I’m looking at getting enriched air for a upcoming trip. It looks like Ssi can all be done online while padi cannot, is this correct? Any reason to not do Ssi? If it matters I am padi advanced open water certified.
Ssi vs padi enriched air course
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If it is a bad translation of something they need to fix it. If it is a bad understanding of something they need to fix it. Either way, they need to fix it.
incorrect. there will be a practical portion for the ssi course. the duration and scope of the in person portion may differ from one shop to the next.
imho.....you should work with your instructor to ensure you can properly plan and execute a dive plan, set and understand your computer, label and test your gas. for some people this comes very easily to them. for others, not so much.
i can tell you that when i did my nitrox i got through all the book work and aced the exam. but i honestly did not fully understand the theory at the time.
online learning is great for introducing information to someone but i am a firm believer that most people (not all) need in person interaction in order to have discussion and work through practical scenarios and examples before they will truly understand that information.
it makes no difference which agency you choose to get your cert from.
the only difference you may consider is that padi (as far as i know) does not recognize other agencies certs to count towards their master diver level.
60plus
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I did Nitrox course with SSI. I did it at the same time as my deep diver course. I can't remember the exact price but for about €330 I got six boat dives to over 30 meters, 40m deep diver cert and nitrox cert. The six boat dives alone would have cost about €200 so for only €130 I got both Nitrox and deep divers certs. If you can find a package like this it is by far the most economical way to get certified.
I'm pretty sure all instructors from all agencies do not teach nothing. The basics include understanding the two forms of oxygen toxicity: CNS and pulmonary. Unfortunately, not all students are taught that CNS toxicity is influenced by ppO2 partial pressure AND TIME, as I've encountered people who think you go into convulsions immediately after exceeding a ppO2 of 1.6. How to calculate MOD, how to use different tables and/or dive computer, hands on portion of analyzer calibration, measuring oxygen percentage, proper labeling of cylinder, optional paperwork (more of an issue with the dive center). Then there's the aspect of drilling into people's heads to ALWAYS analyze their cylinders. That's the gist off the top of my head.
Though about SSI's content. They still have the 1/4 turn back, and in one of their dry suit videos, they show a diver in a twinset, longhose, AND A SNORKEL. I think I was unconscious for 5 to 10 minutes after smacking my palm against my forehead after seeing that. SSI overall has some great online training material, but there are a few things that .... need improvement.
Though about SSI's content. They still have the 1/4 turn back, and in one of their dry suit videos, they show a diver in a twinset, longhose, AND A SNORKEL. I think I was unconscious for 5 to 10 minutes after smacking my palm against my forehead after seeing that. SSI overall has some great online training material, but there are a few things that .... need improvement.
SSI's headquarters is in Ft. Collins, Colorado. I've always found it odd that I've not met or spoken to anyone who works there though we presumably would dive in the same location. I also find it odd that a scuba agency would headquarter itself 6 and a half hours away from decent diving locations.
My guess is that per capita, there are more divers in Colorado than any other state.
If I remember/understood correctly from @boulderjohn , a key person switched over and thus (my guess) the US HQ was placed in the same location.
SSI's headquarters was in Colorado since before I was a diver, at least a quarter of a century. I know they were there when Doug McNeese was head of NASDS and the two agencies merged. (He gave the history at a presentation I saw.) He had to move there even though the shops he still owned and NASDS headquarters were in Tennessee.
When SSI was purchased by Head/Mares, though, a lot of it moved to Florida. I know quite a few SSI people left the organization then--I talked to a guy who had had a desk job at Mares who was suddenly having to reacquaint himself with dive instruction when that happened.
The person I know who joined SSI leadership did it only a few years ago.
When SSI was purchased by Head/Mares, though, a lot of it moved to Florida. I know quite a few SSI people left the organization then--I talked to a guy who had had a desk job at Mares who was suddenly having to reacquaint himself with dive instruction when that happened.
The person I know who joined SSI leadership did it only a few years ago.
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