Diving only in what you trained in ignorance

[Sonnylynnvick75]

I was on facebook earlier and stumbled upon a post asking for advice on a dive destinaion for a woman to take her two sons who were recently certified. One of the comments shocked me, it stated:

"Remember-- you are only supposed to dive in the same waters you were trained in!!!! If they didn't do ocean then they are not supposed to"

This made me think a multitude of questions:

1) Who teaches this?
2) Why would you convey this information?
3) Does this not discourage new divers?
4) Does this sound like a money scam or what?
5) How does this make sense at all?

I am relatively new to diving, I got certified March of 2014 and have 30 dives logged so far but this just makes no sense to me at all. What is y'alls take on it?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm somewhat more experience than you ... and it makes no sense to me either.

Most likely the result of someone repeating something they were told out of context, and without understanding what the person who told them was trying to say.

The adage is that certification "qualifies you to dive in conditions similar to those in which you were trained" ... and it applies not to location or environment, but to the type of equipment and level of skills required to do the dive. It's meant to keep people from jumping into a situation that their training didn't adequately prepare them to deal with. It does NOT mean that if you didn't train in the ocean then you shouldn't dive there.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[nimoh]

Whoever posted that is wrong. If you take OW in fresh water, there is no need to take it again for salt water. The class should have discussed the differences between diving in fresh water and salt water.

It is commonly recommended in training that you dive in similar conditions to those where you were trained, and for the most part it is a good recommendation. It can however, be difficult for a new diver to determine what differences are acceptable on which ones are not. You need to rely on your good judgement.

 

[Sonnylynnvick75]

I was certified in Vortex springs, I felt like I did pretty well in comparison to the rest of my colleagues. I came back and my next dives post cert. were in the Tennessee river with current in 4' vis. the LDS offered a river diving course and recommended it but insisted I dive with someone with experience in those conditions. Diving went great at the river then my next dives were ina 70' rock quarry. I then headed to Naples florida and my first saltwater dives were also my first boat dives and I also went spearfishing. I feel like if you limit yourself because its something new then you can never grow as a diver. At the very least I made sure I went with someone who knew the area and conditions but I didn't let that stop me from new experiences.

 

[phoenix31tt]

somebody misunderstood something somewhere

The adage is that certification "qualifies you to dive in conditions similar to those in which you were trained"

that's what i've been told... so if you're open water certified... dive up to 60ft in open water within NDL's. If the environment is different to what you have ever done before (say a drift), get some familiarity from the DM or the person who's done it before to know what to expect.

Chalk it up to a misunderstanding.

regarding new things, just remember to many new things all at once can become a problem IF there is some kind of emergency

 

[Mustard Dave]

1) Who teaches this?

Isn't this on the form you fill in after a PADI course?

2) Why would you convey this information?

Because it makes sense that inexperienced divers should not think that being qualified to dive to 18m, having qualified in the Caribbean, makes them qualified to do it in cols water, strong currents and terrible vis.

3) Does this not discourage new divers?

I wouldn't think so. I think you have to be sensible with it. Instructors should encourage people to build up post certification experience gradually. I wouldn't take it as meaning you cannot go in the sea if you have only ever been in a quarry.

4) Does this sound like a money scam or what?

It depends who is saying it and why. If somebody trained a diver and then started demanding they did another course to prepare them for the conditions they are going to dive in (and suitable sites are within reach), then it probably is.

5) How does this make sense at all?

See number 2.

 

[Sonnylynnvick75]

somebody misunderstood something somewhere



that's what i've been told... so if you're open water certified... dive up to 60ft in open water within NDL's. If the environment is different to what you have ever done before (say a drift), get some familiarity from the DM or the person who's done it before to know what to expect.

Chalk it up to a misunderstanding.

regarding new things, just remember to many new things all at once can become a problem IF there is some kind of emergency

The problem with chalking it up to a misunderstanding was that when she was presented with the same assumptions and points you made she quickly defended that that was incorrect. and I agree that too many new things at once can be a little much but in my scenario I don't feel like I was in any kind of danger. I ahd about 15 dives logged in freshwater in cold temps around 60 degrees. I didn't see where boat diving was really a big deal, we practiced boat entries poolside when we were in training and it wasn't a big deal. I also didn't find where the fresh to salt transition was really a big deal. I actually felt more relaxed and comfortable in salt because I was used to cold temps and poor visibility. So, in my mind the only new thing was spearfishing.

 

[phoenix31tt]

Not saying your scenario was too much... Just generally... But even if you felt there was no danger doesn't mean there wasn't any.

For instance boat diving should teach you more than boat entry. Such as exit procedures, what to do if a boat is above you in shallow water, different signalling, what to do if left behind etc etc...




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[Sonnylynnvick75]

Not saying your scenario was too much... Just generally... But even if you felt there was no danger doesn't mean there wasn't any.

For instance boat diving should teach you more than boat entry. Such as exit procedures, what to do if a boat is above you in shallow water, different signalling, what to do if left behind etc etc...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I understand what you are saying completely. we covered all aspects of boatdiving in open water certification though which I feel like should be mandatory for all certification courses no matter who the orginization is.

 

[dmaziuk]

so if you're open water certified... dive up to 60ft in open water within NDL's. If the environment is different to what you have ever done before (say a drift)

Oh sh*t, the scuba police's gonna get me for all these 80' dives and boat drifts and nights and swimming under the salt pier on bonaire...