Even more convinced about DIR

After yesterdays events with the LDS, I'm even more sure that I'll be going DIR before to long. My wife and I went to the shop, her for an intro to scuba course, and a refresher for myself. It was the worst 95 bucks I've ever spent for anything scuba related. The "instructor" rushed through the gear configuration, hardly seemed to really know what he was talking about, and during my "refresher training" would correct me on every little thing if I didn't do it the PADI way (which I do realize that they have a reason for doing things a certian way, but sometimes it seems like they're trying to explain things to a 5 yr old instead of an adult). The gear was sub-par even for rental equipment. Even at 4ft down, the regs were hard to breathe from. He kept telling my wife she was hyperventilating. I realize that having my mask on my forehead is a no-no, but when it's about two sizes too small and fogged up, I'm not about to keep it on my face while the instructor is fumbling around for the right words. Plus the "skills" were a joke. Sorry for the rant, just wanted to say I can't wait to go DIR!!!


P.S. Thankfully even after that expierance my wife still wants to get certified for her OW

Well, WAS your wife hyperventilating? It's pretty common. The instructor may have been trying to get her to slow her breathing and make it more rhythmic, even if he wasn't using the right approach for her.

What was it about the PADI way for the skills that you didn't want to do?

I'm a very strong proponent of DIR diving, but a) I'm not sure how bad the issues here were, and b) if the instruction was bad, it was a bad instructor, not a condemnation of the entire non-DIR diving world. My husband is a PADI instructor, and I'm a PADI DM, and I can tell you that I'm very proud of the job we do with students. They don't get a GUE OW class from us, of course, but what they do get is attention to buoyancy, an introduction to trim, role models of people who can be quiet and stable in the water, etc.

From prior communication, I'm glad you're looking into DIR training (because I think it's great training and a wonderful way to dive). But don't fall into the trap of deciding that the entire non-DIR world sucks. It isn't true, and you'll be pretty unhappy if you adopt that attitude.

Sorry, certianly didn't mean to put down the non-DIR world, as I've had a lot of great diving experiences, but I was very dissapointed with the instruction. As for the hyperventilation, no, I can say with certian that she wasn't hyperventaling. Maybe my expectations were a bit to high, but the whole expierance was very dissapointing, in particular with the instructor.

gfyrasng:

"Thankfully even after that expierance my wife still wants to get certified for her OW"

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Perhaps you should find another LDS to certify her. Or even a private instructor. There are several on this board whom you could contact to check into private instruction.

Just a thought...

TSandM:

Well, WAS your wife hyperventilating? It's pretty common. The instructor may have been trying to get her to slow her breathing and make it more rhythmic, even if he wasn't using the right approach for her.

What was it about the PADI way for the skills that you didn't want to do?

I'm a very strong proponent of DIR diving, but a) I'm not sure how bad the issues here were, and b) if the instruction was bad, it was a bad instructor, not a condemnation of the entire non-DIR diving world. My husband is a PADI instructor, and I'm a PADI DM, and I can tell you that I'm very proud of the job we do with students. They don't get a GUE OW class from us, of course, but what they do get is attention to buoyancy, an introduction to trim, role models of people who can be quiet and stable in the water, etc.

From prior communication, I'm glad you're looking into DIR training (because I think it's great training and a wonderful way to dive). But don't fall into the trap of deciding that the entire non-DIR world sucks. It isn't true, and you'll be pretty unhappy if you adopt that attitude.

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I agree with TS&M here. DIR is amazing, but I personally have had amazing instruction by both DIR and non-DIR alike. Your passion is commendable but it seems like you went into the experience looking for it to be crappy, and it became a self-fulfilling prediction (At least in your mind). Glad to hear your excited about training though. Try and keep the positive attitude, it has helped me navigate the sea of anti-DIR and helped me find an amazing community of divers.

The DIR system is certainly very strong, but that doesn't mean that other systems of training are no less capable of producing skilled and knowledgeable divers. Insert Instructor vs. Agency arguments here.

One thing you have to realize is that not only do the two major DIR agencies have some fairly high standards, there are less than 200 instructors between them WORLDWIDE, with about a tenth of those or so able to certify others as instructors. Comparing against the numbers of the bigger agencies, GUE and UTD have a much easier time with Quality Control of their instructor corps, and thus that kind of control inevitably leads to the standardization of the skillset their divers have.

It's still completely acceptable to look for other instruction, if you were that unhappy with your experience. Ask around, especially divers who have multiple certs from multiple instructors/shops/agencies as they will be less likely to be "evangelizing" their particular instructor simply because they don't know any others. Also, getting input from local technical divers on who to train with for your wife's Open Water could lead to some very good training, especially if the instructor themselves is a technical diver.

Peace,
Greg

Doc Intrepid:

Perhaps you should find another LDS to certify her. Or even a private instructor. There are several on this board whom you could contact to check into private instruction.

Just a thought...

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Agreed....maybe a GUE/UTD Rec 1 course??

Thanks for the advice and insight. We are currently looking for another LDS to seek training with.

You could consider joining the GUE forums or the UTD forums, and posting a question about recommended instructors/shops for OW training in the Austin area. There aren't any GUE or UTD instructors where you are, but divers who have such training often know which shops/instructors are sympathetic or hold high standards (that's certainly true here).