Fail! Weekend Certify-

[TechBlue]

It does sound like a pretty sloppy operation, you should talk to the owner and see what he offers, if you are still not comfortable or happy witht the response ask for a referral and find another instructor. Good for you calling the dives and not bowing down to peer pressure to go out again.

I am happy to hear that they haven't put you off diving, you have what it takes and you are quite a lot more informed now as to what to look for before you go out again.
Keep the faith and let us know how you make out.

 

[jmasin]

Sorry to hear about your experience. That really stinks. Sounds like you got through it though.

There will be happier diving days ahead!!! Think about it this way, you have already conquered a very challenging dive. Blue water boat dives will seem like a breeze, and the one day you do have to deal with swells on a boat you'll have been there before.

It does sound like the Shop/Instructors seem like they could improve. I wasn't there, and as with everything, when receiving only one side of the story I'll reserve final final judgment.

I agree with the above. Now that you have calmed down, go to talk to the store. Explain your experience and disappointment in a professional way and maybe they can set you up with some discounts or something.

Good luck, and may your future diving experiences be 1000 times better!

 

[SkimFisher]

That is my plan-- I WILL post their Dive Shop name up-soon as I finish - If anyone knows anything I can do? I suppose I'm stuck with them - dreadful!

Before you do that just make sure you never plan on stepping foot in that shop again. Shop-lackeys are always watching.

 

[jmasin]

Before you do that just make sure you never plan on stepping foot in that shop again. Shop-lackeys are always watching.

In fact I'm not sure I'd post the name up regardless of the satisfaction it may provide. Simply nothing to be gained.

 

[TMHeimer]

I, too like to know what's going to happen as exactly as possible, and always like the idea of having something written down to look at. I have been involved with two Open Water classes- my own and one as a divemaster candidate. In both cases everything went relatively quickly and smoothly. Considering it was Nov. in Nova Scotia and all but the instructors were in wetsuits,we all knew the object was to complete all the skills and get the ^&%* out as quick as possible. In your locale though, instructions on how to make this a pleasant day/situation would seem to be in order. The big safety issue was why you were left alone (on the surface or anywhere) without supervision. Was the DM not put in charge of "bringing up the rear" to check on that?

 

[Snarfal]

Just curious but what were the pool sessions like for this class? Did they not cover any of this material while you were practicing in class? I would assume they would have covered the procedures of the open water dive by at least the last session of class/pool time.

Did they rush you through the practice as well? Were other people also expressing problems with the class and their comfort levels? Did you have difficulty with the proper kicks there and they just didn't catch it?

 

[GI0Ria]

I, too like to know what's going to happen as exactly as possible, and always like the idea of having something written down to look at. I have been involved with two Open Water classes- my own and one as a divemaster candidate. In both cases everything went relatively quickly and smoothly. Considering it was Nov. in Nova Scotia and all but the instructors were in wetsuits,we all knew the object was to complete all the skills and get the ^&%* out as quick as possible. In your locale though, instructions on how to make this a pleasant day/situation would seem to be in order. The big safety issue was why you were left alone (on the surface or anywhere) without supervision. Was the DM not put in charge of "bringing up the rear" to check on that?

That was what sealed the 'beginning of a horrible weekend for me'. It was all the things that lead up to that moment, but in that moment it became clear it was just going to get worse and worse.

To Answer EVERYONES question that asked about or commented about letting the owner know about what happened. The OWNER/Dive Master of the shop was the one who was my buddy on my first dive. He is the one who left me behind. He went down under water and never came back up. Another instructor later came up seen me swimming towards the float where my son was waiting for me, he then proceeded to say 'hurry up', and whatever else he said then went back down to the bottom to do skills with kids. I continued swimming to the float listening to my son say I can't see them, hurry up I can't see them, as he would dip his mask down into the water. That is what happened.

And yes there was supposed to be and instructor in front and someone at the rear with the last person. And yes our buddy was supposed to be with us, which our buddies for the dives were the dive master and/or instructors. Apparently when we were last that didn't happen.

 

[GI0Ria]

Just curious but what were the pool sessions like for this class? Did they not cover any of this material while you were practicing in class? I would assume they would have covered the procedures of the open water dive by at least the last session of class/pool time.

Did they rush you through the practice as well? Were other people also expressing problems with the class and their comfort levels? Did you have difficulty with the proper kicks there and they just didn't catch it?

That is what I find odd about this. I trusted them based on how they made sure people were comfortable in the pool first. They give as many pool sessions as it takes. Even though at times the pool sessions got a little frustrating.

For ex:
I kept asking him to put me in a 7mm suit and I never got that opportunity, I took extra pool sessions to get that chance. They did give my son a 7mm with a hood so he used the hood in the pool b4 he went to the ocean and I did not. I am not sure why they never put me in a hood. I was the one who kept pushing for the suit changes though. I had no idea the hood was going to be that big of a difference since he DIDN'T even mention for me to practice in the pool with it. Im glad I pushed for the 7mm however, to go in the pool. I think it could of been worse.

I wasn't comfortable all the time during the pool dives to answer your question, there was once I even wasn't going to go in the pool due to them not having weights for me, they had to go around borrowing from people in our group. I was frustrated and they were separating out our weights I explained it was more important that my son went in, that I would sit out. They eventually got weights together, that is the day my weights fell out my bc, and I flew to the top. Good times.

 

[TechBlue]

That was what sealed the 'beginning of a horrible weekend for me'. It was all the things that lead up to that moment, but in that moment it became clear it was just going to get worse and worse.

To Answer EVERYONES question that asked about or commented about letting the owner know about what happened. The OWNER/Dive Master of the shop was the one who was my buddy on my first dive. He is the one who left me behind. He went down under water and never came back up. Another instructor later came up seen me swimming towards the float where my son was waiting for me, he then proceeded to say 'hurry up', and whatever else he said then went back down to the bottom to do skills with kids. I continued swimming to the float listening to my son say I can't see them, hurry up I can't see them, as he would dip his mask down into the water. That is what happened.

And yes there was supposed to be and instructor in front and someone at the rear with the last person. And yes our buddy was supposed to be with us, which our buddies for the dives were the dive master and/or instructors. Apparently when we were last that didn't happen.

It sounds like you want to get as far away from this shop as you can, there is definitely no future there, the owner is a divemaster, who was running the class? Ask them for a referral and do your openwater dives with another instructor, how do you feel about your pool sessions? If the OW was such a disaster it makes me wonder what their pool work is like.

 

[GI0Ria]

Before you do that just make sure you never plan on stepping foot in that shop again. Shop-lackeys are always watching.

Yeah, I put that into consideration even b4 I posted this into the forum. I have a good idea this will get back to them. I have left enough unintentional clues who I am and who the shop is by all my descriptions of where we were in relation to the lawn or rocks or benches at Breakwater. I'm not hiding anything because I feel this was a dangerous situation they put me and others in. But, I would be very surprised if they don't already know. Many groups of scuba divers go out there every weekend.
People who dive out there all the time most likely have a good idea, if they don't already know. NO biggy! Maybe they will refer me, and FIX this so I don't out them. Because I haven't yet.
I dread the idea of dealing with this any further.