Graduated from PADI Diapers to TDI Pullups

[pauldw]

TMHeimer proved the point of NothingClever!

But NothingClever, the table seat isn't in a hole in the dirt, it's the view of a reef, or the macro on a rock wall. Enjoy the beauty, skip the self gratification.

You are gonna love it here.

 

[NothingClever]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

The part about clubbing my PADI OW instructor, something I’m not truly advocating or endorsing, was simply meant to illustrate my frustration with the instructor. Some things are more effectively communicated in person rather than through e-mail or posts in a public forum. That was probably one of them.

My experience with PADI (four courses) was a let down. Although there are great people in PADI and certainly great instructors out there, my Basic OW instructor was a disaster. Scatterbrained, unethical, unreliable and unfamiliar with the academic test and how to administer it, I was hard-pressed not to lose my cool with him. Three work colleagues who also got hoodwinked into selecting him as their instructor (before I could alert them) were thoroughly disappointed and aborted their courses in search of other instruction.

Perversely, this is an instructor who was recognized at the last regional PADI conference for his outstanding achievements in OW certifications. That rather sealed my perception of PADI as a somewhat loosely run corporation more focused on measures of performance rather than measures of effectiveness. I’ve concluded there’s not going to be a short supply of arm swimmers and sand kickers for a while.

I do think their travel website is outstanding for trip research.

Definitely enjoying the massive wall dives and sea life here in the Red Sea. Have done several liveaboards and lots of boat dives. All great but there are definitely locations south of Egypt that are overfished compared to the Atlantic Coast of Florida where I was blown away by the Jurassic-sized sea life just off the coast while home on vacation.

I dive with some great photographers from Italy, France and Turkey and they are totally into macro with some crazy rigs costing more than a small sedan. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t born with the macro gene so I’m satisfied to tag along on their dives. While they have their noses and lenses glued to the coral, I practice my elevator and lung drills with my twin tanks and hang out off the coral wall looking out and down into the deep waiting for that massive ray or shark to pass by. I dig the big boys in the sea.

 

[VE7DAC]

Unfortunately, I just wasn’t born with the macro gene so I’m satisfied to tag along on their dives.

I think you may be mistaken. It's not a gene, it's a bug. Some catch it, some don't. I caught it hard after diving with some people with rigs like you described, and my wallet is thinner for it.

 

[Trailboss123]

compared to the Atlantic Coast of Florida where I was blown away by the Jurassic-sized sea life just off the coast while home on vacation.

Concur with this-- The Atlantic Coast of Florida is often overlooked and I personally find the diving between Delray Beach and Jupiter to be some of the most fun and interesting I have done. Enjoy the Red Sea. I just booked a Liveaboard there for next June and welcome to Scubaboard.

 

[decompression]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

The part about clubbing my PADI OW instructor, something I’m not truly advocating or endorsing, was simply meant to illustrate my frustration with the instructor. Some things are more effectively communicated in person rather than through e-mail or posts in a public forum. That was probably one of them.

My experience with PADI (four courses) was a let down. Although there are great people in PADI and certainly great instructors out there, my Basic OW instructor was a disaster. Scatterbrained, unethical, unreliable and unfamiliar with the academic test and how to administer it, I was hard-pressed not to lose my cool with him. Three work colleagues who also got hoodwinked into selecting him as their instructor (before I could alert them) were thoroughly disappointed and aborted their courses in search of other instruction.

Perversely, this is an instructor who was recognized at the last regional PADI conference for his outstanding achievements in OW certifications. That rather sealed my perception of PADI as a somewhat loosely run corporation more focused on measures of performance rather than measures of effectiveness. I’ve concluded there’s not going to be a short supply of arm swimmers and sand kickers for a while.

I do think their travel website is outstanding for trip research.

Definitely enjoying the massive wall dives and sea life here in the Red Sea. Have done several liveaboards and lots of boat dives. All great but there are definitely locations south of Egypt that are overfished compared to the Atlantic Coast of Florida where I was blown away by the Jurassic-sized sea life just off the coast while home on vacation.

I dive with some great photographers from Italy, France and Turkey and they are totally into macro with some crazy rigs costing more than a small sedan. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t born with the macro gene so I’m satisfied to tag along on their dives. While they have their noses and lenses glued to the coral, I practice my elevator and lung drills with my twin tanks and hang out off the coral wall looking out and down into the deep waiting for that massive ray or shark to pass by. I dig the big boys in the sea.

Do yourself a favour and hook up with some UTD or GUE divers or instructors......a different way of doing things.

 

[Tripp]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. Not every instructor represents their training organization well, be it NAUI, PADI, SSI, or what have you. My PADI instructor has been excellent, extremely safe and level-headed and truly a teacher, not a "move you through the check-list" parrot. I'm jealous you are learning in the Red Sea!!!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Unreliable and unfamiliar with the academic test and how to administer it.

At least you had a test! We just spoke about the homework before going to a pool for 4 hours where many skills were skipped. Open water dives were the same: a number of skipped skills, and we had a "5th dive" after going back down after the CESA we just breathed from our regs as we went to the surface (no discussion prior either, and no horizontal CESA in the pool).

Edit: I'm the guy in Life of Brian hanging in chains from the wall telling you are a lucky bahstard for being crucified.

Welcome to SB! It is full of "interesting" people!

 

[scrane]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

The part about clubbing my PADI OW instructor, something I’m not truly advocating or endorsing, was simply meant to illustrate my frustration with the instructor. Some things are more effectively communicated in person rather than through e-mail or posts in a public forum. That was probably one of them.

My experience with PADI (four courses) was a let down. Although there are great people in PADI and certainly great instructors out there, my Basic OW instructor was a disaster. Scatterbrained, unethical, unreliable and unfamiliar with the academic test and how to administer it, I was hard-pressed not to lose my cool with him. Three work colleagues who also got hoodwinked into selecting him as their instructor (before I could alert them) were thoroughly disappointed and aborted their courses in search of other instruction.

Perversely, this is an instructor who was recognized at the last regional PADI conference for his outstanding achievements in OW certifications. That rather sealed my perception of PADI as a somewhat loosely run corporation more focused on measures of performance rather than measures of effectiveness. I’ve concluded there’s not going to be a short supply of arm swimmers and sand kickers for a while.

I do think their travel website is outstanding for trip research.

Definitely enjoying the massive wall dives and sea life here in the Red Sea. Have done several liveaboards and lots of boat dives. All great but there are definitely locations south of Egypt that are overfished compared to the Atlantic Coast of Florida where I was blown away by the Jurassic-sized sea life just off the coast while home on vacation.

I dive with some great photographers from Italy, France and Turkey and they are totally into macro with some crazy rigs costing more than a small sedan. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t born with the macro gene so I’m satisfied to tag along on their dives. While they have their noses and lenses glued to the coral, I practice my elevator and lung drills with my twin tanks and hang out off the coral wall looking out and down into the deep waiting for that massive ray or shark to pass by. I dig the big boys in the sea.

To be charitable to PADI (something new for me) it's difficult to teach people who already seem to know it all.

 

[NothingClever]

To be charitable to PADI (something new for me) it's difficult to teach people who already seem to know it all.

Hi, Scrane....I definitely don’t want to come off sounding like I know it all. I consider myself a new diver and am anxious to learn as much as I can. I work hard not to mistake enthusiasm for expertise in myself and others. That’s why I joined SB - to expand my intake of information from seasoned divers who exemplify an outlook of proficient skills and rehearsed readiness for contingencies.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Hi, Scrane....I definitely don’t want to come off sounding like I know it all. I consider myself a new diver and am anxious to learn as much as I can. I work hard not to mistake enthusiasm for expertise in myself and others. That’s why I joined SB - to expand my intake of information from seasoned divers who exemplify an outlook of proficient skills and rehearsed readiness for contingencies.

Don't worry about it. You had a substandard OW course. That much is clear. (but it appears yours was still better than mine! ). Sounding off is completely appropriate.