heymonkey
Guest
This has (almost) all been good reading, but c'mon.... Honestly, I think you can say whatever you want about agencies and standards, but it all really comes down to a few things. There are good and bad instructors/DMs in any agency. You pass - or not - by their decision. You can choose an instructor who will hand you a tank and throw you in, or you can look for the guy/gal who really loves to teach technique. I was initially concerned about my buoyancy and practiced it in the pool between OW class sessions.
After certification, you are responsible for yourself including whether or not you learn and grow. There are no (official) SCUBA police and anyone is largely free to take risks and break rules - and there will always be those who do. I've had some moments of temptation myself. Heck, I've broken some rules. Diving is a calculated risk no matter how you look at it.
Good for you if your skills are top notch and you love to show off. I'm just in it for the fun, adventure, and diving (and living). I can't fault PADI for making diving accessible and promoting the sport even though I don't agree with all of their policies and practices. I feel that way about almost any organization with more than 50 members. Thank god we all have the fortune to go out and risk our lives diving! (or hiking, climbing, paddling, etc.) If I happen to die diving, I'd appreciate being faulted for it rather than the certifying agency, or worse, the exceptional instructor/mentor who spent x number of hours passing on knowledge and techniques... and even let me make some mistakes along the way... imagine!
After certification, you are responsible for yourself including whether or not you learn and grow. There are no (official) SCUBA police and anyone is largely free to take risks and break rules - and there will always be those who do. I've had some moments of temptation myself. Heck, I've broken some rules. Diving is a calculated risk no matter how you look at it.
Good for you if your skills are top notch and you love to show off. I'm just in it for the fun, adventure, and diving (and living). I can't fault PADI for making diving accessible and promoting the sport even though I don't agree with all of their policies and practices. I feel that way about almost any organization with more than 50 members. Thank god we all have the fortune to go out and risk our lives diving! (or hiking, climbing, paddling, etc.) If I happen to die diving, I'd appreciate being faulted for it rather than the certifying agency, or worse, the exceptional instructor/mentor who spent x number of hours passing on knowledge and techniques... and even let me make some mistakes along the way... imagine!