Diver drop out

[DandyDon]

Fred, have you ever heard the term Obsesive-Compulsive? :hehe: And I thought I was extreme!

Drop out is going to happen to a lot of people, I think, who take OW to see what it's really like, then don't develop enough interest to pursue. My brother did OW right behind me, but never used it. He proded his wife through training, but she never checked out. And many people get C-cards so they can dive on one particular vacation, then lose interest. Simply, many people try it out, but don't get the bug.

LDSs and Dive Clubs certainly can help. I was an experienced traveler before I got into Scuba, so traveling alone to dive is no big deal to me. Most West Texans aren't that experienced in traveling, so they don't go diving unless a LDS and/or Club sponsors a trip. I've joined groups not really knowing anyone, but most people prefer to go with people they already know.

My experiences, though - for example:
(1) My instructor couldn't do enough halfway between Amarillo and Lubbock to warrant continuing, so he quit teaching.
(2) My Amarillo LDS is just out of the way for me.
(3) My first Lubbock LDS is okay, and does sponsor trips, but when I drove 90 miles round-trip to try a club meeting, the 10 minute club business program was not very interesting.
(4) Another Lubbock LDS I'm trying seems promising, but when I asked about programs for their meetings: November meeting, plan the Xmas party. December, Xmas party.

I think that the Scuba Board offers about as much as anything to encourage people, and I try to be an appealing part of it. Some would say I fail at that, but we all say things we wish we hadn't at times. One Forum that I watch closely is the Intros & Greets, as I like to welcome new members there. It meant a lot to me when I joined, and I think many appreciate it.

don

 

[segal3]

Certified in Grand Cayman...I only wish I knew the grandeur of what I was experiencing at the time though (was 15.5, 17 now)...

The 100ft visibility made the navigation exercise somewhat pointless though

Since then, have dived Hawaii (Maui twice) and Jamaica. Planning to go again this Thanksgiving break (countdown...7 days)..and then Punta Mita (just north of Puerto Vallarta) in the spring and for senior graduation (HS), going to Papua New Guinea and then Northern Australia with two friends. All diving. Very fun.

So while things haven't exactly equaled Caymans yet, it's still awesome.

~Matt Segal

 

[TDunbar]

hantzu701 once bubbled... [
B]IDo you really want to babysit a newbie during a dive?

I guess this depends upon what your dive objective is. Rare is the time I don't learn something productive from a dive buddy. I've picked up a few new interests from people I would never have met, but for diving with them. And diving with a 'newbie' is a great way to encorage them to hone their skills.

Todd

 

[theskull]

Not only is diving with a newbie a great way to encourage THEM to hone their skill. . . it is the best way to polish your own!

1. You want to do everything right and skillfully to set an example.

2. You will be making a simpler shallower dive (probably) so you can focus more of your attention on your air consumption, buoyancy control, and trim.

3. You need to have all your skills down cold so you can pay more attention to your newbie buddy and anticipate any problems he may encounter.

4. You must use good and safe habits so that what he picks up UNINTENTIONALLY from you will make him a safer diver who has fun!

If there isn't a local club, start one. I did. Just start collecting e-mail addresses from everyone with whom you would consider diving and send a group e-mail to all of them of the dives you plan to do--or want to do if you can find a buddy. Invite all of them. 1 or 2 or 6 will show up occasionally and you will become friends and diving buddies!

theskull

 

[fgray1]

I couldn't agree more. I have learned more from new divers than I ever learned from experianced dive buddies. They force me to do it right when I dive with them.
I go with my Instuctor friend when he teaches OW skills to new diver just to polish my own skills.
Theres nothing like hovering over new students and stopping them from bolting to the surface to help with your own control.
Seems a lot of the experianced divers don't think they have anything new to learn and if you point something out that's a flaw they have the get offened. Most times it's the simple things they miss. Like boots inside the wet suit not on the out side. Hanging gear, not using there arms to swim. The simple stuff.
When I'm with a new diver they listen and make you do your stuff right. Ever notice it's always the experianced divers that just throw their gear in the bag and say I'll rinse it when I get home.
Just some opservations I've made. I dive with alot of differant people. But I do enjoy diving with just about anyone. Life is good underwater.

DANDYDON I prefer to call it intense training.
I use differant configs for differant diving that's the reson for so much gear. I have BCDs that will never see salt water. I have some simple stuff for travel. Smaller stuff for the Kayak. Like I said intense.
SO MUCH WATER SO LITTLE TIME.
Fred

 

[GDI]

:doctor:
One of the best ways a experienced diver can be of help is to ensure new divers become more involved in the sport , to encourage them to dive and to try different types of diving. As a instructor I always encourage my students to come on any and every dive they can (certification permitting) I learn as much from my students as I hope they learn from me. From time to time I put myself into the student position. I even offer classes to my students at cost at time s so that I may work in a new way of teaching or a new specialty. I let my fellow divers critique me and challenge me as much as I do the same to them