How to answer "what is your highest certification level"?

[tmassey]

I take photos of my cards. Just a PITA to have to do two photos.

Even worse, if you are “that” type of person, you could use whatever you wanted for the front of your photoed cards.

 

[Manatee Diver]

We have had a discussion here in the past about legal issues. If you are only certified for 30 meters and you encounter an issue on a dive planned at 35, I am pretty sure that the shop owner could get into trouble. Especially in the US.

Well there are a whole lot of operators that don't care. So either they are going to be sued into oblivion, or it is a non-issue.

 

[Bob DBF]

I’ve been diving since ’62 and only missed a few years, what have you been doing? Usually answers the questions.

 

[EFX]

What if the dive is at 35meters? You might be AOW or Master Diver and not deep certified which limit your max depth to 30 and not 40 meters.

[deleted]

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

.....said it looked like a 70s porn actor...

Yeah, I got that a lot too. Here is a pic of me from a PADI cert card dated 1976. Too funny. @Sam Miller III remembers that look!

 

[sheeper]

my answer depends on why i'm being asked. If it is to dive someplace where they don't know me, the answer will be based on the dive. So maybe advanced, maybe trimix, maybe rebreather, maybe just OW .
if it is related to my being an instructor, then it's Course Director/IT, (nitrox/deco, trimix, etc)..
if it is that someone is curious i generally say i have multiple advanced certifications.

 

[Celt]

My highest was when I worked in Crotty,s lake, 2455 feet high.

 

[markmud]

Most often when diving with a new dive operator or even the same dive operator with a new/different crew you will be asked a few questions such as when was your last dive, have you dived in cold water, how many dives and what is your highest certification level.

I can easily tell the op when my last dive was, how many and if I have cold water experience.

I don't know the answer to the last question because I don't know how different certifications are ranked. I am guessing that OW is the lowest, AOW next, Rescue next. Where do the other certifications rank? If asked does does Solo/Self reliant rank higher? How about Deep or Wreck or Cave, Nitrox, drysuit, etc?

Hi Bert,

I am a recreational diver.

I don't care what the dive-op wants or feels comfortable seeing or being told. I carry my Tech 40 because it covers diving down to 40 meters, Nitrox, and a prerequisite for Tech 40 is AOW. So why carry all of the other cards and explain them all.

Or, in a verbal Q&A why pick and choose.

When asked verbally, I respond: Tech 40—done deal.

I have been asked about Nitrox by a few DMs. I explain that Tech 40 covers nitrox to 50%. It says so right on the face of the card.

I never thought that I was bragging or trying to one-up the DM. Tech 40 isn't a true technical diving cert. It is an intro course. Tech 40 is tech diving with training wheels on. I don't have the discipline or the brains to be a real tech diver.

Tech 40 is the training that I liked the most as it was comprehensive. I think It was real dive training, especially for a recreational diver, like myself. YMMV.

Cheers,
markm

 

[RainPilot]

How do you know if someone’s a pilot?

don’t worry. They’ll tell you.

I couldn't find any way to get it into conversation faster than it being in my username ....

 

[BB`]

Whatever the lowest needed for the dive is.

Day charter/liveaboard going to ~100ft max depth spots I show AOW or if it is a tech trip they get the deco procedure/adv nitrox.



The idea is to go enjoy myself and if anyone wants to judge me on my skills in the water they are welcome to do so but I refuse to get into the on deck pissing match of how many and what c-cards you have.