With which agency were you first certified?

[fisherdvm]

I was dually certified by PADI and YMCA in 1975. The poll doesn't allow multiple entries (which are common, I think) so I just ticked YMCA.

The nice thing about having a PADI card is that if you lost it, a dive shop can verify your certification by internet, or by phone.

Any other agencies doing this?

 

[vladimir]

I now have a NAUI too--I went through the certification process with my ex-wife to help assuage her fears. My YMCA card wore down to the point where I couldn't read it. I sent $25 to YMCA for a replacement and they had no record of my certification. So I'm glad I got the PADI card.

 

[Firefyter]

Or, for the sake of argument, and trolling for replies. It could be that more PADI divers are too busy diving in real water, and don't have time to dive in cyberwater.

OR, for the sake of more argument and even MORE trolling, it could be that the majority of PADI divers come out of OW so incompetent and so unsure of their abilities that they're scared to ever enter the water again.....

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I know a few divers who got their Los Angeles County certs in the 50s. They are still active divers.

 

[Sylvain]

I think that the choise of the org depend on location so Cyprus Naui for open water,
Kingston Ontario adv and rescue. New Brunswick Divemaster. If i would of had a choice i think that the first shop i would of got in that is where i would of taken the course as i did not know anything better at the time if it was now SAME THING you walk in and if you feel comfortable talking with the person on the store then that is where you make your first bubbles...

 

[24940]

The nice thing about having a PADI card is that if you lost it, a dive shop can verify your certification by internet, or by phone.

Any other agencies doing this?

SSI has ODIN (Online Divers Network) and certs can be verified online or via phone. I'm not sure if access to ODIN is restricted to SSI affiliates, but it does require registration.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

Nasds

 

[scubadale]

The nice thing about having a PADI card is that if you lost it, a dive shop can verify your certification by internet, or by phone.

Any other agencies doing this?

NAUI has an online verification.

 

[fisheater]

SSI has ODIN (Online Divers Network) and certs can be verified online or via phone. I'm not sure if access to ODIN is restricted to SSI affiliates, but it does require registration.

I was in a PADI-affiliated dive shop, when a diver - in drysuit - came in with a leaking reg. The shop was willing to let him rent another reg - on credit simply be leaving his leaking reg as collateral - but needed proof of his C-card status. His wallet was in his dive buddy's car (who was out diving). Because his cert. was with SSI, the PADI shop couldn't get confirmation of his cert., either online (because they're not an SSI shop) or over the phone (because it was a weekend).

The PADI shop even tried calling the local SSI shop, but was only told to send the (carless) diver to their shop!

The lesson I took from all this is that it DOES matter what agency your cert. is from, if you want quick and easy universal lookup of your status.

Not sure how the above all turned out, as I had to go diving myself.

 

[beester]

BEFOS-FEBRAS : Founding member of CMAS.

Maybe I'm a bit chauvinistic (very rare for a Belgian ) but since CMAS is one of the worlds oldest diving organisations... maybe it should deserve to be in this list of diving organisations.