[GDI]

Originally Posted by karstdvr

I don't know if this question is indicative of how good an instructor is. Some of the best cave diving instructors I've met have done it just part time on the weekends. I've heard some say that an instructor that teaches it for a living maybe more prone to give a student a c-card since that is their primary source of income versus someone who teaches "on the side",hence the logic would be a part time instructor may make you work a little harder to earn that card since he has less to lose. I guess the question I'd probably ask is how many certifications have you done in "x" period of time. I always say if was going to have a surgery I'd like the surgeon to be somebody who does 10 of those procedures a month versus 1 a month. Thanks Jim for your advice.

Jim I made a sticky of your post because I think it is important for those chosing to become cave divers to consider what they are getting into.

Karsdvr. I have read your post and can see where you are coming from and I take no offense to it. However consider this.

A question that a student should ask is Does the instructor make dives outside of teaching or do they just teach it?

Another question to ask of the instructor is what courses or certification are you yourself looking at to improve your skills as a diver and as a instructor?

As a full time instructor I do not feel that I am there just to hand out c-cards and I do not feel prone to do so because my revenue depends on it, my liability insurance supports this mindset. To me it is not about the card it is about the training. When you take cave training, it is training and not a certification class, you pay for the training if you make it, great you get a card showing you made it. If you don't make it well you took and paid for the training and most likely it will improve your diving. Cave diving is not for everyone and not everyone can do it. I will not say that there are instructors out there who seem to hand cards out more readily then others, there are some of us who will say NO even when it may affect our ability to make a living.
Just a couple of points to note. My experience has shown that when I do fail someone that they are that much more appreciative of the skills required for cave diving and this has actually helped my business. Second to that there are those who went to other instructors because they felt that I may be a bit to demanding and they did not feel they could get a pass from me. Maybe the latter are the instructors you were reffering to.

Scuba divers must understand and acknowledge that no amount of preparation and training can fully eliminate the risks inherent to scuba diving. Select your instruction wisely