Zero to Master Scuba Diver in 10 months

[scubasmacks]

It does seem like you're "tooting your own horn" a bit, but you're proud of yourself, and that has to be a good feeling. Congratulations on your accomplishment But remember don't let your confidence get the best of you. Everyone learns at their own pace. I have been diving 4 months and have about the same number of "non class required" dives as you. And am only AOW. Each one I learn something of great value and have experiences that could have never been taught in a class. Keep diving!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Doppler]

All the very best... keep learning, keep asking questions. AND MAKE SURE TO keep having fun.

 

[Lorenzoid]

You're the poster boy for "zero to ..." well, wherever you may be. But if one is determined to move so fast, the methodical approach you have taken is probably a good example to follow. Good going!

 

[tbone1004]

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.

rest easy, some people are still trained this way.... A few universities in the country are still able to put out divers with this training. Unfortunately the gear mfg's, instructors, and agencies would lose a lot of money when people got discouraged that they couldn't get what they want now.... whole instant gratification society thing

congrats on where you are. personally I have nothing against the training you've had and the speed that you've taken it, as long as you are still limiting yourself. I hate being limited by lack of a card, I want to have the knowledge and skills to do it, and the self control not to. On that, I'll second what Ray said earlier, just wait until you've really scared yourself. That learning moment is probably the most valuable you'll have up to this point

 

[OldNSalty]

Try to avoid being card heavy and experience light....You should probably do more diving outside of class.

 

[EastEndDiver]

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

Oh, wait...

And when the stuff hits the fan I am sure you would rather be with a diver who was trained the way i was than a new "O/W" diver of todays vintage.We had diver deaths back then but it was usually someone pushing the limits on wrecks we learned by their mistakes .Mentors were readily available and that was how we learned by experience.

Maybe you find this funny but those that passed before us are the ones who "wrote the book" on diving.

You have to thank some of the agencies and manufacturers for dumbing down diving education.

 

[glassbottom]

So, the motivation was to not be a boat anchor on my buddy's dive vacation. 9 months (I started in August) to train and prepare made it seem like a reasonable goal. I'll still be somewhat of a boat anchor for a Trimix CCR diver. But, not nearly as bad as if I didn't pursue Deco.

My biggest question is if you think this is safe.

I did a fair amount of study of human physiology in college (got a degree in exercise phys) and one thing that always stuck out is the law of averages. How we all react differently to conditions, drugs, pressures, and their effects on our systems. Diving is one of those activities where this comes into play and how we react can have very lasting effects.


I feel like pursuing deco dives and other task heavy type work (like doubles) without a lot of personal experience or understanding of hor YOUR body will react to being narc'd etc seems dangerous. It seems there is a lot of experience to be gained in the relative safety of <60 fsw before starting to add load on your body. Sure most tables are conservative but it may not account for other factors.

I don't have a lot of dives, and while i plan to get AOW soon, its mostly to get some more pool time and instruction to work on skills. I still have a lot to work on with just trim and buoyancy. I have had friends ask me to come and dive sites above my level, even in the future like the Oriskany and I've declined indefinitely because there is plenty of work for me to do and learning how my body will respond to increasingly deeper depths and new task loading.

It seems to me to try and accelerate my skills to get caught up with my friends to hit a specific site seems a bit reckless and only serves to put myself at greater risk. The Oriskany will always be there, why not just take the time to gradually get the experience and skills and then dive it when I'm ready.

 

[RJP]

It does seem like you're "tooting your own horn" a bit,

As the old saying goes "It ain't braggin' if ya done it."



---------- Post added September 29th, 2015 at 08:45 PM ----------

And when the stuff hits the fan I am sure you would rather be with a diver who was trained the way i was than a new "O/W" diver of todays vintage.We had diver deaths back then but it was usually someone pushing the limits on wrecks we learned by their mistakes .Mentors were readily available and that was how we learned by experience.

Maybe you find this funny but those that passed before us are the ones who "wrote the book" on diving.

You have to thank some of the agencies and manufacturers for dumbing down diving education.

Yeah, yeah, yeah... and you had to walk up hill both ways to the dive site with only one shoe.

And someday there will be a thread here on SB with someone saying "When I was certified back in 2015 we didn't have any fancy PADI OW Neural Implants... we had to spend three whole days learning to dive!"



Trust me, I'm all about rigorous training. I simply don't believe that such training needs to take 12 weeks (or to have been done 20yrs ago) in order to create knowledgeable, confident, and competent divers.

 

[EastEndDiver]

Trust me, I'm all about rigorous training. I simply don't believe that such training needs to take 12 weeks (or to have been done 20yrs ago) in order to create knowledgeable, confident, and competent divers.

Training today is a sad joke if you can't see that you're blind.

Just wondering where I ever said anything about divers dying...I think you said that.....i just shake my head when someone finishes their O/W course and can't dive without a DM holding their hand or don't have a clue on how to assemble their gear.

I am glad i was taught the way I was .

 

[RJP]

Training today is a sad joke if you can't see that you're blind.

The only training I have first hand experience with are the courses I've taken and the courses I've given... and they've all been pretty good, actually.