The State of Diving

[TEArrington]

Thanks to OP for this video. Inside the confines of SB, where most folks are likely to have some knowledge of diving, I think this is an interesting piece. It reminds me of mistakes I made as a newer diver in spite of the training I received, and mistakes I have sometimes made since in higher stress moments when I lose my situational awareness. Over time, I have worked hard on having fewer moments where I look like this video.

Equally cool are some videos I have seen recently showing excellent finning and trim. Those videos make my jaw drop and dream of a day when I am that good of a diver. I hope I never stop learning, improving, and sharing what I have learned about diving with others.

 

[Airleron]

I do not see the "buddy team" the same way Diver0001 does either. I see this pair as Vertical Woman holding on to Horizontal Boy for dear life (maybe because she knows she can't really move well in that position), while Horizontal Boy is more or less oblivious to her discomfort. That is not good buddy contact IMO, you need to be aware of the other person, not just touching them.


I agree with this statement. I often see this behavior with my best friend and her boyfriend. He's been certified since the 70's, with at least 1000 dives. She was certed in '02, with about 30 total dives under her belt. The treatment she receives from him is appauling. I've seen him dismiss her hand gestures at 80' if she's having a problem. He makes no attempt to buddy with her, except when he feels like it. Back on the boat during SI, she's yelling at him under her breath about leaving her/ignoring her, etc. I've suggested that she partner with me and we dive without the boys. It will never happen because he has made her uneasy. She can't set up her gear or change it over without his help. Since she has to rely on him financially, he'll never pay for any additional training for her. He never advanced past OW since 1976.

 

[Diver0001]

In all honesty, this thread wasn't about finding fault, but more to identify obvious issues and find out how prevalent they really are.

Well Dave, knowing how cynical you are I have some trouble believing this at face value. You knew full well where this thread was going when you started it. Even if *you* didn't want to lay blame, you knew it would happen. And it's once again the dive pros who got in line to assign the fault, culminating with Bob's one liner that sums up every thread we've ever had about this issue:

I don't fault the students for that ... and I sure don't fault the agency ... I fault the instructor for setting such low expectations

People are like dogs. Where ever they go and whatever they're doing they first and foremost want to stick their noses in sht. That's what these kinds of threads always remind me of.... dogs sniffing sht.

If we want to deal with the real issues then we don't need avoid sniffing sht all together, but we shouldn't obsess about it, but we do. We're addicted to sniffing sht.

Even the song...."Good People"

Oh, you win, it's your show now
So what's it gonna be
Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see
Before we lose touch of
We thought this was low
Well, it's bad, getting worse so

etc. etc. etc.

It's a train wreck, it's all terrible, it's getting worse, blah blah blah.

the OP dripped cynicsm right down to the choice of music.

YYMV.

R..

 

[*dave*]

Rob, I think you're projecting again.

the OP dripped cynicsm right down to the choice of music.

YYMV.

R..

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Rob ... your response was equally predictable. Is that really what was going on ... or simply what you wanted to see?

Why don't you just get a few more instructors banned from whatever forums you decide we're not worthy of ?

Wanna see something cynical ... look in the mirror.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Diver0001]

Unfortunately, the card Bob's students earn and the one each of the divers in the video were issued don't make that distinction.

I don't understand why people lay awake at night about this point.

Many people's students are well trained, many are not. There is a lot of variation.

There is a lot of variation in IQ's in the general population too. Should we lay awake at night worrying about the fact taht they all get the same diploma after high-school?

Certainly there are cases where divers are not being trained to standards. this is not one of those cases. There are no standards that say that you *must* dive horizontally (although in some circles not doing so as a matter of style is considered a sin), there are no standards outlawing the use of sculling, there are no standards saying that they *must* fly in formation with their buddy.... yet these are the things people (even instructors) point at and say "look, these divers were not trained to standards".

If standards are wrong, ok, let's debate that in the (I2I forum) and get some action like petitioning our agencies to put these things explicitly in the standards. I would certainly like to see divers looking tight after the OW course.... oh wait... mine do. But then that's the only thing I have control over.

Just like your students are the only thing you have control over and Bob's students are the only thing he has control over. It will be people like this who want to put the extra effort in who will always be sought after as instructors. The internet is a great medium for getting that message across, but not how you're doing it. Not with the negativity.

If you want to get the message across with a positive tone then post video of your own students so people thinking about learning to dive are not shown the "sh1t" (to borrow my own analogy from my previous post but that they are shown the "flowers".

R..

 

[ScubaSteve]

I am afraid that this "agency/quality of training today" topic might be the new "POV Warrior" in that every thread will have staff closed mindedly pushing it onto the posters.

 

[Reef Tank]

There's been some speculation and a few direct questions regarding the video, so I'm filling in what little I actually know regarding the background of the divers.

Of course. Doesn't everyone?

Fair enough.:focus:

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I am afraid that this agency topic might be the new "POV Warrior" in that every thread will have staff closed mindedly pushing it onto the posters.

I don't recall this having anything to do with agencies. But I fear you're right.

NetDoc should be along anytime now ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dbulmer]

Dave,
Thanks for the reply. I certed in Cancun and don't remember having to wear a tag though I do remember having to pay the fee.

As for the pro - well I'm surprised to be honest. Most of the DMs i've seen there have far more ability than what we saw in the video and that's what I found particularly disturbing but yes I've seen the same stuff myself and been guilty of it too I'm afraid.