What is the PADI "deep" specialty?

[dwright]

I like to go deep because the Chicks think I'm cool

Seriously though, here in NC almost all of the wrecks are deeper than 100' and some are in the 200-250 range. You just need to stay within your limits. BTW I never took the deep specialty. The way I see it, the only reason some people get so many specialties is to obtain the "Master Scuba Diver" card...not to be confused with Divemaster.

 

[DutchDown]

As I understand it, the deep speciality is a pre-requisite, along with rescue, for the DSAT Tech Deep course. I'll be starting the deep specialty on Monday with an instructor who takes his teaching very seriously, so I expect to gain knowledge along with the card. If I wasn't planning on following the tech diving route, I probably would never have bothered with the specialty.

Phil

 

[Daryl Morse]

I only have OW, but I registered 62' on one of my last dives. I'd like to tell you is was real scary and challenging, but in fact, it was very similar to 59' 11" only 25" deeper.

You gotta push the envelope if you're wanna improve. I'm planning dive to 64' this weekend!

LOL!

 

[MikeFerrara]

As I understand it, the deep speciality is a pre-requisite, along with rescue, for the DSAT Tech Deep course. I'll be starting the deep specialty on Monday with an instructor who takes his teaching very seriously, so I expect to gain knowledge along with the card. If I wasn't planning on following the tech diving route, I probably would never have bothered with the specialty.

Phil

If you're considering technical diving I'd suggest looking into other agencies before laying down cash for a deep diver specialty and then taking the tech deep class.

The deep diver specialty has absolutely nothing that applies to technical diving.

Other agencies, and I'll use IANTD as an example because I'm familiar with their programs, start you're tech training with courses like Advanced nitrox which is essentially similar to the first half of your tech deep (tech equipment, moderate deco, one deco gas and depths down to 130). The next step is the technical diver course which is like the rest of the dsat tech deep except that you can combine it with normoxic trimix. The advantage here is that you don't ever need to go below 130 ft on air or notrox. In addition, the advanced nitrox class can be combined with the advanced nitrox class and you can avoid ever having to dive with an END below 80 ft if you want. You also won't be taught to wrap your legs around anything while you shoot a bag. LOL And of course you get to skip the deep (ha ha ha) specialty.

I'd really look around before going with the DSAT classes.

 

[DutchDown]

You also won't be taught to wrap your legs around anything while you shoot a bag.

Are you sure!?!?! Seems I read that I would be taught that specifically! I'm gonna ask for a refund, as soon as i pay for the class! :06:

As it happens, my instructor is also an IANTD instructor. He suggested the DSAT course rather than IANTD because he considers it more comprehensive. It certainly takes longer the way he teaches it. Plus he begins teaching trimix during the last couple of lessons. He doesnt take the deep specialty seriously either, except that it's a mandatory course leading to the DSAT TEC/REC or REC/TEC (whatever the flavor is). Personally, I would rather take the courses in steps, ala IANTD or TDI, but this is a case where I value the instructor over the agency. A British dive magazine also sent one of their staff writeres through the DSAT and TDI courses and his conclusion was that, indeed, the DSAT course seemed more in depth than those from TDI.

Thanks Mike, for your input. Pity I no longer live in Indiana. I'd look you up and take some courses from you. Instructor over agency, every time.

Phil

 

[MikeFerrara]

Are you sure!?!?! Seems I read that I would be taught that specifically! I'm gonna ask for a refund, as soon as i pay for the class! :06:

I have to say that I have no great love for any agency. There are plenty of bad IANTD and TDI instructors though I do respect Tom Mount while I'd have trouble finding any one at PADI who could convince me that they know anything about diving.

But back to the lift bag thing, I was refering to what the DSAT text says about deploying a bag. Who ever wrote it needs a class. Other points that make me think that are all the pictures of students kneeling on the bottom and the deep diving on air which is on its way out and for good reason.

We could argue whether new diver should be started kneeling...as long as they don't finish that way but at the tech level I don't see it....EVER.

Lots of shops are going to DSAT for the marketing advantage. Oh well.

 

[Michael Schlink]

Mike are you honestly going to put into print that there isn't ANYONE at PADI that knows anything about diving!! Are you saying at PADI HQ or anybody that is affiliated with PADI? I have to take exception to that statement, maybe I'm misreading or misinterpreting(sic) I know you don't care for PADI but your way too smart to condem the whole lot. I personally know a lot of divers that were trained by PADI instructors or are PADI instructors that have made positive contributions to the dive industry and are exceptional divers. I don't want to brag but I still teach PADI and I think I turn out a pretty darn good diver. I agree with a lot of your posts and I don't have students kneel, I teach air mgmt., and I hold my students to a high standard. I agree with those that say that it's not the agency it's the inst. I also am proud to be a PADI inst.
I have always admired everything I've read of your posts, you hurt my feelings-M

 

[Michael Schlink]

I went and re-read the "Deep" specialty stds.- The purpose of the course unquote is to INTRODUCE the student to diving at deeper depths. Since there have been so many of you poopooing the deep specialty how would you propose a realtivly new diver get the training and experience to dive to 70,80 or 90'. I know a lot of divers that aren't at all interested in taking a "tech" style course but certainly could be trained to make safe dives to deeper depths. Or another ??? how many accidents or injuries occur involving divers making deeper dives 70-100'? and were any of these preventable through more or better training-M

 

[Rick Inman]

I've never taken the AOW, and never planned to, but I want to take Rescue and the AOW is required, so right now I'm going through both.
The instructor told me yesterday that I have more dives over 100' this year than he does. "How do you know? " I asked. "Because," he said, if you have more than one, you have more than me."
I am looking at the PADI book right now, and here are some of the fine things it teaches about "deep" diving.

>Because it's easier to exceed NDLs, hang an extra tank at 15' (pg75).
>Hang spare weights as well (pg75).
>Use your computer as a "no decompression device" (pg77).
>Always do a "heads-up descent" (pg80).
>Constantly monitor your SPG (pg84).
>To avoid silt-out, when you must maintain contact with the bottom, stay away from the reference line so others won't descend on top of you (pg85).
>Make your safety stop in a feet down position (pg 86).

There's more, but those are just a few of the goodies I enjoyed.

 

[matt_unique]

The way I see it, the only reason some people get so many specialties is to obtain the "Master Scuba Diver" card...not to be confused with Divemaster.

Definitely do not confuse the two. One teaches you how to teach and extraordinary repetition of basic skills in most cases (Dive Master).

The other requires you to complete 5 different specialties which you can choose (Master Diver). You can choose easy, what I consider silly courses in some cases, or you can choose good courses (assuming you have selected a good instructor) that expose you to several environments. Such courses as Deep, Night, Ice, Nitrox, Wreck, etc. can give you a good start.

Both paths in the PADI tree have their benefits.

--Matt