JohnVranesevich
Registered
Greetings All:
Well, I'm newly certified PADI OW, as of a couple of weeks ago. Today I went out for my 6th and 7th dive ever. Had a blast.
My instructor from my OW class called me up last week, and asked if I'd like to get wet, and go out with him and a class of his (OW Students on final OW dive) into the Atlantic.
I had a great time, and found that dives #6 and #7 really pushed me over the top as far as comfort level goes. My buoyancy skills are getting better and better, I'm making all of my safety stops, gotta love it.
I had a private class one-on-one with my instructor for my OW certification, so this was my first chance to see a group class in action, 6 students, the instructor, and an assistant instructor. Pretty good ratio for a group.
Anyways, talk about SCARY. I never realized how "good" my skill level is for being a new diver. Some of those students were down right DANGEROUS, not only to themselves, but to each other, and most importantly, TO ME.
I won't even begin to talk about students crashing into the ocean bottom, destroying 4' tall sponges while doing so, or those that tried to "pet" the "pretty corals" despite the instructors clear warnings before diving. Or, the student that actually attempted to take a 8" brain coral up to the surface with him as a keep-sake (urgh).
However, I will talk about a student that found some fishing line, and decided to keep pulling on it until he managed to hopelessly entangle himself. The guy couldn't even maintain his depth, and what made him decide to try and bunch up an entire spool of fishing line is above and beyond me. Of course, the instructor had to pull out his knife, and cut the fool free. While doing so, the student managed to keep flapping himself around enough to get himself tangled in the tow line of the dive float. The instructor had to spend time getting him untangled from that, too.
Then, there was the student that decided that he wanted to try to fly through the water like a bird, by flapping his arms all over hell. Of course, he managed to knock the regulators out of 2 other students mouths, which in turn caused them both to signal out of air. I helped one realize that hey, if you put your regulator back in your mouth, you'll have air again! The assistant instructor managed to show another the same.
I got kicked in the face twice by two different students, who both fell rapidly from above me, causing me to loose my mask. Of course, one student, for whatever reason, swam over to the instructor one of the times that this happened and signaled to him that I was OUT OF AIR. I gathered my mask back up, cleared it, and signaled to the instructor that I wasn't out of air, and was fine. I gave the student that kicked me in the face the 1 finger OK.
I found out afterwards, that this instructor, who had been my instructor (who is an INCREDIBLE teacher), didn't work with these students before today, and they had been "taught" by someone else. He simply had to take them on their final OW dive, because their original instructor was unable to make it.
I'm not exactly sure if he's going to pass any of them, I think he was going to consult their previous instructor.
I don't know how in the hell you instructors do it. I wouldn't feel safe being in the same ocean as these people, much less the same group.
Never, ever, EVER again will I tag along with an OW Class, and I have MORE than made up my mind that any and all future training that I get, will be ONE ON ONE with the instructor!
Also, there is no way in HELL I will EVER become an instructor. I would have NO patience for these people, and would just as soon flunk them as look at them.
I know that I have a LOT to learn, but at least I realize that. I also know what my limitations are, and make sure that I stay within them. Oh, I also have this handy little skill called COMMON SENSE. I wonder why PADI doesn't make that a prerequisite?
Well, I'm newly certified PADI OW, as of a couple of weeks ago. Today I went out for my 6th and 7th dive ever. Had a blast.
My instructor from my OW class called me up last week, and asked if I'd like to get wet, and go out with him and a class of his (OW Students on final OW dive) into the Atlantic.
I had a great time, and found that dives #6 and #7 really pushed me over the top as far as comfort level goes. My buoyancy skills are getting better and better, I'm making all of my safety stops, gotta love it.
I had a private class one-on-one with my instructor for my OW certification, so this was my first chance to see a group class in action, 6 students, the instructor, and an assistant instructor. Pretty good ratio for a group.
Anyways, talk about SCARY. I never realized how "good" my skill level is for being a new diver. Some of those students were down right DANGEROUS, not only to themselves, but to each other, and most importantly, TO ME.
I won't even begin to talk about students crashing into the ocean bottom, destroying 4' tall sponges while doing so, or those that tried to "pet" the "pretty corals" despite the instructors clear warnings before diving. Or, the student that actually attempted to take a 8" brain coral up to the surface with him as a keep-sake (urgh).
However, I will talk about a student that found some fishing line, and decided to keep pulling on it until he managed to hopelessly entangle himself. The guy couldn't even maintain his depth, and what made him decide to try and bunch up an entire spool of fishing line is above and beyond me. Of course, the instructor had to pull out his knife, and cut the fool free. While doing so, the student managed to keep flapping himself around enough to get himself tangled in the tow line of the dive float. The instructor had to spend time getting him untangled from that, too.
Then, there was the student that decided that he wanted to try to fly through the water like a bird, by flapping his arms all over hell. Of course, he managed to knock the regulators out of 2 other students mouths, which in turn caused them both to signal out of air. I helped one realize that hey, if you put your regulator back in your mouth, you'll have air again! The assistant instructor managed to show another the same.
I got kicked in the face twice by two different students, who both fell rapidly from above me, causing me to loose my mask. Of course, one student, for whatever reason, swam over to the instructor one of the times that this happened and signaled to him that I was OUT OF AIR. I gathered my mask back up, cleared it, and signaled to the instructor that I wasn't out of air, and was fine. I gave the student that kicked me in the face the 1 finger OK.
I found out afterwards, that this instructor, who had been my instructor (who is an INCREDIBLE teacher), didn't work with these students before today, and they had been "taught" by someone else. He simply had to take them on their final OW dive, because their original instructor was unable to make it.
I'm not exactly sure if he's going to pass any of them, I think he was going to consult their previous instructor.
I don't know how in the hell you instructors do it. I wouldn't feel safe being in the same ocean as these people, much less the same group.
Never, ever, EVER again will I tag along with an OW Class, and I have MORE than made up my mind that any and all future training that I get, will be ONE ON ONE with the instructor!
Also, there is no way in HELL I will EVER become an instructor. I would have NO patience for these people, and would just as soon flunk them as look at them.
I know that I have a LOT to learn, but at least I realize that. I also know what my limitations are, and make sure that I stay within them. Oh, I also have this handy little skill called COMMON SENSE. I wonder why PADI doesn't make that a prerequisite?