Gold.
Why choosing an instructor sucks
- Thread starter BrianPH14
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Gold.
1-3 and 5 certainly aren't unique to your part of the country. Those issues are all pervasive in Florida for sure, and I assume everywhere that there is cave diving. You'd think such a small community would come together but instead it's full of infighting. I can't say where is the best place. I trained in Florida because that's where I live.
Personally, I think you should train at home. That way you've got just a little less pressure to complete training on a time schedule (e.g. maybe you can't afford to stay an extra week and drill some skill). As for picking an instructor.. you're already going down the right path. Meet a few, and choose one who you work well with and who you suspect has good training practices. Every instructor probably has friendly instructors or students who think they're great and unfriendly ones who think they suck. Therefore references can be untrustworthy.
Personally, I think you should train at home. That way you've got just a little less pressure to complete training on a time schedule (e.g. maybe you can't afford to stay an extra week and drill some skill). As for picking an instructor.. you're already going down the right path. Meet a few, and choose one who you work well with and who you suspect has good training practices. Every instructor probably has friendly instructors or students who think they're great and unfriendly ones who think they suck. Therefore references can be untrustworthy.
flymolo
Contributor
Just to play devil's advocate here a bit, I trained in mexico and have mostly dove caves there, but have also done some cave diving in florida I found training in mexico useful for a couple reasons:
1. shallow caves = more hours spent underwater, esp when diving to 1/6ths
2. low/no flow caves = minimal flow/delicate caves require more emphasis on perfecting buoyancy and propulsion. i've heard that flow tends to hide or mask some of the imperfections there
3. main line *seems* to start further back in many mexico caves, so you'll practice running line farther. I haven't been to many florida caves so take this with a grain of salt. again, i suspect minimal flow helps you actually work on perfecting the buoyancy trim propulsion while task loading and running a reel
cave diving in florida in high flow caves took some getting used to, but I like to think that because the foundational skills were there, it was not a major adjustment. a friend or mentor with florida cave experience would probably suffice.
1. shallow caves = more hours spent underwater, esp when diving to 1/6ths
2. low/no flow caves = minimal flow/delicate caves require more emphasis on perfecting buoyancy and propulsion. i've heard that flow tends to hide or mask some of the imperfections there
3. main line *seems* to start further back in many mexico caves, so you'll practice running line farther. I haven't been to many florida caves so take this with a grain of salt. again, i suspect minimal flow helps you actually work on perfecting the buoyancy trim propulsion while task loading and running a reel
cave diving in florida in high flow caves took some getting used to, but I like to think that because the foundational skills were there, it was not a major adjustment. a friend or mentor with florida cave experience would probably suffice.
helodriver87
Contributor
I think I would go with the best, most demanding instructor possible. Like turn your light off without a warning kind of asshle move to test what you've learned. Even if they are a total dck, you don't have to listen to them underwater.
But I could be wrong.
But I could be wrong.
I know many an instructor that can converse underwater on oc. Or at the least give you a look that’s just as good as yelling at you.
Good luck in whatever you choose.
does she prefer backnoubt or sidemount?
(Edit: that sounds exceptionally dirty and offensive when I read it back and it wasnt meant that way. Just a little levity.)
My friend took some courses with Dan Patterson of ee. He’s exceptionally nice. But in the water she said theres no way you cant understand his scornful looks.
helodriver87
Contributor
I immediately thought of Dan. I don't know a single person better at yelling and vocalizing underwater on OC. I took cave DPV with him and somehow over the sound of the scooter and chaos of my first time in manatee, I heard his "what the **** are you doing?!" clear as day. He has a gift.
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