Who is responsible for what?

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Hey. Thanks for posting this. I am a newbie at this. When I first joined this site, I discovered that diving is not that simple. Trainings are need to be attended. Cash is need to be spent. Paperworks are to be filled. And precautions are to be taken into consideration.

All new divers should read this! :D
 
WOW!!!!
I would love to get out to your neck of the woods and take some training with you.
 
Fantastic post, and although it may be hard to read, I think the more graphic and honest we write about what happens if a diver does not heed warnings the better. I knew it was "Bad" to hold your breath as a new diver, but now I have an image in my head what can happen if I do, and I never will! Thank you.
 
You're welcome. Every new OW student of mine gets this essay the first class session. I explain what it is, why it was written, and how it affects the way they will be trained. I have numerous PM's and emails from around the world asking for permission to post it on club and shop websites, to use as a handout, etc.

It is time to bump this thread back up as we are now in one of the busiest times for diving. Many new divers are doing checkouts, going on their first trips, or planning their first dives after certification on their own. It is these that this was written for. I would hazard a guess that more than few did not hear of the risks from their classes. The focus was on fun, fun, and more fun.

There are many entities in the industry that do not want newbies to hear these things. Shops, Agencies, and especially Resorts that rely on the ignorance of new divers to increase their bottom line. But the fact is that when divers do not hear of these things or learn the facts those of us who do insist on comprehensvie training and high standards suffer from the fallout. We may get lumped in with those who take short cuts and put divers in very real danger.

I am not a politically correct person. My training philosophy is not based on making a living at this and is why I teach for the agency I do. As long as I get one post that says something like this helped them I will continue to point out what I see as dangerous practices and name those doing them and why I feel they are dangerous.

I have a moral and ethical responsibility to do so as well as to keep the promise I made to my late wife. That is to do everything to see that divers I am responsbile for or have an influence over do not get into the water with less than the facts of just how risky this can be and with the training necessary to reduce those risks as much as possible.
 
Jim, great posts and so helpful for us newbies. Something that I am finding helpful is to not take the next step to a new skill until I feel like I "own" the skills I'm already using. There's such a temptation to do things that are beyond my skill level, like "we're on vacation and these guys are going on a night dive and if I hire a guide I can go too". NO WAY! I'm still new. I have no idea what skills I need for a night dive. How about I try that in a quarry or lake before I try it in the ocean with a current (and there was a strong current the night they went on that dive). I'm ok with baby steps.
 
Jim,
I'm sorry for reiterating what everyone else before me has said, but this really is an awesome post because it comes from the heart.
I only hope that I can also make a positive impact on someone someday as you have done with me.
Thanks again,
Gary
 
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