What Next?

[Randar]

OK...Pretty simple questions. However, I anticipate multiple answers and opinions.

My personal parameters are:

Fairly newly certified / ex Naval Aviator type.

Fast approaching my 100th dive this year!!! (91 as of last weekend)

Most of my diving has been cold water - dives in the Channel Islands with 2 on Farnsworth Bank (AWESOME DIVE) / lots of Boat Diving / Puget Sound & Oregon Coast. Even some high intensity drift dives (3-4 Knots)!

PADI - OW/AOW/PPB/Alt/NAV/Night/Boat/-Certs with Rescue next on my agenda
(Yes - PADI Loves me)

Question 1: (The simple one) What Next? I am really not all that interested in becoming an instructor. Would Love to find some NEW challenges though.


Question 2: (related to question 1) Anyone old enough to remember the 80's will remember the News regarding Naval Aviation. We didn't exactly have the best safety record going. As a result, we did a complete stand-down of all flying assets for a few days and took a long hard look at what we were doing. (I was an instructor at the time) We found a lot of short-cut taking, a lot of poor / inadequate training and a lack of standardization.

I see in the diving community some of the same symptoms/issues. So here is the question: Does anyone/any agency still do it the old fashion way? Meaning - In Aviation, it is not enough to simply know where your signal flare is located on your survival vest - You need to know - How to locate it blind, deploy, identify the day/night end, how to use the night end as a day signal etc etc...Not knowing how to do this, could get you killed in a survival situation.

I guess what I am looking for is a sort of REAL "advanced" dive training. It seems to me from what I have read in the forums and I am guessing this is partially out of liability concerns, that this is "Left up to individuals." Which, is what we (my buds and I) have been doing. We go to the lake/Jetty etc and practice - Lift bags/air sharing/emergency ascents/Nav etc. But, is there a forum/group/book/periodical that discusses this, or provides any kind of outline for the type of training I am looking for?


Thanks in advance,

~R~

 

[Straegen]

Solo diver would be next on my list. Even if a diver didn't want to solo the skills have to translate for those times when the buddy is less appealing than going it alone or you simply want to be more self sufficient. As to the quality of the class, can't speak to that.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I do that type of training in my AOW classes. Plus stages, OOA's at 90 feet, running reels in zero vis, buddy skills, and rescue skills-100ft no mask swims, 100ft no mask air share swims, 100 no mask air share and ascent, unconscious diver from depth, loss of buoyancy assists.

 

[Superlyte27]

The best of the best in my opinion (and lots of others') is Full Cave Diver. You wanna find that "flare" in the worst possible scenario ever, and do it like it was second nature, without ever thinking about it, take Cavern, Intro, Apprentice and Full Cave. You'll learn your limits, and then expand them. You'll be tied in a line, and free yourself. You'll find your way out of a cave without fins, without a b/c, without lights, without lines (until you locate it anyway). A great cave instructor will think of every scenario, put you in them and then teach you how to survive it. It's a great feeling of accomplishment knowing that if you follow 5 really simple rules, you WILL NOT die. (Unless there's a cave in, yes I know the one case)

It's a course of action who's end cannot be reached. There is always an expansion of that cave knowledge. Deep Dives, Tri-Mix dives, Deep Penetrations, Stages, Side Mount, DPV, Rebreather, etc. It goes on forever, and each cave more spectacular than the last.

 

[halocline]

I second the cavern/cave idea, taken with the right instructor, of course. Another class that is reputed to be pretty rigorous is the GUE fundamentals course.

 

[TSandM]

So here is the question: Does anyone/any agency still do it the old fashion way? Meaning - In Aviation, it is not enough to simply know where your signal flare is located on your survival vest - You need to know - How to locate it blind, deploy, identify the day/night end, how to use the night end as a day signal etc etc...Not knowing how to do this, could get you killed in a survival situation.

I guess what I am looking for is a sort of REAL "advanced" dive training. It seems to me from what I have read in the forums and I am guessing this is partially out of liability concerns, that this is "Left up to individuals." Which, is what we (my buds and I) have been doing. We go to the lake/Jetty etc and practice - Lift bags/air sharing/emergency ascents/Nav etc. But, is there a forum/group/book/periodical that discusses this, or provides any kind of outline for the type of training I am looking for?

I think you are looking for GUE or UTD training. Both utilize the "DIR" approach to diving, which consists of: Standardized equipment, standard gases, standardized protocols, a heavy emphasis on strong personal diving skills and constant practice of emergency procedures, personal fitness, and a commitment to diving as a team. Both have classes with extremely high standards and they don't cut anybody any slack.

You might enjoy reading the two essays in THIS subsection of the GUE website. If this resonates for you, I'd be more than happy to talk to you about this direction of training, or, if you're headed up our way any time soon, take you diving and show you what it's about.

For GUE training, you'd be looking at Monterey, California or Vancouver, BC as your closest options, although we do have occasional classes here in Seattle. For UTD training, you'd have Monterey or Seattle as options. And both organizations have instructors who will travel to where you are, if you can get enough people together for a class.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all.

 

[GShockey]

Greetings Randar,

I am ex military myself and the very questions you are asking now were the same ones I had several years ago. I gravitated towards GUE training and this has fit me like a glove. Send me a personal message and I will follow up.

Best,

Guy Shockey
GUE Instructor
Vancouver Island, BC

 

[TSandM]

Randar, take up Guy's offer! He's an incredibly nice man and I suspect a fabulous instructor. He's certainly a lovely diver.

 

[DaleC]

I would second (or third) TS&M's and Guy's suggestion. From what you describe you should find GUE/UTD/DIR training to be a very good fit.

 

[SangP]

OK...Pretty simple questions. However, I anticipate multiple answers and opinions.

My personal parameters are:

Fairly newly certified / ex Naval Aviator type.

Fast approaching my 100th dive this year!!! (91 as of last weekend)

Most of my diving has been cold water - dives in the Channel Islands with 2 on Farnsworth Bank (AWESOME DIVE) / lots of Boat Diving / Puget Sound & Oregon Coast. Even some high intensity drift dives (3-4 Knots)!

PADI - OW/AOW/PPB/Alt/NAV/Night/Boat/-Certs with Rescue next on my agenda
(Yes - PADI Loves me)

Question 1: (The simple one) What Next? I am really not all that interested in becoming an instructor. Would Love to find some NEW challenges though.


Question 2: (related to question 1) Anyone old enough to remember the 80's will remember the News regarding Naval Aviation. We didn't exactly have the best safety record going. As a result, we did a complete stand-down of all flying assets for a few days and took a long hard look at what we were doing. (I was an instructor at the time) We found a lot of short-cut taking, a lot of poor / inadequate training and a lack of standardization.

I see in the diving community some of the same symptoms/issues. So here is the question: Does anyone/any agency still do it the old fashion way? Meaning - In Aviation, it is not enough to simply know where your signal flare is located on your survival vest - You need to know - How to locate it blind, deploy, identify the day/night end, how to use the night end as a day signal etc etc...Not knowing how to do this, could get you killed in a survival situation.

I guess what I am looking for is a sort of REAL "advanced" dive training. It seems to me from what I have read in the forums and I am guessing this is partially out of liability concerns, that this is "Left up to individuals." Which, is what we (my buds and I) have been doing. We go to the lake/Jetty etc and practice - Lift bags/air sharing/emergency ascents/Nav etc. But, is there a forum/group/book/periodical that discusses this, or provides any kind of outline for the type of training I am looking for?


Thanks in advance,

~R~

What you've described is the technical route. You can start by doing research a at thedecostop which is a technical diving forum... say goodbye to padi.

GUE, IANTD, UTD, TDI... whichever school you decide to go with it's important that you understand what you're trying to achieve for yourself n find one that best fits your goals, no point not just doing something a certain way cus everyone else does it that way.

I'm IANTD & TDI trained but due to a recent knee injury, I'm exploring side mount diving which may need a slight detour in my diving plans... :confused6:

SangP