The instructor didn't tell them not to dive the Maldives. He said he wouldn't give them their requested AOW training.
Need Advice: AOW and the Maldives
- Thread starter KnowledgeIsPower
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DuboisP
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even worse
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You are coming from the US to make just 10 dives in the Maldives.
My opinion? :bigmonkey: I don't get that as a premise.
Mustard Dave
Contributor
If I'm reading this right, this was the same dive school that signed you off as Open Water divers? If your buoyancy was that much of a problem, they shouldn't have signed you off.
Agreed. This sounds like a lazy instructor to me, who just wants to take a group of divers on a few easy bimbles and give them a card at the end without having had to do any teaching.
Same here, although mine was the PADI course. The instructor drummed the importance of buoyancy control into us on every dive, showing us how it was important and relevant to the types of dive we were doing.
350 dives to dive the Maldives? Really? What is so difficult about diving in the Maldives?
Agreed. This sounds like a lazy instructor to me, who just wants to take a group of divers on a few easy bimbles and give them a card at the end without having had to do any teaching.
... in my NAUI AOW class, ALL of the dives are buoyancy dives. You will also be doing other cool stuff while you're working on your buoyancy control ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Same here, although mine was the PADI course. The instructor drummed the importance of buoyancy control into us on every dive, showing us how it was important and relevant to the types of dive we were doing.
350 dives to dive the Maldives? Really? What is so difficult about diving in the Maldives?
Yes!! What he said! ^^^^The OP and his wife booked the trip originally not as divers. Later they decided to become divers to make the most of their trip. That the trip is to the Maldives is neither here nor there to my discontent with how the training aspect (the true subject) has been handled by the dive op and the instructor.
OP
KnowledgeIsPower
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Yes we were signed off as OW by the same shop (different instructor). But our buoyancy is not dangerous. We were able to do additional dives on our own fine, and maintained neutral buoyancy throughout those dives. The instructor just did not want to deal with having two of us who werent at the same pace as the rest of the class (like I said our buoyancy isnt perfect, but its not like we were shooting up to the surface)
The OP and his wife booked the trip originally not as divers. Later they decided to become divers to make the most of their trip. That the trip is to the Maldives is neither here nor there to my discontent with how the training aspect (the true subject) has been handled by the dive op and the instructor.
And yes the trip was booked before we were even thinking of diving. We decided to learn to dive to enjoy the trip more and because it's something we've always wanted to do. 10 dives was the amount we could fit in our short trip and budget.
DuboisP
Contributor
i'm probable able to do.
but be careful of descendant currents.
so, with less than 10 dives, i hope Darwin and Murphy will be in vacation far far away.
I thought the Maldives had some easier diving, just not all of it or the best sites are for beginners. Thoughts?
I understand that you need more dive experience, but yes I would think asking to take the PPB specialty or doing a private AOW considering your current situation would be better than I am not interested in training you, good luck on your dive trip, lol....
I understand that you need more dive experience, but yes I would think asking to take the PPB specialty or doing a private AOW considering your current situation would be better than I am not interested in training you, good luck on your dive trip, lol....
One of the problems people experience early in their diving career is that they don't know what they don't know. You may feel that your buoyancy is fine, but if an instructor is calling you out on it, this is something that should really make you wonder what is going wrong on your end. I understand your feeling that your instructor was trying to blow you off to keep the class moving at the pace of more advanced divers...however...there is nothing so demanding in the AOW course that you should be able to slow them down unless you are having some legitimate issues. You may want to sign up for a buoyancy specific course, maybe even with this instructor that bounced you out. I have certainly seen instructors just pass people along at the rec level, and they are not doing anyone any favors. Since this guy stopped you, he clearly noted a problem, and it is in your best interest to rectify it. Having better buoyancy control will positively affect ALL of your diving.
Damselfish
Contributor
There's definitely some easier diving. When we did a liveaboard our very first dive was a aquarium like no-current dive with a bottom. Still nice enough, but obviously chosen as a checkout site. I'm sure there was more of that available, but everyone on the boat was experienced so I think after that they were trying for the best sites as far as marine life and scenery, and not worrying about more advanced conditions. I expect any land based resort that caters to some inexperienced divers has easier sites they can go to.
To the OP, is this something you have to decide in advance? Many resort places are fairly flexible on working in a course, assuming they have the people to do it. I suggest you ask them if that would be a problem, then dive there for a day and see how you're feeling about things then. How would doing the class cut into your 10 dives? You will still be diving if you take the class, just that you will be doing various training exercises during some of your dives. If you are concerned about losing dives you have already paid for, talk to them about it. As long as whatever additional they charge you for the class doesn't include charges for the boat dives, or they can apply the money from some of your purchased dives to your class, you won't have lost anything. Heck, maybe once you are there you can add some more dives.
To the OP, is this something you have to decide in advance? Many resort places are fairly flexible on working in a course, assuming they have the people to do it. I suggest you ask them if that would be a problem, then dive there for a day and see how you're feeling about things then. How would doing the class cut into your 10 dives? You will still be diving if you take the class, just that you will be doing various training exercises during some of your dives. If you are concerned about losing dives you have already paid for, talk to them about it. As long as whatever additional they charge you for the class doesn't include charges for the boat dives, or they can apply the money from some of your purchased dives to your class, you won't have lost anything. Heck, maybe once you are there you can add some more dives.
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