TexasMike
Contributor
On another scuba discussion board, we are hashing out requirements for "Advanced Open Water" certification.
I'd like to hear what you folks have to contribute on the topic.
I'll start off with my personal experience.
I recently completed both the book and dive requirements for PADI's Advanced Open Water certification. After discussing my experience with both the shop's training director and some other senior instructors, I cannot able to say with confidence that I actually am an advanced diver. I feel like I still have some skills to master and in my opinion, I thought the PADI standards to be a bit too "relaxed".
(btw, I have logged about 25 dives with approx. 10 hours of bottom time, including my o/w training dives)
In fact, the training director pointed out to me that per the current PADI standards, it is actually possible for someone to achieve "Rescue Diver" status in less than 20 dives. And this is something that he (and now I) don't agree with.
In my view, a diver should have the following to be qualified as an advanced diver:
And what I listed above is how Scuba Diving International approaches advanced diving. First you become certified in at least 5 specialties (through classroom & several dives) and then after a certain amount of "out of school" diving you are awarded the advanced moniker. And the training director stressed that he would rather have the student make the call if he/she was now an advanced diver once all of this was completed.
What do the rest of you folks think?
--TexasMike
I'd like to hear what you folks have to contribute on the topic.
I'll start off with my personal experience.
I recently completed both the book and dive requirements for PADI's Advanced Open Water certification. After discussing my experience with both the shop's training director and some other senior instructors, I cannot able to say with confidence that I actually am an advanced diver. I feel like I still have some skills to master and in my opinion, I thought the PADI standards to be a bit too "relaxed".
(btw, I have logged about 25 dives with approx. 10 hours of bottom time, including my o/w training dives)
In fact, the training director pointed out to me that per the current PADI standards, it is actually possible for someone to achieve "Rescue Diver" status in less than 20 dives. And this is something that he (and now I) don't agree with.
In my view, a diver should have the following to be qualified as an advanced diver:
- both a certain number of dives and a certain number of bottom time hours
- certifications (aka actual cards) in a minimum number of specialties, such as night/low vis, navigation, wreck, peak bouancy, search & recovery, etc.
- certain number of fun dives with buddies of various experience levels to practice what you are learning.
And what I listed above is how Scuba Diving International approaches advanced diving. First you become certified in at least 5 specialties (through classroom & several dives) and then after a certain amount of "out of school" diving you are awarded the advanced moniker. And the training director stressed that he would rather have the student make the call if he/she was now an advanced diver once all of this was completed.
What do the rest of you folks think?
--TexasMike