Zero to Master Scuba Diver in 10 months

[RJP]

with 53 dives logged now and less than 1 year of experience, I still completely qualify as a new diver, so this forum seems like the right place.

I completed my SDI Open Water certification in November of last year, so just over 10 months ago. Since then, I have spent a lot of time taking more training classes. I have now completed all of these things:

SDI Computer Nitrox
SDI Advanced Buoyancy Control
SDI Drysuit Diver
TDI Nitrox
Nautical Archaeology Society Part 1 certification
BAREG U-boat Diving (which included SDI Wreck and SDI Deep full certifications)
DAN Diving Emergency Management Provider
SDI Rescue Diver

Serious question, that I hope you won't take as a dig merely because I'm asking it:

Of the 53 dives you've logged to date, how many were NOT part of a class?

---------- Post added September 29th, 2015 at 03:10 PM ----------

You ain't nothing til you scare the crap out of yourself.

True dat... often the value of the experience gained on one bad dive far exceeds that gained during 100 good ones.

 

[scubadada]

... often the value of the experience gained on one bad dive far exceeds that gained during 100 good ones.

I've had many "learning" dives

 

[stuartv]

Serious question, that I hope you won't take as a dig merely because I'm asking it:

Of the 53 dives you've logged to date, how many were NOT part of a class?

No offense taken. At least half were not part of a class. 6 dives in MX were not training. 10 dives in HI. 2 dives on the B29. Several of the local quarry dives. 7 of the 9 dives in the OBX. So, over 25, for sure were not training dives.

Note that I did not count any of my training dives in a pool as part of my 53.

 

[boulderjohn]

Congratulations!

You really have done a lot and learned a lot, I'm sure. Some people are like that. When they start an activity, they have an insatiable desire to be really good at it. I have a draft article on a psychological concept called achievement motivation and how it relates to scuba. My theory is that it is extremely common in people who take up technical diving, etc. (I am not implying that there is anything wrong with that, BTW.)

 

[stuartv]

Congratulations!

You really have done a lot and learned a lot, I'm sure. Some people are like that. When they start an activity, they have an insatiable desire to be really good at it. I have a draft article on a psychological concept called "]achievement motivation and how it relates to scuba. My theory is that it is extremely common in people who take up technical diving, etc. (I am not implying that there is anything wrong with that, BTW.)

Thanks. Clicking your link gives me this error:

EDIT by BOULDERJOHN: I fixed it. I just happened to see this and realized that I screwed up big time the other day. Stuartv said he could not connect to my link, and I intended to add a post saying I had fixed it. No big deal. Unfortunately, in my haste, I clicked the wrong buttons and ended up editing his post--this one--in error. As a moderator, I can edit anyone's post, and I did not realize I had done it until just now. I figured the only way to clear up that monumental stupidy would be to edit the error and then write this explanation. Sorry! Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

 

[RJP]

now playing bass in a couple of bands. Etc., etc.. The story of my life.

Everyone hates the bass player...



[video=youtube;kgaBGu7Mlvo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgaBGu7Mlvo[/video]

 

[stuartv]

Everyone hates the bass player...

LOL Well, if you're going to play a violin bass these days, you should be prepared for to get no respect.

My friends seem to think this one is more representative of me.

[video=youtube_share;YPhO5g39vpg]http://youtu.be/YPhO5g39vpg[/video]

:shocked2:

 

[EastEndDiver]

I think it's a bit ironic that some people consider this to be "so early." Didn't people who did OW training 30 years ago come out of that already trained for deco (though, I believe, not involving a gas switch)? Is me doing it now really "so early"?

I am one of the Dinosaurs that was trained almost 40 years ago.........Just so you see the difference between then and now ...My "Basic" course was 12 weeks long with 3 hours per session 1 1/2 classroom and 1 1/2 pool for a total of 36 hours .It covered just about everything that PADI has seperate courses up to about but not including Rescue Diver but it also had some elemenst of that in it.After the course we did 2 dives in the sound then 4 Ocean dives to get certified.
My "Advanced" course was also 12 weeks another 36 hours with mostly pool work which included such things as ...breathing off a tank with no Regulator on it and while doing this swimming from one tank to another without surfacing for 20 minutes or so Oh and then we did the same without a mask.Complete equipment change with another diver while submerged.Buddy breathing with a snorkel.....yeah I know a snorkel.......WE just started using Horse collar BC's with only oral inflation so everything was done with a Horse Collar and then without any BC. they had a CO2 cartridge in case of emergency to activate.I think we did 6 or 8 ocean dives to get certified oh and these ocean dives were wreck dives off NY/NJ.After passing the advanced course we were also given the YMCA S.L.A.M. ( Scube Lifesaving Accident Management )cert. which was/is equvilivent to the Rescue Diver.

So after Basic and Advanced I had 72 hours of training which is pretty high compared to what is offered today.

Thats how it was back then ....there is no comparison to todays training to back then.There are a lot of things I left out due to age probably

So yes I think you doing it now is too early in your dive career...you have a lot to learn and experience is the best teacher.

 

[RJP]

Thats how it was back then ....there is no comparison to todays training to back then.

Which is precisely why thousands of new scuba divers die every year!

Oh, wait...

 

[seeker242]

Congratulations!

You really have done a lot and learned a lot, I'm sure. Some people are like that. When they start an activity, they have an insatiable desire to be really good at it. I have a draft article on a psychological concept called "]achievement motivation and how it relates to scuba. My theory is that it is extremely common in people who take up technical diving, etc. (I am not implying that there is anything wrong with that, BTW.)

This is quite interesting! Describes me to a tee, ha! Although, the link is not working for me either.

As for the OP, this is awesome! Just as long as you don't end up like Doc Deep or someone like that. Sad situation there...