which cert. card to carry

[marco58]

Being a new diver, I am wondering about cert. cards. I have a few as I wanted to learn about different types of diving (OW, AOW, Deep, Dry Suit). I carry all the cards in my log book but am wondering which card I should carry with me at all times. I have heard that when diving in different countries that you have to have your c-card to show that you are qualified to dive in certain conditions, but which one.
also a related question, I have heard that some divers don't fill out log books, and this makes me wonder how if you are going to learn to be a dive master or instructor, how do you verify that you have completed the required minimum number of dives. I heard that for a dive master you have to start with at least 50 dives and end with over 70. But if you don't keep track of the number of dives how does the instructor verify that the student did the dives? No scuba police I know but for safety sense just wondering.

 

[tbone1004]

considering I don't have AOW, deep, or dry suit I can't help you specifically. I have nitrox diver, rescue, full cave from NACD/CDS and technical cave from IANTD. I keep the nitrox diver and one of the full cave cards on me. The nitrox diver will get me most places I need, and the full cave cards will allow me to get O2 fills and obviously in the caves if I'm down there. Drysuit card from what I've heard will only get you rental drysuits, but I have a trilam, so I can pack it quite easily. Not sure what the deep cert entails as far as limits, but you're not going to get on any technical charters without an AN/DP type card. I'd hold onto AOW as people like to see that one when you are getting on a charter, the rest of them can stay in the log book.

 

[DevonDiver]

I have heard that when diving in different countries that you have to have your c-card to show that you are qualified to dive in certain conditions, but which one.

The relevant one/s.

I look at cards as 'core' and 'specialist'. Core is your OW-AOW-RESCUE-DEEP-MSD track. Specialist is everything else. Take your most 'senior' core card and any relevant specialist cards.

Deep is a good card to take, as it'll open up possibilities within the full recreational depth range. Limiting local and personal factors should still apply, but it shows you've had training and experience at depth. Rescue is also a good card - it shows some competency. Nitrox is probably the most critical 'specialist' card - as most operations won't provide you with nitrox unless they've seen your c-card. Less dive operations would be sticklers about renting drysuits without seeing a c-card for it. That said, if it was a critical factor to hire one, you'd want to check ahead and confirm any rental requirements.

For you... 'Deep' is your most senior card... I'd carry that as a priority.

...how if you are going to learn to be a dive master or instructor, how do you verify that you have completed the required minimum number of dives.... if you don't keep track of the number of dives how does the instructor verify that the student did the dives?

You might have the dives recorded on a dive computer, or even a laptop/pc, but there's no proof of 'ownership' with that (i.e. that you did those dives). Then again, it's not rocket science to forge a logbook either...

In short, if you don't log them, then you can't satisfy any training prerequisites that demand 'proof of logged experience'. You may not be accepted for training.

No scuba police I know but for safety sense just wondering.

It's neither about 'scuba police' nor 'safety'. It's about being a prudent, pro-active customer and understanding that dive centres might have operating procedures that demand proof of experience for training and/or diving. If you don't/can't/won't provide a dive business with any proof of your training, experience and competence, then they'll have to assume that you don't have that training, competence or experience. That sucks for you, because they might treat you with kid gloves as a potential liability.

 

[Doc]

The relevant one/s.

That's about it.

Just for warm water pretty fish diving, likely a nitrox card would suffice, altho some dive ops have supposedly wanted an AOW (to dive below whatever depth). I have heard of this happening, but after 50+ years of diving I have yet to ever once see it in person. This is usually focused on any French (CMAS) dive op, but again- I aint seen it.

Or you can wait and look much older than your picture on your card. Dive op people will be polite but snicker at the obvious age differences between the Cert Card and your old face. They really won't care if you handed them a Bubblemaker Card, something that I often carry. It pays to be old.

 

[sheeper]

i only take the card(s) i need for a specific dive trip. So for a "regular" dive trip i'll only show my OW cert card. I generally have my nitrox card although i have my own (nitrox) tanks. No boat operator has ever asked for my nitrox card when i use my own tanks.

for "advanced" dives, i'll bring the appropriate card(s) that an operator may want to see. 9 times out of 10, i've never been asked to show my c-card at all.

 

[DuboisP]

CMAS trimix : you are deep, nitrox, dry suit, deco, and so on

easy.

 

[Druid]

Just for warm water pretty fish diving, likely a nitrox card would suffice, altho some dive ops have supposedly wanted an AOW (to dive below whatever depth). I have heard of this happening, but after 50+ years of diving I have yet to ever once see it in person. This is usually focused on any French (CMAS) dive op, but again- I aint seen it.

The first time we went to Egypt the dive centre wouldn't led my wife dive beyond 18m - she was OW with about 50 dives. They were quite happy for a lad with AOW and 9 dives (all training dives)to dive the Blue Hole - a wall dive with a bottom at 100m +

@ the OP, carry the card you need when you go diving. Personally I don't carry a card at all times, I have enough crap in my wallet without filling it with unnecessary stuff.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I'm with Devon diver on this. AND- log your dives! Some dive concessions want to know how much diving you have done and in what conditions to allow you on certain dives. So take the cards Devon Diver says, log all your dives with relevant information, and take your log book too. I am a nut about logging dives, and include location, depth, duration, water conditions, equipment inventory, air consumption, weighting, and what I did/saw and who I dove with. Your log is not only a fun journal to read from time to time, it can preserve important information for planning when you return a certain location- what exposure suit to pack, how much weight to wear, when are conditions best, etc.
DivemasterDennis easy to find.

 

[tstormdiver]

In my recreational log book, I keep my Instructor card, My Master Diver card & my Nitrox card. IN my technical log book I keep my Adv. Nitrox/ Deco cards & my Full Cave cards.

 

[beester]

I would say the only 2 cards you'll need is your credit card proving you'll be able to pay for your dives and some cart showing you are insured (DAN...) and covered in case something happens.

All other stuff they can find out by doing a check dive with you, watching you equip yourself or asking some questions (regarding nitrox, etc).