Oh boy, that's a good one! While it is true that I don't have a book full of certs. and am not formally trained in most of what I do, I don't recommend doing what I've done to others. Keep in mind, that I live in the middle of nowhere where dive shops are few and far between (NO good ones) and technical instruction is nonexistant. I took it upon myself to learn this stuff the only way that was/is available to me -- from guys on the internet (mainly Irvine and JJ).
The theory stuff regarding gear, deco procedures, physiology, mixing, and whatever is relatively easy to learn on your own IF you're dedicated to learning it. I don't need an instructor hand me a paper with a bunch of questions (a test) to make sure I got it all. It's more important to me that I actually know this stuff and can apply it. I have the GUE books, a lot of good sites, and know many GUE divers and instructors as well as a few WKPP guys that have been invaluable to me.
Now here's the problem with what I've done. I don't have all of the little intricacies of diving technique that only a good, experienced instructor could develop with me. For example, I don't know if my frog kicks are absolutely perfect, as I've never had anyone of experience observe them. I guarentee that I would come up short on some of the details of specific diving techniques that GUE requires. I have the really important stuff down pat and will put my skills against against most any of the "technical divers" I've seen show up here at Whitefish Bay.
I am NOT anti-training :nono:. As is evident in many of my posts, I don't necessarily place a heck of a lot weight in certs or the number of dives someone has. I think people can waste a lot of time and money on "less-than-relavent" classes too. However, IMO, GOOD training can't be beat to gain the necessary skills needed in technical diving. On the other hand, bad training can be worse than no training at all -- which also influenced my "method". After I figured out what was going on, I wasn't about to get involved with poor training and/or poor instructors. IMO, I could do a better job on my own, and I think I have.
Now, here's the sticking point. I have accepted the fact that I will not have all of the perfect skills underwater that only a good GUE student taught by a good instructor will have. This is my trade off and something I accept. That said, I very much want to take a GUE class someday -- perhaps even DIRF. Unfortunately, I find myself in an ever increasing rut. I am getting more and more comfortable with my knowledge, and even my diving skills, and find it difficult to think about spending $1000+ to go to Florida to take a class that will basically tweak my skills. I can do a lot with a $1000. I'm just being honest here.
OK, let me clear one little thing up. I don't know squat about cave diving. I've never been in a cave, never seen a cave, and generally consider cavers as being nut cases
. I would not be caught dead in a cave without GUE training -- NO FRIGGIN' WAY! I've been in and out wrecks since my first OW dive several years ago. Wreck diving is what I do up here, and is basically all I've ever done. The wreck diving up here, though often deep and cold, is relatively easy diving (decent vis, little to no current, good moorings, easy penetrations, etc.). No, I don't have a PADI cert. giving me permission to go inside a wreck. Nor do I have a cert. telling me I can go under the ice or do deep staged deco dives with trimix. I took years of baby steps getting to where I'm at, and I haven't gotten where I want go either. These are the choices I've made.
So, as I've said in other posts... I'm just a diver. I'm not someone with a book full of certs or an instructor with 2000 repetitious OW dives under my belt. I'm not involved with any organization and have no vested interest in anything I say or do. I just do as I do and dive as I do. If any you guys want to come up and join me on a wreck dive, I'll set you up with all the fixin's. If people like what I have to say -- that's fine. I'm happy to help out, but (to everyone) don't use me as an example for anything, eh!
Hope that clears things up a bit. Dive safe.
Mike