Two unresponsive divers rescued - Anacapa Island California

[blinkswiler]

As a PADI Instructor, there is no requirement to start from shore dives. I've used Catalina mostly for OW. I know other instructors use the boats (Spectre included) for OW. It's the instructor's call. I have cancelled classes even on Catalina due to surface conditions. The focus is expected to be the safety of the students based on the dive conditions, class size and student capabilities (I'm more cautious with a single marginal student in class than with a group of college swim team).

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Its been ages but I think the first OW dives are still beach.

Not necessarily (and not always). In fact, there is no specific certification requirement to do beach dives or boat dives or whatever. You are required to certify in conditions that represent local dive conditions. You could do all beach, all boat, or a combo. For instance, when I got certified in Virginia in 1978, I did all my dives in a fresh-water quarry because that's what was representative of local conditions and therefore met the certification standard. You don't have to teach in every condition that's available locally, but the certification dives that are done must meet that definition.

Also, just because you see the words "student" and "Saturday" in the same sentence, it doesn't mean it was their first dive. You're assuming facts not in evidence. They could have done beach dives the week before on Sunday, and were finishing up with a boat on Saturday (and to be clear, I'm hypothesizing).

- Ken

 

[blinkswiler]

Being onsite and involved, I was told it was their first open water dive and from my patient, her last. You are correct, there is no standard on where the OW class dives must take place. Just consistent with safe conditions the student may experience as a certified diver. I am not passing judgment on the instructor, his selection of dive sites or his class.

 

[KevinG58]

I didn't think I even hinted that "student" and "Saturday" were a issue. Of course they could have done previous dives. I have no idea what happened under water that day. Thanks for the insight into the PADI process.

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Kevin, this is not meant to sound critical of you. I just want you (and others) to understand my thinking as it'll apply in future comments as well.

I didn't think I even hinted that "student" and "Saturday" were a issue. Of course they could have done previous dives.

I'm sort of a stickler for assuming-facts-not-in-evidence. In other words, making assumptions, drawing conclusions from those assumptions that made lead to other conclusions, all of which could be based on a faulty premise.

I keyed in on this sentence you wrote in #10: "Its been ages but I think the first OW dives are still beach." Nowhere did it say these were their first dives, only that they were certification dives. While it may be logical to assume more problems crop up on first dives, there's no evidence/basis to support a conclusion that these dives were their first. They may well have been their first, or their fifteenth. But there's nothing to indiciater that. That was my point.

Thanks for the insight into the PADI process.

Not to beat a dead horse but even though the thread has PADI in the title, I didn't offer any insights into the PADI process. I didn't mention PADI at all in my post (#12). I gave general criteria that apply to all agencies. No PADI-bashing was involved at all. Again, the point being reaching a conclusion (insight into the PADI process - certainly not limited to them, it was menat to be insight into everyone/anyone) that's not necessarily borne out by the facts.

- Ken

 

[DandyDon]

the thread has PADI in the title

I don't think so: Two unresponsive divers rescued - Anacapa Island California

 

[Ken Kurtis]

I don't think so: Two unresponsive divers rescued - Anacapa Island California

Absolutely right Don and I guess I just proved my own point: Who said it was a PADI class????

 

[Steelyeyes]

Scuba diving isn't for everyone. I hope they didn't have any lasting consequences.

 

[dmaziuk]

Scuba diving isn't for everyone.

Yeah... another nice illustration of Ken's point: there's a set of "scuba diving isn't for everyone" and a set of "sh*t happens while scuba diving", and I don't see any reason to assume those two are in the first set.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I don't think so: Two unresponsive divers rescued - Anacapa Island California

Are you sure?