Kids diving? No way!

I spent two weeks in the Maldives, just came back on Sunday.

One day we get on the boat and there is this fortyish German guy with a little girl, who we later discovered was ten.

He gets geared up, and so does she.

The suit, which apparently had been bought two years ago when she first started diving was obviuolsy too small, and the smallest shortie the diving center had was way too big.

The BCD on the other hand, was way too big, she literally disappeared beneath and inside it.

The smallest tank the centre could provide was a 10 liters steel, huge in comparison to this girl's bodyframe.

Underwater she seemed fine, happy and at ease, but I wonder how much of the father's influence was behind her starting diving at the age of 8, though looking at the guy I strongly suspect she was more or less forced into it.

I'm with PADI, and most of the time I support them against all the bashing, but this is simply too much. :boom:

I have to agree...I'm all for having kids experience new things and be well rounded, but that's what snorkeling is for...Wait until they can handle their own equipment before dropping them in on SCUBA. IMHO, if I was the DM on that boat...the gentleman would have been spoken with and something would have happened, either she wouldn't have dove, or neither of them would have dove....think about the issues that could rise up there...what if something happened....I don't care what waivers you had your customers sign...that is something that would turn around and bite you in the arse...

PADI doesn't issue certs to any child under 10. I have to agree that that seems too yung to dive. IME, kids have no trouble at all with the phisical skills but I'm not so sure about the rest. A PADI Jr. OW diver under the age of twelve must dive with a pro or a parant. In theory I know what qualifies a pro to supervise but what qualifies a parant to supervise under water. Regardless of ones opinion on the minimum age no diver should get in the water with equipment that doesn't fit.

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
PADI doesn't issue certs to any child under 10.

Click to expand...

What about Bubblemakers?

Isn't that from age 8?

I thought bubblemakers was a pool program with full supervision in like no more than 6 feet of water.....I'm not PADI, so I'm not certain...but there is a shop in the local area that specializes in Chldren's training....the same shop that thinks nitrox is ineffective if your diving beyond 60 feet...so I don't have a lot of stock in what they say.

chiara once bubbled...


What about Bubblemakers?

Isn't that from age 8?

Click to expand...

It's a pool only program that results in no certification

My 11 y/o son got cert when he was 10 after begging for 2 years. Seeing the video of his mother and I diving and always being left on the surface got old.

He is a PADI Jr Diver and always takes a refresher course before a trip. We emphisize boyency, reg recovery, mask clearing, and buddy breathing among other skills while in the pool.

He never does the deep dive but always gets in on our shallow dive that follows and all of our shore diving. He has NEVER been on a dive where he wasn't on a lanyard 8ft long. It takes a lot of the pleasure out of our dive since we focus on him but it is worth it when he surfaces and cant stop talking about it.

Just like driving a car...there is a calculated risk involved but with the proper training and preperation it can make for an enjoyable activity for the Jr Diver.

I for one am glad the program exist. What better way to give them a good hobby in which can be built on and will provide many years of enjoyment...not to mention the quality time spent with your child...which is far to little with todays schedules.

Regards,

Matt

diveaustin once bubbled...
My 11 y/o son got cert when he was 10 after begging for 2 years. Seeing the video of his mother and I diving and always being left on the surface got old.

He is a PADI Jr Diver and always takes a refresher course before a trip. We emphisize boyency, reg recovery, mask clearing, and buddy breathing among other skills while in the pool.

He never does the deep dive but always gets in on our shallow dive that follows and all of our shore diving. He has NEVER been on a dive where he wasn't on a lanyard 8ft long. It takes a lot of the pleasure out of our dive since we focus on him but it is worth it when he surfaces and cant stop talking about it.

Just like driving a car...there is a calculated risk involved but with the proper training and preperation it can make for an enjoyable activity for the Jr Diver.

I for one am glad the program exist. What better way to give them a good hobby in which can be built on and will provide many years of enjoyment...not to mention the quality time spent with your child...which is far to little with todays schedules.

Regards,

Matt

Click to expand...

That's the only scenario I have seen that makes sense regarding children diving. Two adult buddies, on a tether (diving in a place where entanglement isn't an issue), and in a very shallow, good vis, controlled environment.

IMHO, children have no business diving with only one adult buddy and should be limited to very shallow dives. I don't think a child possesses the maturity and mental acuity to be relied on in an emergency. Also IMHO, too little is known about diving physiology and how it affects the body and a child is not mature enough to make that decision for himself/herself until they are 18 and can choose to kill himself/herself any way he/she sees fit.

I swear O-Ring....sometime you shock the hell out of me..

As for what he said, I agree completely not much is known about what diving does physiologically or phhysically to a child, but this environment seems to be very well controlled. However, if you were on my boat (assuming I owned one) I'm pretty sure your son wouldn't be making the dive while being a charter with other paying customers. I just don't feel that would be appropriate, and I wouldn't be willing to take the risk as the liable party....however weekend boat, with friends and out for a good time....DIVE DIVE DIVE

chiara once bubbled...
I spent two weeks in the Maldives, just came back on Sunday.

One day we get on the boat and there is this fortyish German guy with a little girl, who we later discovered was ten.

He gets geared up, and so does she.

The suit, which apparently had been bought two years ago when she first started diving was obviuolsy too small, and the smallest shortie the diving center had was way too big.

The BCD on the other hand, was way too big, she literally disappeared beneath and inside it.

The smallest tank the centre could provide was a 10 liters steel, huge in comparison to this girl's bodyframe.

Underwater she seemed fine, happy and at ease, but I wonder how much of the father's influence was behind her starting diving at the age of 8, though looking at the guy I strongly suspect she was more or less forced into it.

I'm with PADI, and most of the time I support them against all the bashing, but this is simply too much. :boom:

Click to expand...

You're drawing too many conclusions from this one example. In my experience kids take to diving much more easily than adults. You can compare it to the ease with which they learn to speak a new language as compared to their parents. I recently saw a 12 year old boy teach our most experienced instructor some new under-water acrobatics after just 3 lessons. He was literally swimming circles around his instructor.

But ok, even if you accept the idea in principle, there are some problems to overcome. Badly fitting equipment is a major issue for children but the parent is responsible for that, not PADI. Likewise, some (most?) children react unpredicably under stress, which is why we need clear rules about how deep and under which conditoins children are allowed to dive. Also, good judgement comes with experience (life experience) which many children lack so getting. Close supervision is clearly in order but I wouldn't be too quick to write off the whole idea.

R..