Who is responsible for what?

[Jim Lapenta]

Great post Jim. Your analogy of the boat/taxi is perfect and new divers should be taught to think this way during their certification course. You have a lot of knowledge to share - would you consider writing about navigation? How to learn it, how to remember it, etc.? So many people I know never use a compass - they depend on other divers to lead them or for tenders to save them.

Cheers,
R

Already have. Not only do I have an article and presentation on the subject but I wrote an entire course with instructor guide, student handbook, and power point.

 

[Octopusprime]

The one area I wish my open water instructor spent more time on was dive planning. I can not tell you how many times after my ow our plan was to decend on an attraction and come up when we got to 1000psi but after 15-20 min we were looking at each other going now what??? Still at 2000 psi then trying to pull out the map and decide where to go next and communicate the bearing underwater.

It is amazing how the pace of the world slows down and how long your air can last if your not traveling far.

We now plan what to do if we have more air. It may be practice some skills, or a second attraction.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Sounds rather similar to wilderness trekking -- a sublime mountaintop experience can turn into a hellish survival scenario with literally a change in the wind. I go into those remote, wild places a lot; usually solo. But I wouldn't go with someone overconfident who doesn't know the risks. That is more dangerous than going alone. Many are the times I turned back when conditions unexpectedly changed, rather than push on to some preset destination. If I'm alive, I can always try again another time; but if I'm dead, that's it.

 

[gypsyjim]

Sounds rather similar to wilderness trekking -- a sublime mountaintop experience can turn into a hellish survival scenario with literally a change in the wind. I go into those remote, wild places a lot; usually solo. But I wouldn't go with someone overconfident who doesn't know the risks. That is more dangerous than going alone. Many are the times I turned back when conditions unexpectedly changed, rather than push on to some preset destination. If I'm alive, I can always try again another time; but if I'm dead, that's it.

There is always the Alfred E Packer Wilderness Hunting Guide approach to wilderness survival trecking:
Always go into the wilderness with a couple of well fed city-slickers, just in case the weather unexpectedly turns on you and you might need something to survive on till spring thaw.

 

[Naturalsea]

Jim i am a new OW less than a year though i have done couple of dive up to 21m but, reading your post got me thinking again. It's a great eye opening for me especially to re-check my abilities without a DM or Inst.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I was just sitting here and saw another thanks for this thread I started waaayyy back in 2009. I suddenly realized that every thanks I have received for this has been instrumental in me being where I am today. This was one of the first diving articles I ever wrote. Since this one first appeared there have been many that followed it. Some were related to gear but the vast majority have been dealing with topics related to safety and training.

Out of those has come a book that is now in it's second edition. Yesterday I received notice of payment to my account from Amazon US, UK, France, Canada, and HK (Hong Kong) for kindle versions of it. This morning, my birthday as it turns out, there was a notice of 18 copies of the print version sold for the month of January. This is on top of the 25 print version sold in December. Right now there are over a thousand print and electronic versions sold in 23 countries. Not bad.

From this also came just this past fall a contract to write a new dry suit course for SDI. It should be out very soon. Mid to end of March I believe is the plan. Today I am finishing up a contract editing the new SDI/ERDI Full Face Mask course materials. My part of it anyway. There was a lot of work and they were a little short handed and asked me to take this on. It's been a fun task and an incredible learning experience.

The point of this post is that you, the reader who encouraged me with your thanks, requests for more articles, and support over the last 5-6 years have played no small role in this. I consider it a successful start to an exciting phase of my career as a SCUBA diving educator. This realization made possible by all of you is one of the nicest birthday presents I could receive for my 55th birthday.

I thank you. Jim Lapenta SEI Instructor #204, SDI/TDI Instructor #16810

 

[nerdgas]

Hi,

I've just signed up for my PADI OW course with a local school and now am worried that I may have made the wrong choice given some of the concerns raised in this thread.

I've also purchased a copy of Jim's book and will try to read it before the course starts in a few weeks so I'm going in with my eyes open.....

Thanks for the thread though as at least forewarned is forearmed!

Cheers,

Ade

 

[sbk12rs]

Count my Amazon order of your book . Thanks

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Thank you! Appreciate the support! Enjoy.

 

[Yay Horseys]

Jim I just read your post titled Who is responsible for what....what an eye opener for me. I am brand spanking new, taking my pool classes, and I saw myself all over your post. The excitement of something new, the urge to do this quickly, and until I read your post, didn't really stop and say, hey, this is serious business...I could actually die...it was an eye opener. I know it's serious, but with the thrill of doing something new, I was glossing over that part. Thank you so very much for causing me to slow down, and train more thoughtfully and completely than I may have. Now I won't just 'go with the flow' it's my life at risk. THANK YOU. I wish you were my teacher. -kim