When is a newbie No longer a newbie.

[Nomaster]

Anybody with 3 or more PADI specialty diver patches

cheers,

NOW THAT'S WHAT I WANT!!!!
I think PADI and all the various certifying agencies should give a little badge, about 40 mm in diameter, for every card they issue, and we should have a sash that holds these badges of merit, we could say, sew them on, and we could wear them over our power suit at work, we could have sashes and badges made of neoprene too, they would be glued to our exposure suits and tatoos, and burn scars, cuts, well, why. . . the possibilities are endless!!!
The radical scooter dudes could wear their patches on their legs, totally ignoring convention, the techies could wear some on their shoulders and sleeves and wear special hats when they're not in the water.
Solo divers could tatoo them on their face or hang metal badges from jewelry which is pinned to various parts of their anatomy.
Something for everyone!
Oh what a wonderful world, another step toward utopia.

Tom

 

[Wijbrandus]

So what's wrong with people collecting the cards, in and of themselves?

Some people see that as a goal - ie the Padi Master Scuba Diver - since they don't want to go Pro someday. (Not me - I plan on instructing, sometime around 2020.)

I do agree there is a difference in experience and training, though. I'm an AOW diver with under 50 dives, and I consider myself a rookie. I don't think I'm a noob, in that I think I'm good enough now not to get anyone else (or myself) killed, but I certainly realize I don't know everything, and I take a very conservative approach to my diving.

 

[AmyJ]

NOW THAT'S WHAT I WANT!!!!
I think PADI and all the various certifying agencies should give a little badge, about 40 mm in diameter, for every card they issue, and we should have a sash that holds these badges of merit, we could say, sew them on, and we could wear them over our power suit at work, we could have sashes and badges made of neoprene too, they would be glued to our exposure suits and tatoos, and burn scars, cuts, well, why. . . the possibilities are endless!!!
The radical scooter dudes could wear their patches on their legs, totally ignoring convention, the techies could wear some on their shoulders and sleeves and wear special hats when they're not in the water.
Solo divers could tatoo them on their face or hang metal badges from jewelry which is pinned to various parts of their anatomy.
Something for everyone!
Oh what a wonderful world, another step toward utopia.

Tom

Ok.. that gave me a good laugh for the morning.... !

But here's a question... When is it "appropriate" as someone said to move on to the next level. For example immediatly after my OW check outs, I signed up for AOW... NOT because I thought I was 'ready' but because it was the middle of the winter in Ohio and this class offered a LOT of pool time which I figured I needed. I still haven't taken my AOW check outs... for no reason... but are there guidelines for that? And when is it appropriate to take rescue? Do I have to have a certain number of dives logged.. or certain TYPE of dives logged??? I am not a hugely adventurous person and don't lust after certifications.. but do want to be the best diver I can so I figure ONE WAY to that is through some of the classes offered (and obviously real diving!)...

 

[Rick Inman]

I think PADI and all the various certifying agencies should give a little badge...

(In my worst Poncho Villa accent): "Bat-ches??..."

 

[deadend]

I think that training certifications take a quick backseat to experience and attitude. I care nothing about racking up a wallet full of different cards. In many professions there is the saying that someone may have 20 years of experience or conversely 1 year repeated 20 times. In vacation in the Carribean with my wife recently, I watched several "instructors" from various states talk loads of s@$t to the dive staff at the resort, berating them because they are "instructors" and should be able to dive how they want to.

These "instructors" (who didn't know each other) were some of the worst divers I've ever seen. Absolutely no technique, and poor attitudes, but they had alot of c-cards. When the dive staff asked them about their experience level they had between 120 and 1000 dives. I've seen diver's with 10 dives that could outdive these clowns any day of the week. And a Carribean resort ain't somewhere one should expect to do any advanced diving.

This is just one example of many I've seen. I've known divers who have been diving for 30 years, with no certs., and own all gear including compressors that are flawless. And "instructors" with 120 dives, none in the ocean, or outside a quarry for that matter, who know it all and will and are quick to tell you that.

 

[matt_unique]

Depends on who you are comparing yourself to. Unless you are brand new there are those with tons more experience and those with far less. To divers with tons more experience, you're a punk. To divers with far less experience, you are the senior man. When I say you/you're I am referring to most all of us myself included. You can have 1000 deco dives and still be a punk relative to someone with 6000 deco dives.

--Matt

 

[Mako Mark]

When is a newbie No longer a newbie??

"well you never really know, you know, but when they know You know, you know..."


(quote: Crush, from looking for Nemo)

 

[ShakaZulu]

Anybody with 3 or more PADI specialty diver patches

cheers,

And more than 2000 posts on this board.............

 

[Wijbrandus]

And more than 300 posts on this board.............

HEY HEY HEY!

Some of us are landlocked, and get our fix this way!

Oh, wait, I haven't got the patches yet.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

And more than 300 posts on this board.............

Not a good prerequisite ... some people have way more than 300 posts, and have never really SAID anything ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)