Do you think computers encourage risky diving in new/ young divers?

[Brett Hatch]

My niece was certified by a NAUI instructor in Okinawa. She had one 2-hour pool session and one OW dive to a maximum depth of 10 feet.

Yikes

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

That's my experience. In contrast....

My niece was certified by a NAUI instructor in Okinawa. She had one 2-hour pool session and one OW dive to a maximum depth of 10 feet.

We then have fairly different experiences as I've seen people certified who I believe did not meet performance requirements and were a danger to themselves and their dive buddy. Their certifying instructor did not agree and took the extra $25.

For the latter, I have never witnessed, but friends of mine claim to have witnessed it, so it does not surprise me. Just like leaving Try Scuba/DSD participants by themselves in front of a cave as they brought in more people, and then took everyone in that cave.

Not much surprises me anymore.

 

[formernuke]

Has EAN ever been part of AOW? I would think not. Back in the day, it was classroom and 2 dives for EAN. Then is became e-learning and analyze a couple of tanks.

AOW was a certain number of specialties, I did nitrox as one of them for an additional cost.

When i.started I knew OW was lacking in the back of my head so I did AOW , a GUE pre fundies and started on master.

The GUE pre fundies was very useful master honed that, i think because it was with a private instructor who believed in teaching how to dive not just meeting agency requirements.

 

[AfterDark]

Has EAN ever been part of AOW? I would think not. Back in the day, it was classroom and 2 dives for EAN. Then is became e-learning and analyze a couple of tanks.

LDS around here often offer nitrox and AWO together in a package deal lowering the price of the nitrox class.

 

[AfterDark]

Nothing will ever be 100%. I worked for 2 years as a DM and AI assisting a variety of instructors, and in that time I never saw a student pass a class who did not deserve it. In all my years as an instructor I never did that. I saw many cases in which a student who was struggling was given additional class time or referred to a private session. In one memorable class on which I assisted, we were surprised by two special needs students in a group of 5. We ended up pulling them out and making two classes, we did the 3 regular students easily and had a separate session for the two special needs kids (brother and sister). Eventually the instructor did it all on his own without my help, and I don't remember how many sessions they had before it ended. He got the sister OW certified, but he decided that the brother had to stop at scuba diver because he should never dive without professional supervision.

That's my experience. In contrast....

My niece was certified by a NAUI instructor in Okinawa. She had one 2-hour pool session and one OW dive to a maximum depth of 10 feet.

Oh yeah did the "instructor" offer AWO the next day? That's what happen to a friend's wife, OW one day AOW the next. Someday they'll probably be throwing master diver in there also! Maybe during the following weekend.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Oh yeah did the "instructor" offer AWO the next day? That's what happen to a friend's wife, OW one day AOW the next. Someday they'll probably be throwing master diver in there also! Maybe during the following weekend.

I have a package of OW+nitrox+dry suit. But it is a long course. I refuse to take a student for any further con ed courses for a number of months and dives.

 

[formernuke]

I've seen OW and drysuit together here for people who really want to get certified in the middle of winter.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I've seen OW and drysuit together here for people who really want to get certified in the middle of winter.

Water is cold all year round in the Puget Sound. I don't teach OW in summer due to overheating while out of the water. Actually, I teach OW September through March, as in April the algae blooms destroy viz. Just not safe IMHO.

 

[formernuke]

I haven't dove west coast but going to beach I noticed the water was colder.

We definitely have to careful of overheating in the summer here gearing up.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I haven't dove west coast but going to beach I noticed the water was colder.

We definitely have to careful of overheating in the summer here gearing up.

I also teach them to have a bottle/jug of water to dump on their heads once they get their dry suit on. That helps quite a bit before getting into the water if it is warm+ out.