Ok we often talk about the importance of selecting an instructor for any sort of scuba training, especially cave. I just want to pass on a little story here about an individual who is going to great lengths in selecting his instructor for cave training. I applaud this individual because in fact he is doing the right thing, I will not use his actual name because he is still looking and deciding, so we will call him Moe.
I am Ottawa Canada and I am at this local dive shop talking with some friends. Moe walks in and in his conversation he talks about his wanting to learn how to cave dive. From his reseach he has determined that it would be better to go to Mexico to learn. Not because Florida has fast currents and harder systems but because he has not found who he believes to be a instructor whom he feels comfortable with. According to Moe all the Florida instructors appear to be arrogant jerks. he has talked to several of them and from their discussions he has heard a common thread of guidence. That is work your buoyancy, here is the type of equipment we want you to have and expect at best to do a full eight days of training to get from cavern to full cave, and some other points. Basically he doesn't feel any instructors he has talked to are compatable for him to learn. This is an important thing and I agree that you must find a instructor that makes you feel comfortable.
Anyway Moe feels he will just go to Mexico to learn and give up on the Florida instructor base. Now get this- as I am listening, Moe says he has one Florida instructor left that he is willing to call - some guy named Rick Murcar. My ears and eyes perk up and Quickly I raise my hand to stop the dive shop staff from giving me away:no.
I ask Moe who he has talked to and he tells me who they are. I ask him why he thinks they were arrogant. Moe explains and as he talks he comes accross to me as not having quite the right attitude going into the training. His skill is excellent, his equipment is all set he'll blow right through the class and the instructors didn't want to seem to accept his stated abilities. (Moe didn't say he felt the training was a "come and get a card" course, he knew he had to get by the training - it was all good here) He just didn't appreciate the dark nature of the instructors. Through My continued conversation with Moe I come to realize he seemed to be that sort of person who just may be difficult by nature.
Moe said he would call this Rick Murcar because he heard he was patient but was a bit of a hard-ass. At this point I explained I did cave diving and what the instructors were saying was run of the mill cave instructor stuff designed to prep the individual for what to expect in cave diving instruction. I stated I knew of this Rick Murcar (at this point the dive shop staff had to turn away -LOL) Moe didn't believe me 100%, that was Ok. I said Rick was an ok guy and we talked more about what to expect in cave training.
Moe said he would talk to Rick as soon as he could. Near what should have been the end of the conversation Moe introduced himself by name and I by Rick Murcar. Yeah funny Moe said what your real name. Rick Murcar I said I'm serious so I showed him my drivers license and asked him if he'd like to have that talk now.
In the end it was all good, we all had a good laugh. Moe and I talked some more and he didn't think I was all that arrogant (at least that is what he said). I told Moe he was correct to find a instructor whom he felt comfortable with and wished him good luck on whoever and where ever he does his training with. Moe if you are out there I am glad you have a sense of humour because cave diving is after all the DARK SIDE:evilo:
To everyone else be a Moe and do your research for your instructor
See you all in the caves: Rick Murcar
