To those considering an OW class...

[Clancy]

I just took an advanced class this last weekend. Some class time and five dives. All in all a very plesant experience, but an eye opener all the same. There were four students and one instructor. The first dive, a deep dive, one couple left the group before we were all in the water, then had to ascend early, as they were short on air. The second dive (A night dive) they left the group again! The instructor scolded them both this time. The third dive the same couple quarreled on the boat after the dive, as the wife didn't like the way her husband/divebuddy, strayed from her. She also had a hard time assembling her gear! They behaved on the nav dive and on the wreck dive.
My buddy had his hoses all dangling and seemed overweighted, as he swam at a 45 degree angle the whole time. Mind you I'm no saint, but I felt better prepared, and certainly better behaved.
Did this class hone any skills? Not really, but it did get me more experience and broaden my horizons. I think I learned the most on the Nav dive. I've had lots of experience with land nav, and I was a bit confounded with the underwater version. It did give me more confidence in my core diving skills, as my boyancy, breathing, monitoring, and underwater communication skills seemed to be second nature while I worked on the nav.

 

[blownoffvalve]

This is such an awesome post. It rememinds me of friends that go to Hawaii to take their classes because it is laid back and "chill". I see how that is not good. Again great post and a lot of people will learn a lot from this.

 

[RS]

I'm just now taking a refresher OW PADI course, and this thread is kind of hitting a few wet spots. I'm convinced it's the divers responsibility to get the knowledge, but this can be nurtured and should be fueled by the instructor.

The instructor should facilitate the learning of basic skills and expose the student to the field of knowledge that is requisite to diving. They can also extend the training towards a better educated student by developing interest and nurturing connections for future diving opportunities. This sounds like the PADI post OW dogma, and maybe they are right.

Primary goal is to train a diver to be comfortable in a basic ow experience. As the diver learns this experience they will most likely want more.

It's probably a mixture of different things for every one, but what's important is for the individual to have fun while gaining experience and knowledge of diving, and to have access to knowledge and experience from a good buddy. The development of a correct instinctive response to any condition should be the goal.

For me to get there, I'm probably going to be paying my instructor to dive with me after the OW cert for fun. He's actually a really cool guy to be around; he's a really good diver and I'd trust my life in his hands. I believe I could drown and he'd be there to bring me back; and I'd want to be able to do the same. So maybe that's what it means for me now, the next cpr class w/ my OW instructor...

What's out there for you?

Reminder to self: this counts as one against my goofy diver post toll.

 

[aowdan]

although i am only aow, i am currently enrolled in the rescue and nitrox college courses. i feel that a longer course is more beneficial. i could go from "know nothing" diver to instructor in a few months (if logged dives are achieved). i could get a nitrox cert in FOUR hours for $99. i've not been through the $99 course, but knowing what i know in the college course, i don't feel comfortable with a short course. we go 2 hours lecture once a week for an entire semester. what could you learn about tissue compartments and how dive tables are created and tested in only 4 hours??. even though i'm not an instructor, i look forward to having my children certified (junior) and teaching them the skills that i have gained over the years. for example, every dive i make that is not a "skills" dive (which most are in my classes) i do mask drills at a minimum. why? i hate them. i take my poorest skills and do them so i get better at them. try a regulator exchange ascent from 30 feet (or deeper) when both divers don't have a mask on for a "just in case". BC doff/don mid water column. not as easy as it sounds and i have pretty good bouyancy control.
thank you for the great reading

dan

p.s. first post... hope it wasn't to long or boring!

 

[aowdan]

also, in the college class for aow, we made 9 lagoon dives (open water but semi confined) and 4 open water ( 2 wreck and 2 "shallow") reef dives. the lagoon has 41 ft depth, suspended platforms, a bus, some cars, a boat, concrete culverts and ATOCHA timbers in the training area

 

[pcarlson1911]

Quality training is not the product of a good agency, curriculum, or instructor. Quality training is a product of a voracious student who cannot learn, practice, discuss enough to satisfy theri appetite for excellence. I have seen this in every walk of life I have encountered.

IT ALWAYS COSTS TO LEARN. Most divers aren't willing to pay the cost. I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about time, energy, commitment, determination etc. The problem is with the customers. Soon Walmart will be a certifying agency. That will solve our problems.
pc

 

[Thalassamania]

Quality training is not the product of a good agency, curriculum, or instructor. Quality training is a product of a voracious student who cannot learn, practice, discuss enough to satisfy theri appetite for excellence. I have seen this in every walk of life I have encountered.

IT ALWAYS COSTS TO LEARN. Most divers aren't willing to pay the cost. I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about time, energy, commitment, determination etc. The problem is with the customers. Soon Walmart will be a certifying agency. That will solve our problems.
pc

A highly motivated student is much easier to teach than one who is not. But student motivation and instructor quality are, in my experience both as a student and an instructor, often dependent variables. Similarly, in my experience, the quality of an instructor and the rigidity of the agency often vary inversely (at least at the extremes).

 

[Dark Wolf]

I think that the length of the class depends on the person. I took the 2-day classroom and confined water, with a 2-day OW check-out. I have a hectic schedule, but I also realized that it was up to ME to make the most of my training.
Being a single Dad, money can be tight. So I studied dive tables, OW manual, and really anything that I could find about diving while I saved the money to be able to finally get certified. I have also been a freediver for 10-12 years, and I am sure that this helped with being comfortable in the water.
I do not get my OW card until April, so you should all take this with a grain of salt. But I got a 97% on the book work, and had no problems (knock on wood) in the pool. I feel that if I had not studied as much as I have, then I would have been more apprehensive and missed out on some valuable info in the class.
So to me, each person has to be responsible for themselves, and do an HONEST self-assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, and then pick the correct curriculum for them.
Sorry, didn't mean to ramble!! Just my 2 cents worth!
Thanks,

Dark Wolf

 

[MaconBubbles]

I'm just thankful I had lots of problems during my OW class. I think we should all have to stand on our head and suck some water in through the nose at the bottom of the pool before we get certified.

 

[BRANDY]

I got cert in 85 I think.When my daughter was doing her training this year I sat in on the classes so she would be more comfortable ,remembering how intimidating the couarse was when only 14 or so. We went to class a few nights and then in the pool and it was over . I was like,is that it?
Needless to say she passed,but didnt get out that easy. She has been doing drills and such with me since. She complains that she has passed and is certified. She wasnt certified to swim in the pool after that class. I didnt realize how easy it has become!
Im going next week and get my seat on the next shuttle mission.