How do so many folks have so many dives

[EFX]

One reason some instructors rack up large dive numbers is short dive times. I took a PADI specialty that required 4 dives. I already had the intro dive. We did three 20 minute dives on one tank. We didn't get out of the water. Debriefing and rebriefing were done at the surface. When we got done the other student and the instructor had to leave. I dove solo on my second tank because neither one would stay and I didn't have anyone else to buddy up with.

 

[boulderjohn]

Best advice: Your :sblogo: post count should never exceed your lifetime dive count (or the square of the hypotenuse thereof)

Bob and rbill have already responded to this, but since you hear it often on SB, I would like to respond. Someone can sit down at a computer for an hour or so a day and bang out at least 10 good, solid posts. Do that twice a week only and you have 1,000 posts per year. Any frequent ScubaBoard user will easily have more posts than dives, even if they are working as a dive professional.

BTW, Doc, you list your total number of dives as being less than 2,500-4,999, which is an impressive total. On the other hand, you have at the time of this writing 8,705 posts. Does that mean we should not pay any attention to anything you say?

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ----------

BTW, Doc, you list your total number of dives as being less than 2,500-4,999, which is an impressive total. On the other hand, you have at the time of this writing 8,705 posts. Does that mean we should not pay any attention to anything you say?

I am correcting a typing error I made above when I reworded a sentence and left in part of the first draft. I meant to say he had listed his total as between 2,500-4,999.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

One reason some instructors rack up large dive numbers is short dive times. I took a PADI specialty that required 4 dives. I already had the intro dive. We did three 20 minute dives on one tank. We didn't get out of the water.

If I counted all the short dives I made with students I would have a lot more dives. Anyone is free to write whatever they want in their own logbook, but my count is only the dives I made for myself. There are no class dives in my logbook.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Yep. You'll notice the title of the video "Kwajalein Remembered". This place will leave a stain on your soul for better or worse. The better part is the family live, shortly followed by the access to diving.

Dude, hook me up... What's the best way to get a job there? In electronics, not diving. I used to have a secret clearance, but it's expired. So it would need to be with a company willing to take someone that needs clearance work.

 

[Doc]

BTW, Doc, you list your total number of dives as being less than 2,500-4,999, which is an impressive total. On the other hand, you have at the time of this writing 8,705 posts. Does that mean we should not pay any attention to anything you say?

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ----------


I am correcting a typing error I made above when I reworded a sentence and left in part of the first draft. I meant to say he had listed his total as between 2,500-4,999.

By that simple math, then, I suggest that SB readers pay attention to only one half of what I say. Your call as to which half!

As to your edit correcting the distinction of "less than" versus "between", I do refer you to more carefully study my proposed caveat about post to dive count ratio. You forgot to do the algebra part to add in the square of the hypotenuse thingie.:rtfm:

Must get off-line and underwater. TTFN

 

[maniago]

Watch a diver put their gear together, get in their wetsuit, and drop in. That'll tell you all you need to know about "how many dives" they have.

 

[clownfishsydney]

As of today I have done 3,665 dives. Since I was certified in 1988, I have done over 100 dives every year but one, and that was because I could not dive for three months due to diving related ear damage. All my dives are real dives, although a few (less than 10 I reckon) might be only for less than 10 minutes, but as they had a real purpose (freeing anchor from 30 metres, investigating a sonar hit in the harbour at 20 metres), I count them.

I am lucky as in Sydney we can dive all year in relative comfort and the diving is only 20 to 30 minutes drive from home. If the weather is okay, then generally I dive at least once on the weekend and often twice. On Wednesdays I take my boat out for a dive with members of our club. On Thursdays I organise a night dive every week (again, weather depending). Now that I am retired, I am trying to dive at least once a week on Monday or Tuesday. IN our dive club we have at least 10 people who do over 100 dives every year.

I have also gone overseas on a dive trip at least once every year since 1991 so that can add to the total quickly.

I have also come across some people who greatly exaggerate their dive numbers. You can easily work them out by asking where and when they dive, when they started etc. A little bit of maths (sorry math to you Yanks) will show that it is impossible for them to get to the figure they claim.

 

[beaverdivers]

How do some folks have so many dives without access all of the times?

Setting goals, then plan to dive & commit to future dives (trips). It may be once a year or once a month; 20 dives, 100 dives or 200 dives/year.

Failing to plan is planning to stay dry.

We just booked Belize for 2016.

Good Luck & Good Diving!

 

[Goodtime Adventures]

One reason some instructors rack up large dive numbers is short dive times. I took a PADI specialty that required 4 dives. I already had the intro dive. We did three 20 minute dives on one tank. We didn't get out of the water. Debriefing and rebriefing were done at the surface. When we got done the other student and the instructor had to leave. I dove solo on my second tank because neither one would stay and I didn't have anyone else to buddy up with.

WTF?! Wow, that sounds like an absolutely terrible course, and I should hope very far from the norm. I hope you switched dive centre and instructor after this experience?

 

[boulderjohn]

One reason some instructors rack up large dive numbers is short dive times. I took a PADI specialty that required 4 dives. I already had the intro dive. We did three 20 minute dives on one tank. We didn't get out of the water. Debriefing and rebriefing were done at the surface. When we got done the other student and the instructor had to leave. I dove solo on my second tank because neither one would stay and I didn't have anyone else to buddy up with.

So is it your contention that all courses in all nations are like that, or did you happen to have an unusual experience?

My niece is a NAUI certified diver. She was certified after one 2-hour pool session and one dive to a maximum depth of 10 feet. In my opinion, she had a very bad experience with one really bad NAUI instructor. OR should I assume, as you apparently would, that this was characteristic of all NAUI courses?