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You don't seem to understand exactly what a certification is and what it isn't. In most places, a certification is not legally required to dive. On the other hand, most places that rent or fill tanks as well as most charter boats will require proof of certification before they will fill your tanks, rent their tanks to you or let you dive from their charter boats.
In the early days of SCUBA, people would buy their gear along with a short booklet telling them how to dive. Most would read the booklet and start diving. There were no certifications. Some folks learned on their own more than was included in the booklet and started helping their friends learn to dive. Many, but not all, of these folks learned to dive in the military. Some of the folks issued certification cards they had printed up. Later, they became known as "hot cards." In 1954, LA County developed and started teaching a course in SCUBA diving. This was an excellent course, but reall of no use to those who lived outside southern California. In 1959, the YMCA started certifying divers through it's SCUBA program to become the first nation wide certification program in the United States. NAUI was formed the following year. As time passed, other agencies formed and started certifying divers. Today, there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 - 50 agencies that certify divers at one or more levels. SDI is one of the newer agencies. For the most part, all of these agencies recognize the certifications of all the others. For the most part, any place you go to rent a tank, get your tanks filled or go out on a charter boat will require you to have a certification card, but they won't care what agency issued it.
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“'It’s the Instructor not the Agency' is a saying promulgated by the inadequate
to cover their shortcomings." - Thalassamania
"Walter....neither you nor I are very likeable anyway.." - Ana
oohh.. now i know thanks so much for your infor! because i heard from people saying what SDI not many places recognize so i worry if i take SDI how. I also learn something from you! thanks..
I'm an SDI DM and received OW, AOW, Nitrox and Rescue through SDI. I've dove all over the Caribbean, Florida, the East Coast and even in California. I've never had any issue with my SDI certification. Walter is right: diver operators don't care from which agency you were certified. They only care that you are certified from a recognized agency. SDI is a recognized agency.
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Is it normal to think about diving...all the time?
Thanks so much now i know! wow nice places! definitely beautiful! wish to go far far and dive but expensive! hahaha.. I ask this question becos soon i going to take my advance so just wonder can or not! acutally i got my open water from SSI.
Can i ask is it SSI must log our dive before taking advance? meaning must dive like alot of times then can take advance? is it true?
I'm and instructor with both PADI and SDI. You will have no problem with an SDI certification, also the SDI advanced card in my opinion, requiring you to make more dives and take specialties before becoming "advanced" in more meaningful. PADI has the market share, and provides picture identification on the card. It would be a great idea if all certification agencies did this.
Hi: Welcome to a life filled with adventure. I'm an instructor with both PADI and SDI.
SDI is recognized the world over. PADi has market share and a picture identification that other agencies might consider adopting. Any agency offers basically the same open water program. The term Advance Diver, is actually a marketing misnomer.
SDI will require a significantly higher number of dives, as well as three specialties before receiving the "Advanced" Certification. PADi only requires 9 dives to reach the "Advanced" level. The status Advanced is a marketing gimmick. If you want to know that you are actually a competent diver continue with your dive education to the minimum of Rescue Diver. It's then and with repeated dives you will begin to feel comfortable and become an advanced diver. Have fun!
Hi,
Just to help a little, SDI is part of the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC). Other members are PADI, SSI, NAUI, and YMCA. They all have set standards that are the same and all have equally high and set regulations and teaching standards.
As to where they are accepted- SDI is accepted at all reputable dive centers throughout the world. It is accepted anywhere the others are. It is now the fastest growing agency in the world. PADI is still the largest, due to its length of time in existence, but SDI is rapidly growing in its numbers.
SDI emphasizes dive computers as mandatory standard dive equipment. We do teach dive planning through dive tables, but we utilize dive computers. You may have to rent one if you do not own your own. An inexpensive recreational dive computer is only about $300. It logs your computers, has depth, temperature, and time gauges, as well as being able to track ascent rates, and surface intervals for calculating total bottom times for NDLs. My 10 year daughter has a Suunto and has no trouble reading and using it.
So. don't worry, just have a great time. You can go anywhere with SDI.
Oh, also, you may get open water cert with SDI, advanced, with PADI, Rescue with PADI, and then back to SDI for divemaster.... or any other combination. They recognize each other's certifications due to the RSTC in great part.
Good Diving,
DeeDee
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Remember Danny, two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left.
Other members are PADI, SSI, NAUI, and YMCA. They all have set standards that are the same and all have equally high and set regulations and teaching standards.
That's simply not true. I don't know where you are getting your information, but it is grossly wrong. The standards of various agencies, including members of the RSTC, vary greatly from each other. The RSTC sets minimum standards that are so low it's a joke to call them standards. It's certainly a disservice to use the word "high" when referring to them. RSTC and some of it's member agencies have standards so low they frankly scare me. Other agencies, including at least one member of the RSTC have standards that are quite high.
BTW, your list of member agencies is not complete and one of the members you've listed isn't. Wanna try again?
It's only got a little Spam in it...
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