocates...
Congratulations solo advocates...
Arduous
Contributor
Devilfish, I strongly agree with you. Diving is a business and the instructors and dive shops are out to make money. They do this by turning out students and selling them equipment. Some instructors are very very good and some have much to be desired. Its like taking Karate. With some instructors, as long as you show up for class and pay your dues, then every other month youll get a pretty new colored belt. And then there are other instructor who will make you work and sweat and truly earn that belt. After all showing up for class and paying your dues, does not make you a martial artist. Nor does showing up for your dive class and going through the motions make you a diver. You need a good instructor, but there has to be some serious effort on your part to get the most out of that instructor and your training. In scuba proper training and instructor are so much more critical than in Karate, after all no one ever drown in a Karate class, ( I dont think ).
And Kayla you have nothing to be sorry about. You need not apologize to me. The use of the word stupid in my last post was a generalization and not a direct reference to your post. What you stated was your opinion and I have all the respect in the world for it. Dont ever be afraid to speak your mind. So no need to say your sorry. Hey if I were that thin skinned, I wouldnt be able to dive in these cold New England waters ..LOL
.Arduous
And Kayla you have nothing to be sorry about. You need not apologize to me. The use of the word stupid in my last post was a generalization and not a direct reference to your post. What you stated was your opinion and I have all the respect in the world for it. Dont ever be afraid to speak your mind. So no need to say your sorry. Hey if I were that thin skinned, I wouldnt be able to dive in these cold New England waters ..LOL
.Arduous
Back near the front of the thread someone said solo diving was unsafe. I don't disagree with this statement but it must be qualified. When students dive with an instructor, the instructor certainly ensures the student's safety, what about the instructor?
For me I think that on those few occasions I dive alone I am much safer than when taking 2 or 4 or 6 Basic Open Water students with me. I also know that I have busted many great dives babysitting divers who shouldn't be diving. I didn't certify them but I also couldn't turn them loose.
I'll do solo when given the chance...
For me I think that on those few occasions I dive alone I am much safer than when taking 2 or 4 or 6 Basic Open Water students with me. I also know that I have busted many great dives babysitting divers who shouldn't be diving. I didn't certify them but I also couldn't turn them loose.
I'll do solo when given the chance...
Ahh, this is going on a tangent a bit but I could not resist this one. You are correct about the good instructors and poor instructors. The problem is that a student who is not aware in the begining and came to learn, does not know what to expect, therefore does not know how to get the most out of it.
In all the years of teaching I have never seen an instructor who openly admits of being a crap instructor, yet where all the poorly trained divers come from?
About 10 or 12 years ago, maybe longer, time is flying, I wanted to write a distinctive specialty "Solo Rescue" specifically for working instructors, DM's and AI's. Both agencies told me that I can't go around promoting solo diving. Damn, these pros are diving solo, worst then solo when teaching. The worst job is in the resorts when the weekend wonders show up. There is nothing harder and more risky than guiding strange divers who you never saw in the water before. Such is the industry.
Your last line, it is only so if we the public allow it to be. If we don't flag the instructors of the bad students then we are part of the problem and have no one else to blame. Assuming an instructor is outputting poor quality students, and won't accept constructive critism from other instructors then this person doesn't need to be teaching. Sounds like IAB on NYPD Blue huh? Needs to be controlled somehow somewhere.
Anyway I like diving alone...
dkigreg,
I know where you are coming from, Braman, Hendrick, Safirowski, and many others, so you know.
You don't know how many bricks over the years I got thrown at me for "flaging" those instructors. There was a time some listened including agencies. Today they are chasing those that were trying to catch up.
Anyway, I'm off this soap box. Yeah, I'm still involved and will be.
I know where you are coming from, Braman, Hendrick, Safirowski, and many others, so you know.
You don't know how many bricks over the years I got thrown at me for "flaging" those instructors. There was a time some listened including agencies. Today they are chasing those that were trying to catch up.
Anyway, I'm off this soap box. Yeah, I'm still involved and will be.
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