After your ow course, were you able to dive without Dm/instr?

[Diving Dubai]

I passed OW on vacation and carried on diving for the rest of the vacation with the centres instructors (as guides)

I've also quite happily followed guides on vacation - they know the sites and the life. And frankly I'm on vacation so happy to chill out

All local diving done without guides. And yes it's warm water. I'm a proud warm water diver ( Although I consider 25C/77f drysuit temps)

There maybe some little old currents it might be very remote and it might be warmer than you're used too. If cold water divers want to look down on me, let them. I've seen more than one experienced european cold water diver have their ego handed to them by mother nature - it's quite funny. Happy to host anyone from here (but I hope you like down currents)

 

[RayfromTX]

When we visited your part of the world last year we were doing a little wandering around an island off of Oman and noticed as we were about to round a point that the jellies and other stuff in the water were flying by just in front of us. I backed off and watched. I'm glad we were paying close attention. If we had gotten caught in that little devil of a current we would have been swept off quite a ways. Later learned on the boat that they had retrieved divers a mile away the previous year that had not been paying attention. Guides in unfamiliar territory could be beneficial. Without them, I am cautious and slow. I definitely get to see more with them.

 

[The Chairman]

The warm water divers that aren’t “real” divers are the ones who might dive a couple of days a year and think they’re God’s gift to diving.

Hmnnnn, I know a couple of instructors with this mind set, but never a twice a year diver.

But the confidence thing is not necessarily the fault of the instructor.

Not always, but quite often instructors don't teach the basics of trim, buoyancy and propulsion. They often go as far as telling their students that they'll need at least a hundred dives to "find it". If a student can't control their position in the water column, most of their diving will consist of "oh crap" moments as they hurdle to the bottom or race to the surface. I often corrupt a religious phrase: No control: no peace. Know control: know peace. I have a standing offer to any instructor to teach them how to teach this for no charge. It's not hard to do, but you do have to approach teaching a bit differently.

There’s a belief on SB that warm water vacation divers are not “real divers”.

It's why I came up with "Dive and let dive!" Too many people trying to make me dive their way. Too many people hijacking threads to talk about their current agenda. It's about what you're preaching here: having fun when you dive.

To the OP: my first "instruction", back in '69, was abysmal (pardon the pun). It wasn't with any agency, just a Navy Master-chief that my father had helped when he was alive, returning that favor the best way he knew how. It was literally sink or swim (no BCs) and you either had a blast or you didn't go in. I'M GLAD PEOPLE HAVE MORE SENSE NOW A DAYS. Diving is all about limits and sometimes instructors put more doubt in their students' minds than they should. Ergo, their students are a bit overly cautious, but no one gets hurt from being overly cautious. (Unless it's a fluke. We don't need a bunch of people giving us the exception here) That's OK and a lot of the reasons why people feel better with a pro in the water. That and they don't have the buoyancy control to be a fish.

 

[TMHeimer]

@Dowbowl



The warm water divers that aren’t “real” divers are the ones who might dive a couple of days a year and think they’re God’s gift to diving. I’ve met these types in person too damned often, and I’ll admit it’s rather enjoyable figuratively crushing their overinflated self-image.

LOL. Yeah, that guy from Spain who screwed up our guided "line" dive sure talked a blue streak about his exploits on the trip out. Not a word on the way back.
After he disappeared on the dive he nearly crashed into me & my instabuddy head first like a rocket.

 

[60plus]

Post #40. A bit harsh. I consider myself a warm water holiday diver (primarily) but to me warm is 14 Deg C upwards. I have also quarry dived at home where 12 m down it was only 4 Deg C. My first 3 dives after OW were with guide but two of them were over 18m (22 & 32m). Next 2 dives were solo because I did not have a buddy, only briefly dipped below 12m on those dives. I was not happy diving solo, not because I cannot dive comfortably but just in case of a health issue or something else I could not sort on my own. On my last holiday a diver (not in my group but a similar age) became unconscious underwater for no apparent reason. Fortunately he was only about 50m from shore in 4 to 6m of water and there were plenty of divers about to get him out. He had recovered consciousness by the time he reached the shore but needed two people to help him walk. I am quite happy to dive with a buddy rather than a DM or guide. Overall I think I prefer diving in a group with a guide. I enjoy the chat whilst gearing up and on the boat, the guide knows where things are to look at and the group means there is plenty of assistance about if something does go wrong. Prefer to night dive with just a buddy or very small group other wise too much light about.

 

[rhwestfall]

for me, keep in mind, I differentiate between a DM (don't need) and a Guide (appreciate).....

YMMV

 

[maj2]

for me, keep in mind, I differentiate between a DM (don't need) and a Guide (appreciate).....

YMMV

Can’t Like this statement enough!

 

[wnissen]

I'm kind of amazed that anyone feels comfortable enough after dive #4 to go off and dive without someone experienced. I was still struggling to equalize consistently at that point, let alone control buoyancy to the point where I could contribute to navigation. I certainly want a guide when I'm in a new site, even after having several dives where I was leading.

 

[maj2]

I'm kind of amazed that anyone feels comfortable enough after dive #4 to go off and dive without someone experienced. I was still struggling to equalize consistently at that point, let alone control buoyancy to the point where I could contribute to navigation. I certainly want a guide when I'm in a new site, even after having several dives where I was leading.

Remember— the OP was about continuing to dive with an instructor or DM. Diving with someone experienced is a different thing altogether.

 

[dorsal]

When I took my open water, I didn’t really appreciate the qualifications of my full cave instructor. He taught good trim techniques which is key. My first post OW dives were with friends. Like any new skill I’m still learning and getting better.

after 30 years as pilot I’m still finding new things to learn and ways to improve. But I think the typical new pilot is better prepared with the skills needed to fly alone.