Bummer on OW Certification

DiveRoper · Jul 1, 2003

Hello from Colorado.

Have a coupla thoughts and would like to get some ideas from all you divers out there.

My wife and I went for our open water dives this weekend. Along with all of the equipment failures, 2 spgs, 1 regulator, 1 BCD for the group of four, and total lack of organization we did not become certified. Failed our 4 th dive due to lack of buoyancy control.

Both of us had buoyancy control while at the platform, could easily hover but when asked to swim around the platform at a particular depth, either we went to high or to deep.

My wife even did a "free fall", thought that was in sky diving.

The instructor told us to get some private lessons, practice, then come back to perform the 4th open water dive to get certified.

The "pool" we took our lessons in was 10 feet by 20 feet. How would be the best way to practice in a very confined space?

Should I, we just go back, and stay, with Team Roping?

Thank you for all the ideas and information we have gained from this board.

GlockDiver · Jul 1, 2003

Your instructor wasn't the same person who checked you out?

Diversauras · Jul 1, 2003

I am not sure which but there are some questions. How much pool time did you have in the 10X20 pool? How much time did the equipment failures from your OW outing detract from your dive time? What was the total dive time for your 4 OW dives?With only 4 in the class why wouldn't the instrictor work with you two? Was buoyancy controll addressed the first time in the pool?

DiveRoper · Jul 1, 2003

No, the instructors for the cofined water parts were different from the open water parts.

DiveRoper · Jul 1, 2003

Thankx Diversauras!!

We both had about 8 hours of pool time in which buoyancy control was discussed. Fin pivots, hovering.

There were actually 16 students in the OW part, broken down into two groups of 8. The refered 4 of us, 2 in group 1 and 2 in group 2, stayed together so equipment could be switched to the two divers going into the water.

The total dive time for the 4 dives in 2 days was 79 minutes.

Otter · Jul 1, 2003

why the instructor isn't working with you more on your buoyancy control. Seems like he is awfully eager to send you back to your pool instructor ( I am assuming he is not suggesting that you do the pool work without direct supervision of an instructor).

Otter

Diversauras · Jul 1, 2003

DiveRoper once bubbled...
Thankx Diversauras!!

We both had about 8 hours of pool time in which buoyancy control was discussed. Fin pivots, hovering.

There were actually 16 students in the OW part, broken down into two groups of 8. The refered 4 of us, 2 in group 1 and 2 in group 2, stayed together so equipment could be switched to the two divers going into the water.

The total dive time for the 4 dives in 2 days was 79 minutes.

I would say you got (at best) the bare minimum. 8 in the pool is probably normal if everyone is doing well in all skills. 79 min in the water is precious little, and the swapping of gear seems like it was an assembly line rather than an event in which teaching and learning was supposed to take place.

There are many threads about the value of different instructors and it sounds like you might have gotten shorted. I'd suggest you talk to the instructor and see what can be worked out but just from what you have said i'd bet they are going to want additional money to finish what they have left unfinished. Is this through an LDS or is it an independant contractor?

daylight · Jul 1, 2003

DiveRoper,
I am certain that you and your wife are disappointed not to complete your OW certification.
Sounds like the instructor wanted you to do additional work to work out the skills issues. The instructor may have decided that the problems would best be dealt with in confined water as opposed to open water. Safety of the student is always a priority. Not knowing water depth, platform situation. or numerous other environmental parameters; any fault finding by internet divers would be purely conjecture.
However, juggling equipment around that is not up to snuff is very frustrating. I get very up tight when students show up at OW with poorly fitting and not functional rental equipment. I bring extra equipment to deal with a "normal" amount of equipment failures but you can reach a point where it doesn't make sense to proceed until the equipment issues are resolved.
Dive Safe and Good Luck,
Larry

MikeFerrara · Jul 1, 2003

Those skills need to be pretty squared away in the pool. There are additional challanges in OW that can load a student even if they were good in the pool like using a compass, extra exposure protection and less than perfect vis. IMO, the OW instructor did right by sending you back to the confined water stage although maybe he should have done it before dive 4. Buoyamcy control is a requirement of every dive not just the last one.

It sounds like the CW instructor just barely met the letter of the standards and missed the intent of the standards by a mile.

I think the OW instructor did you a good turn by not issueing cards.

DiveRoper · Jul 1, 2003

I totaly agree. My question is what or how is the best way to practice buoyancy control, while swiming, is such a confined space?

Bummer on OW Certification

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