SSI Open Water Certification: Some concerns

[yarik83]

I will concur that advanced training requires supervision (ie wreck diving and cave diving).

Initial learning curve is fairly steep for those who want to learn and have great instructors. I personally would not recommend advanced dive training until you have at least 50 dives under your belt in open water 40-80ft environment. And even then you have to decide what is right for you.

In my personal case for example I always practice buoyancy skills on every dive primarily because I video tape which after 4 years I am still learning. I also clear my mask under water on every dive because my late mask almost always flooded or fogged up until I retired it about 2 weeks ago. Additional training is .... a personal thing. For example I do not have cavern diver certification but I dove caverns probably 10 times now and I know exactly where my limits are. I can't say I love going cavern diving. It's dark and silty and visibility is iffy and nothing to see except for maybe 1 fish. I also practice removal of my gear at least once per month but more out of necessity. My pony bottle bracket wiggles itself loose (not off) from my BC tank strap so have to fix it every once in a while.

I would have to say that everything that you learn in initial OW class is something every diver should master. Knowledge and mastery of OW skills do not only come in handy every once in a while but will make any emergency event into a well practiced controlled mechanism. I can attest to it. I had 2 O-rings blow on me in a cavern and my training as well as my buddy's training made stressful situation into a minor inconvenience than anything.

 

[jscott099]

You could same the same about a pilot's license (which I also have)...it is simply a license to continue to learn. We learn by doing and only continued diving (and flying) and additional training will enhance what you have been taught. Note also that your training only prepares you dive in similar conditions to which you were taught.

 

[Jerrod]

Thanks for the comments and private messages.

After ready everyone's comments I guess my criticism of the process is nothing new so I won't discuss my checkout diving experience, because I am positive it was better than most. I will say, the quarry only had about 3 feet visibility and I would not suggest that to anyone on their first dives no matter how much they want to be certified.

I do like how SSI has an experience level, so I hope when I go out on dives, it is a red flag to keep an eye on me, but I doubt it.

I am going to the local quarry and going to log about 2 hours at 20 ft and build up a lot of experience. I hope to get about 20 respectable dives in this summer. No more 5 minute dives for me.

Thanks,

Jerrod

 

[VTscubaDAN]

Speaking of Specialty costs, yarik83 mentioned about $100/course above. Is that a fairly average price for SSI Specialty certs for everyone? How about Stress/Rescue? Is that one typically more than others? What's been everyone's experience?

 

[Jerrod]

I think price depends on your area.
Here in Louisville SSI Aow is 400, and naui Aow is 200 at a different shop.

Both charge 150 per specialty. Lexington has a Padi shop that charges 200 per specialty.

SSI ss&r here is 245.

 

[j2s]

This is a common problem w/all of the certifying agencies/organizations and just depends on the individual instructors not so much on the agency......I wish that once and for all the 'alphabet-soup' of organizations would get their act together,[there are 3 different organizations for cave certification alone !!!] come up w/one national agency and set common standards for all levels of diving/specialty courses [including books and manuals]......I have 10 c-cards from 5 different agencies...It's ridiculous !!!.......1 card w/the different certifications/levels on it from one national agency would simplify things.....And make it easier to regulate instructors/guides and the industry in general.....We'd all be working from the same page.....Wouldn't that be a novel idea :O !!!!!!.......

 

[drrich2]

Here in Louisville SSI Aow is 400, and naui Aow is 200 at a different shop.

Be mindful that SSI's AOW is not the same as PADI's, for example. My Brother-in-Law signed up for SSI's; in a nutshell, it was a 'package deal' of 4 'pick your choice' specialties. PADI's AOW entails 5 different specialty dives, one Deep, one Navigation, the rest your choice, and you don't get a special certification (aside from AOW itself), but the specialty dive made during AOW can count as one of the required dives for a specialty that you take later.

So, I took AOW, and later took the Deep Diver specialty under PADI. The deep dive in the AOW course counted toward the dive requirements for the Deep Diver specialty when I took it.

SSI's AOW course is a different thing. You actually train & certify in 4 different specialties.

Richard.

 

[tstormdiver]

I wish that once and for all the 'alphabet-soup' of organizations would get their act together,[there are 3 different organizations for cave certification alone !!!] come up w/one national agency and set common standards for all levels of diving/specialty courses [including books and manuals]......I have 10 c-cards from 5 different agencies...It's ridiculous !!!.......1 card w/the different certifications/levels on it from one national agency would simplify things.....And make it easier to regulate instructors/guides and the industry in general.....We'd all be working from the same page.....Wouldn't that be a novel idea :O !!!!!!.......

There are actually more than 3 agencies offering cave training. There is NSS- CDS, NACD, TDI, IANTD, GUE (these agencies are mostly concerned with technical diving). There are several recreational oriented agencies that are also now breaking into the cave diving & technical realms. That would be PADI, SSI, NAUI & there may be more that I am not readily familiar with. That is likely never to happen. Too many differing opinions on how it should be done. Although a vast majority of training agencies are under the umbrella of the RSTC (Recreational Scuba Training Council) & have similar baseline standards, many go beyond the RSTC standards to develop standards that are in line with that agency's opinions. Some agencies are more interested in marketing, some are more interested in quality training, some are more interested in supporting their members,... it runs the gambit. If you really look at it, in a nutshell, most agencies are really nothing more than publishers of educational materials & also assign certifications.

 

[Agility]

come up w/one national agency and set common standards for all levels of diving/specialty courses

I'd rather see a dozen agencies than having to redo my certification every time I dive in a different country

 

[j2s]

There are actually more than 3 agencies offering cave training. There is NSS- CDS, NACD, TDI, IANTD, GUE (these agencies are mostly concerned with technical diving). There are several recreational oriented agencies that are also now breaking into the cave diving & technical realms. That would be PADI, SSI, NAUI & there may be more that I am not readily familiar with. That is likely never to happen. Too many differing opinions on how it should be done. Although a vast majority of training agencies are under the umbrella of the RSTC (Recreational Scuba Training Council) & have similar baseline standards, many go beyond the RSTC standards to develop standards that are in line with that agency's opinions. Some agencies are more interested in marketing, some are more interested in quality training, some are more interested in supporting their members,... it runs the gambit. If you really look at it, in a nutshell, most agencies are really nothing more than publishers of educational materials & also assign certifications.

Be an interesting 'poll'...To see what others thought........Hey SB, want to put it up for a vote ????.......