What constitutes a dive?

[Bubble_Boy]

I read a lot of comments about diving in pools but how about in my bath tub?

 

[Kingpatzer]

This is sort of a tangent off of the original post, but I had to look up the requirments for PADI DM since people were talking about some trying to just get enough for the requirements. It's only 50 dives and if someone is doing multiple short nothing dives to just get up to 50....um wow. 50 doesn't sound like much in the first place....

I am aware of at least one DM in the PADI system who resorted to the "sleep on the platform" method of padding their dive log for dives even though they had thousands of hours underwater on scuba as a working diver because the nature of their work meant they weren't counted by the PADI system.

 

[boulderjohn]

This is sort of a tangent off of the original post, but I had to look up the requirments for PADI DM since people were talking about some trying to just get enough for the requirements. It's only 50 dives a

...actually it's 60, but that still isn't a lot.

The truth is that the number is meaningless because the diver has to demonstrate specific skills to qualify. A diver with 200 dives without those skills doesn't qualify.

 

[jar546]

I fixed this for you. They actually bragged about trying to fall asleep for 20 minutes at a time. Perhaps they were working on the Underwater Snooze Specialty.

Some people are turned on by numbers. They are proud of their x number of dives just as many are proud of their x number of posts. It's often said that scuba is not a competition, but we are incredibly persistent at making it so. I really don't care how many dives you tell me that you have. I do care how you respond underwater, especially if you're my buddy.

FWIW, NASE does not require you to log a certain number of dives for OW. Instead they require 100 minutes. It works out a little better as a minimum if the OW dives are kept to 15 or 20 minutes, but don't forget: it's only a minimum. NASE also requires competency rather than simple skills mastery. It's a slightly different emphasis, and it seems that most instructors here on ScubaBoard already use that method. I'm just glad to see it as an agency standard rather than dependent on individual instructors.

Thanks for fixing. I was trying to be PC and not harsh and push too many buttons.

I really think that there is too much emphasis on the number of dives and not the quality. There are way too many variables to take into consideration but I suppose the number of dives and bottom time are probably the best, most reasonable method.

Here is my example:

On Jan 2nd this year, the thin ice melted and I dove fresh water 36F at the surface and 34F at depth of 30-40 feet. Diving dry with hood, dry gloves and picking through garbage while looking for "treasures" on a very silty bottom for 30 minutes. I found this to be a very stressful dive due to the cold and 4-6' visibility. 4 of us dove together and staying within site at that vis is not easy.

On Jan 7th I was in Key Largo diving on Pleasure Reef at only 26' with 72F water temp and 25' vis but ended my dive after 53 minutes because I did not have a P valve at the time and had to take care of business.

Dive #2 was almost twice as long as dive #1 but I think dive #1 was a better for experience. Way too many variables but again I suppose a standard has to start somewhere.

 

[The Chairman]

Dive #2 was almost twice as long as dive #1 but I think dive #1 was a better for experience. Way too many variables but again I suppose a standard has to start somewhere.

We might disagree on "better" in this instance. But then, that's why I live in Key Largo now! I'll suffer with only getting 2-3 sets of dives in my non-challenging environment for the time being!

 

[SoccerJeni]

I am aware of at least one DM in the PADI system who resorted to the "sleep on the platform" method of padding their dive log for dives even though they had thousands of hours underwater on scuba as a working diver because the nature of their work meant they weren't counted by the PADI system.

Did I look up the wrong thing? I looked up PADI courses and there was one called master scuba diver, so maybe that's not right. Here's where I went...
Master Scuba Diver Rating Courses - Advanced Open Water Diving - PADI Scuba Dive Training Organization

This is what it said:
Prerequisites
•12 years old
•PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
•PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
•PADI Rescue Diver or Junior Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
•Minimum of five PADI Specialty Diver courses
•Minimum of 50 logged dives

 

[Cave Diver]

Did I look up the wrong thing? I looked up PADI courses and there was one called master scuba diver, so maybe that's not right. Here's where I went...
Master Scuba Diver Rating Courses - Advanced Open Water Diving - PADI Scuba Dive Training Organization

Thats the Master Diver course. You want to look at the Dive Master course

I really don't care how many dives you tell me that you have. I do care how you respond underwater, especially if you're my buddy.

 

[Cave Diver]

This is sort of a tangent off of the original post, but I had to look up the requirments for PADI DM since people were talking about some trying to just get enough for the requirements. It's only 50 dives and if someone is doing multiple short nothing dives to just get up to 50....um wow. 50 doesn't sound like much in the first place....

Think about that next time a DM is telling you what to do.

...actually it's 60, but that still isn't a lot.

The truth is that the number is meaningless because the diver has to demonstrate specific skills to qualify. A diver with 200 dives without those skills doesn't qualify.

That truth is also meaningless. An instructor has to pass an IDC to teach, yet there are still some pretty lousy ones of those out there. Just because the passed the course doesn't mean they'll make a good leader.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Thats the Master Diver course. You want to look at the Dive Master course

Oh, thanks! The 12 year old thing did make me wonder...

 

[pjhansman]

Most recently it took five minutes to conclude that a leaking dry suit under ice is not fun.

It took 5 minutes to come to that conclusion....?