Fail! Weekend Certify-

[GI0Ria]

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!

I agree! Happier diving ahead, thank you. And I can't wait!! I'm still excited about diving, I am just stuck until then I suppose. I hope they refer me.

I am confused with this whole situation though, they run a shop and people go to them. And look maybe they are just having a rough year or month.

 

[fellowtraveler44]

So far, we have heard 1 side of this story. How many instructors have had students appear at class unprepared despite instructions and/or handouts? Do we even know if she recieved a handout on what to bring to the dive site? Was she paying attention when the instructor told her about the equipment and other particulars of the check-out dives? Does it strike anyone as peculiar that all the other students apparently made it down, but her & her son had not even made it to the bouy until long after the rest of the group dropped? Her comments strike me as a bit exaggerated, and until I hear the other side of this story, I would be hesitant to condemn the LDS or the instructors. Perhaps we should start a thread on students not listening or reading what every other student read or heard, and appeared at class (i.e., without ANY gear for the pool session) or at checkout dives (i.e., an hour late because they thought it started later) unprepared. Or perhaps a thread on those students who are so slow they delay the class by hours. Let's remember that every story has 2 sides.

 

[SkimFisher]

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

My sentiments exactly. Been through it first hand. It's not worth the trouble. That's the thing about putting something in writing - it's ALWAYS there. However, no one can stop you from spreading it via word of mouth. Just as effective.

 

[jmasin]

I am confused with this whole situation though, they run a shop and people go to them. And look maybe they are just having a rough year or month.

Hard to say. Everyone has bad days/weeks etc. Based on what you've said some of the things they did are very poor, so I'm not discounting your side, but like a few have said, there are two sides to a story.

Sounds like conditions were bad and they were trying to get things done and GTF out of there. That doesn't excuse rushing you or not trying to reassure you if nervous in rough conditions, that's part of a contentious instructor/owner etc. The water would have been there the next week and the week after that, you could have always gone back for cert. in reasonable conditions.

Hard for us on a forum to truly understand the situation, but like I said, happy diving ahead! You are gonna love it!

 

[GI0Ria]

So far, we have heard 1 side of this story. How many instructors have had students appear at class unprepared despite instructions and/or handouts? Do we even know if she recieved a handout on what to bring to the dive site? Was she paying attention when the instructor told her about the equipment and other particulars of the check-out dives? Does it strike anyone as peculiar that all the other students apparently made it down, but her & her son had not even made it to the bouy until long after the rest of the group dropped? Her comments strike me as a bit exaggerated, and until I hear the other side of this story, I would be hesitant to condemn the LDS or the instructors. Perhaps we should start a thread on students not listening or reading what every other student read or heard, and appeared at class (i.e., without ANY gear for the pool session) or at checkout dives (i.e., an hour late because they thought it started later) unprepared. Or perhaps a thread on those students who are so slow they delay the class by hours. Let's remember that every story has 2 sides.

I totally agree with you, but I believe every side has 858484775 stories.
This post wasn't placed here to hurt someone ABOVE being informational, OR getting feedback. I am particularly curious about others experiences during OW Ocean sign offs/certs.
I felt UNSAFE many times during that dive. I TOLD them to their faces. I told them that was why I didn't continue to dive on Sunday. I did NOT feel safe, I did NOT feel comfortable. That I felt that there was too many situations already where others had special needs and I didn't feel that I was comfortable enough any longer to go into the water. Nobody can disagree any of these facts. I repeated these same thoughts to almost every single person in our group at least 10 of them I know were in ear shot if not being told. This was after 'whose bleeding'?, 'what happened' etc.. etc... so it was a nightmare.
Someone who has never been to a OW cert. would have no idea how to proceed to this to make it the best possible experience, in regards to a tarp for the ground, and ice chest, extra food, or snacks. What are unsafe surges, or surfs to go into. Knowing they should of been in a hood in the pool. How could I know I should of done that? Im not the trainer or dive master, I have no idea what is a big deal to know.

Thanks for your response-

 

[Lead_carrier]

Gloria, I have to agree with Fellowtraveler. There are to sides to every story. I know for one, that on the front page of the student folder, there are instructor responsibilities, student responsibilities and together. Everything should have been explained there. This happens the first night of class when we seem to be throwing so much at students that it's incomprehensible. It would have been very prudent of the shop to give you most of the checkout requirements on a handout. That being said, talk to the shop owner and let him know you're not happy with his operation or style of checkouts. Then if you don't feel he cares or is being a jerk about it. Get on the SSI website, get the regional reps name, email and phone number and contact them. Have a discussion with them about what you can do or any options that you have. They can usually intervene and help out without having to get into a shouting match, but you will be burning bridges with that particular shop. Which I can't say that I blame you for.

If I can help any other way, feel free to PM me if you need to.

 

[BabyDuck]

gioria, i'd say it's time for private lessons to complete your cert. you need to try & make sure the rest of your experiences are smooth, or you might have a hard time really getting comfortable diving.

 

[GI0Ria]

Does it strike anyone as peculiar that all the other students apparently made it down, but her & her son had not even made it to the bouy until long after the rest of the group dropped? Her comments strike me as a bit exaggerated,.

It would seem so wouldn't it? However, IT IS NOT. I had NO ONE behind me.

We had a discussion about this, I spoke to a few of this in front of the dive master when we were back on shore. I said the exact thing. 'I can not believe you all left me on the top of the water by myself'. 'Still swimming to the float when you dropped below'. I explained how it made me feel while swimming (and after) I was voicing my discomfort, feeling sick, nausea, etc... we were all around during this conversation, yes- and an instructor said 'yeah, I can see why that could cause some anxiety', the first time out in the ocean being left'.
I would challenge ANYONE to say any different about this whole situation.

I am not here to inflate a situation to put focus on the dive shop or any particular person. My post was to put my experience down to let others see what CAN happen and what to be aware of- learn from my experience and ASk ASK ASK -- that is all.

 

[TMHeimer]

So far, we have heard 1 side of this story. How many instructors have had students appear at class unprepared despite instructions and/or handouts? Do we even know if she recieved a handout on what to bring to the dive site? Was she paying attention when the instructor told her about the equipment and other particulars of the check-out dives? Does it strike anyone as peculiar that all the other students apparently made it down, but her & her son had not even made it to the bouy until long after the rest of the group dropped? Her comments strike me as a bit exaggerated, and until I hear the other side of this story, I would be hesitant to condemn the LDS or the instructors. Perhaps we should start a thread on students not listening or reading what every other student read or heard, and appeared at class (i.e., without ANY gear for the pool session) or at checkout dives (i.e., an hour late because they thought it started later) unprepared. Or perhaps a thread on those students who are so slow they delay the class by hours. Let's remember that every story has 2 sides.

I agree and was asking some of those same questions. Still doesn't excuse anyone being left inwater without supervision regardless of whether they paid attention or not.

 

[RonFrank]

On SB we often side up after hearing only part of the story.

I know I was not as comfortable with my CO dives as I could have been. I rushed my decent, screwed up my ears, and generally was uncomfortable during parts of my four CO dives. Looking back, the mistakes made were mine not those of the shop or instructors.

So lets break this down. How many dive shops fail to tell the students that they need to haul there own gear? How many fail to tell them they need to bring food? How many fail to tell the students to bring tarps/chairs? From my experience... none. She was not paying much attention apparently as I could see a shop forgetting to tell students for example about bringing a tarp, but I KNOW they told them about tank hauling because they would have expected the students to pick up their gear.

No dive shop that I am aware of hauls gear for students, or at least not in a group setting.

In any event, no one was hurt, and I would suggest to the OP to have a level headed discussion with the Dive Shop to arrange to do the last of the CERT dives. If you go to another shop expect to pay for the entire OW Cert part of the class, and I'm not sure you will get better service.