What is the PADI "deep" specialty?

[Upwelling]

thanks but now I'm more confused--how can they claim it prepares you for dives from 100-130 FSW when the course only requires 4 dives over 60' ?

Hi junko. I took the PADI deep diver class. I was one of those guys that went right from padi ow to aow to deep diver. There isnt much to the deep diver course. You read the book do the home work and make four dives over 60'. In my case it end up being great because all the dive where on some nice wrecks. The max depth was 128'.
I just finish my TDI advanced nixtrox and decompression procedures. I now know that i didnt have the proper training or the equipment needed to do dives over 100'. I dont have any of the equipment that i used in my padi deep diver course any more. Thats what was realy $$$$

 

[IceDiverInCA]

thanks but now I'm more confused--how can they claim it prepares you for dives from 100-130 FSW when the course only requires 4 dives over 60' ?

I think that's the point ascubaguy made. It doesn't prepare you for dives below 100fsw.

 

[MyDiveLog]

PADI reached DEEP into your pocket to sell you yet another c-card!

Seriously, I took the PADI 'deep' course and was unimpressed. It's not worth the $$.

 

[Upwelling]

hmm...well if it's no different than what you learn in AOW deep dive, I don't know why anyone would bother with it, unless they like throwing money away

I think that's the point ascubaguy made. It doesn't prepare you for dives below 100fsw.

 

[IceDiverInCA]

hmm...well if it's no different than what you learn in AOW deep dive, I don't know why anyone would bother with it, unless they like throwing money away

I don't know..... why would anyone take boat diving specialty course from PADI? Maybe I should learn to hold my mask while doing giant stride.

 

[emtdan]

I donno.... i had some great instructors when i did AOW, my specialties an rescue. I did a liveaboard program for teens in the BVIs, Action Quest. We did dives to 85, played with eggs, and proved that we were narked.... thats just about it.... we had fun, but it was also a "back burner" to all the other certs we were doing...

 

[Nomaster]

On my Deep Dive Specialty I went down to a 999ft with a single HP80. I had to take two lights with me because it was so dark. My instructor was breathing off my octo, since he was diving a cheap regulator and it started to freeflow (thank god I have an APEKS). I had to open a combination lock at depth and wright the ABC backwards on my slate. Unfortunatley I was to narked to do either...........if my instructor wasn't there, I would not have been here. Thanks PADI.

This is the funniest thread I've been on yet, and there are some very good ones in the singles forum!
One of my instructors said it like this, it's a card that you can show on a dive boat to make the operator feel better. But then they try to add value to the card by teaching some useful stuff to get you headed toward being a better diver. My instructors are continually playing "what if" scenarios, practicing drills and working to have there students to actually think about the diving part of their underwater adventures. After all, isn't diving at least, say 95% diving when we're under?
We can always improve, and an instructor who cares can always see something we might work on and give pointers. Don't most instructors work to increase their students general skills, or do they just focus on the card they're selling in the specific course they're teaching? If they're just there to sell the card, they might do as little as possible.
I wonder, so far I've taken private lessons only, maybe how much care I get is a function of my class size, but somehow I can't believe any of the instructors I've had would ignore a chance to improve their students' skills. Come to think of it, each of them use their teaching as another excuse to be in the water and develop a new diver to the point they would have no problem asking them to be dive buddies. It shows too in the loyalty of their local fanatics (some card collectors, all wreck-dive nuts) and those of us who return everytime we have enough money to fly back.
I'm lucky, I haven't met any that just sell cards yet, but I've read about them and heard about them, so I imagine that they actually exist.

Tom

 

[matt_unique]

I think that's the point ascubaguy made. It doesn't prepare you for dives below 100fsw.

....unless of course you have an instructor who teaches and takes you "deep". Course titles matter little, instructors matter great, for EVERY course. A PADI deep specialty can be useless, or it can be excellent depending upon the instructor. The same could be said for virtually every course outside of OW including AOW. The student commitment is equally important.

--Matt

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Why go deep? What is there to see below 100'?

If you are in Coz, Punta Sur is below 100' so it may be worth it.

But is 100' in Coz like 100' in Travis? Going deep just to go deep is IMHO a dumb reason to go deep.

Plenty of people have said it, and it is said all over the board, the class depends on the instructor. If the instructor doesn't make the class worthwhile it won't be. If the instructor takes the time to make it worth it, then it will be.

Interview the instructor before the class. What are his (her) plans?

TwoBit

 

[MikeFerrara]

Why go deep? What is there to see below 100'?

there is plenty to see below 100 ft...and 200 ft and 300 ft. The question the individual must answer is whether or not it's worth it to them.

But is 100' in Coz like 100' in Travis? Going deep just to go deep is IMHO a dumb reason to go deep.

Unless of course it's for training. I often choose a deep wreck or cave over a shallow one partly to keep my experience up. It might not be easy getting on a boat to dive a wreck at 250 if it's been too long since you've been below 150.

Plenty of people have said it, and it is said all over the board, the class depends on the instructor. If the instructor doesn't make the class worthwhile it won't be. If the instructor takes the time to make it worth it, then it will be.

Interview the instructor before the class. What are his (her) plans?

TwoBit

I can partly agree with this. A good instructor can make a good class of...well...even no class at all. That's not enogh to get me to want to send money to an agency though.

IMO, there are classes that are infinately better than a PADI deep diver specialty for preparing a diver to dive to 130 ft.

This is a class that I'd skip...regardless of who's teaching it. If the instructor is that god and you want to take a class from them, I'd see what else they have to offer.