Have anyone been turned down for diving because of their certification agency?

[fiziks]

I've never been rejected because of my certification agency, but I was once initially rejected because of my certification level. Way back in 1992, I took my relatively new Ice Diver cert card with me to Bonaire. When I tried to register as a diver at the resort, the woman behind the desk looked at the front, flipped it over to see my picture on the back, and then tossed it back, "This is not real".

I had talked with another member of the staff the evening before about ice diving and promised to show him some pictures, so I had them with me when I came down to the registration desk that morning. So, I pulled out the packet of pictures (both above and below the ice), and showed them to the lady behind the desk. She looked through them, tossed them back, and confidently proclaimed, "These are fake."

Some of the other divers in our group were with me and they were having a laugh over this. Another staff member (I later found out he was an instructor from New Zealand) heard us and came over to see what was up. I showed him the c-card and the pictures. "Oh yeah," he said. "I've done that once in the States.... You guys are NUTS!"

The gal behind the desk said, "Water cannot freeze like that. United States is not the North Pole"

To keep things moving, I showed the gal my AOW card and logbook (showing her my most recent dives, the last half dozen were ice dives, no less) and she signed me in. To be fair, I don't think she was a diver, and living on an island near the equator for her whole life, she didn't understand just how cold it can get in central N. America in winter. We had a good laugh and I have expected to get that kind of a reaction.

 

[knotical]

Working in Queensland , Australia, we come across a lot of certification cards that we have never seen before.

We have a list of over 30 other agencies and their equivalents to PADI OW/AOW/Rescue printed out on sheets on the boat. If its not on that list we then do a quick internet search before we get out of phone range.

But some times we have been unable to find anything confirming the training level or depth limits and had to say we cannot accept a card and put them on an intro dive. Even if we dont understand the language you can look for CMAS or ISO logos/text. When we get people from the middle east it gets a little harder, cant even tell if its a scuba card or a film store membership!

People turn up with YMCA/BSAC/FFESSM thinking it may be a problem but they are pretty common these days.

But with no central agency and so many "home grown" agencies what risk would you take, to not upset someone on holiday or risk your staff/divers ??

The agency list in my signature block might be of some use to you.
However, it is limited by my language skills. Google Translate only goes so far, and non-roman alphabets challenge.

 

[kafkaland]

I've never been rejected because of my certification agency, but I was once initially rejected because of my certification level. Way back in 1992, I took my relatively new Ice Diver cert card with me to Bonaire. When I tried to register as a diver at the resort, the woman behind the desk looked at the front, flipped it over to see my picture on the back, and then tossed it back, "This is not real".

I had talked with another member of the staff the evening before about ice diving and promised to show him some pictures, so I had them with me when I came down to the registration desk that morning. So, I pulled out the packet of pictures (both above and below the ice), and showed them to the lady behind the desk. She looked through them, tossed them back, and confidently proclaimed, "These are fake."

Some of the other divers in our group were with me and they were having a laugh over this. Another staff member (I later found out he was an instructor from New Zealand) heard us and came over to see what was up. I showed him the c-card and the pictures. "Oh yeah," he said. "I've done that once in the States.... You guys are NUTS!"

The gal behind the desk said, "Water cannot freeze like that. United States is not the North Pole"

To keep things moving, I showed the gal my AOW card and logbook (showing her my most recent dives, the last half dozen were ice dives, no less) and she signed me in. To be fair, I don't think she was a diver, and living on an island near the equator for her whole life, she didn't understand just how cold it can get in central N. America in winter. We had a good laugh and I have expected to get that kind of a reaction.

The only thing that can get me to take the ice diving course is precisely that: to be able to show off that card in tropical waters and tell the tale at the tiki bar in the evening.

 

[jrl5549]

Has any one used this on line course and Cert for Nitrox and then be refused Nitrox fills? Scuba Divers of America (SDA)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

That is a joke. It's a scam site and the RSTC has issued a statement that it's member agencies will not accept that training. The physical address is a vacant lot. The shops listed as affiliates and as accepting his training don't even know they are on there. He will issue you a nitrox card. But if you came to me or the shops I work with it would not be honored. There is a member on here who says he has one and has used it for fills. It may work until it doesn't. Then what do you do?
No one will accept that for training so you can do the practical part of analyzing a tank. He lies and says that shops will accept it. They won't and in fact can't or they are breaching the standards of their agency.

 

[spc751]

Last summer in Poland I had both my SSI ow and my PADI aow card refused. They would only accept a CMAS card.

 

[PDIC Intl]

Our Sister agency SEI, does in fact handle certified divers with YMCA cards who wish to replace or upgrade. But one piece of important advice - if you hold a YMCA Certification card that was issued prior to 1984 - TAKE A COPY OF IT!!! YMCA records are not available for verification prior to 1984, so if you were to lose your card or it were to be destroyed, without some proof of certification, it will be difficult if not impossible to replace. You are always welcome to email or call SEI headquarters (765-281-0600, info@seidiving.org) and request that your information gets entered into the database for future reference.

 

[Bellen4]

Beware of online training with Scuba Divers of America. Their certification for Nitrox use was not accepted on a trip to Bonaire in Sept 2014. They claim it will be accepted anywhere in the world. They are not a PADI org ( my mistake for even going with them!) or associated with any other accredited dive org. They also use the name Aquastrophics on some of their correspondence. Dive Friends would not accept the online training provide by SDA. It cost $89. I have emailed and spoken with the contact for SDA, David Holt. His reply when told Dive Friends did not accept his training program was "well, they should have." I have filed a report with the BBB in Lake Havasu City, AZ where Mr. Holt said they are based, although they have a PO Box in the neighboring town of Parker, AZ. The website also asks upon completion of the test if you want your cert express mailed. The trip was coming up soon, so I requested this. They charged my cc $38, and Mr. Holt admitted on the phone he did not think it was stated on the site that there would be a charge for this service. I asked for a refund, but don't expect to get it. They also offer online SCUBA training, which I doubt would be accepted either. Thanks to Dive Friends of Bonaire for calling this to my attention. I didn't think a supplementary class for Nitrox would be that scrutinized, but it was and it's probably for the best.

---------- Post added October 9th, 2014 at 02:30 PM ----------

I agree, see my other post.Beware of Scuba Divers of America. Nitrox card NOT accepted in Bonaire, Sept 2014. It's not listed with RSTC although SDA claims they are. Pass the word and put David Holt, Aquastrophics and Scuba Divers of America on the Blacklist!

 

[johnmckenzie]

Beware of online training with Scuba Divers of America. Their certification for Nitrox use was not accepted on a trip to Bonaire in Sept 2014. They claim it will be accepted anywhere in the world. They are not a PADI org ( my mistake for even going with them!) or associated with any other accredited dive org. They also use the name Aquastrophics on some of their correspondence. Dive Friends would not accept the online training provide by SDA. It cost $89. I have emailed and spoken with the contact for SDA, David Holt. His reply when told Dive Friends did not accept his training program was "well, they should have." I have filed a report with the BBB in Lake Havasu City, AZ where Mr. Holt said they are based, although they have a PO Box in the neighboring town of Parker, AZ. The website also asks upon completion of the test if you want your cert express mailed. The trip was coming up soon, so I requested this. They charged my cc $38, and Mr. Holt admitted on the phone he did not think it was stated on the site that there would be a charge for this service. I asked for a refund, but don't expect to get it. They also offer online SCUBA training, which I doubt would be accepted either. Thanks to Dive Friends of Bonaire for calling this to my attention. I didn't think a supplementary class for Nitrox would be that scrutinized, but it was and it's probably for the best.

---------- Post added October 9th, 2014 at 02:30 PM ----------

I agree, see my other post.Beware of Scuba Divers of America. Nitrox card NOT accepted in Bonaire, Sept 2014. It's not listed with RSTC although SDA claims they are. Pass the word and put David Holt, Aquastrophics and Scuba Divers of America on the Blacklist!

Thank you. I will look into that and post a warning on ScubaGadget if warranted.

---------- Post added October 9th, 2014 at 03:48 PM ----------

Beware of online training with Scuba Divers of America. Their certification for Nitrox use was not accepted on a trip to Bonaire in Sept 2014. They claim it will be accepted anywhere in the world. They are not a PADI org ( my mistake for even going with them!) or associated with any other accredited dive org. They also use the name Aquastrophics on some of their correspondence. Dive Friends would not accept the online training provide by SDA. It cost $89. I have emailed and spoken with the contact for SDA, David Holt. His reply when told Dive Friends did not accept his training program was "well, they should have." I have filed a report with the BBB in Lake Havasu City, AZ where Mr. Holt said they are based, although they have a PO Box in the neighboring town of Parker, AZ. The website also asks upon completion of the test if you want your cert express mailed. The trip was coming up soon, so I requested this. They charged my cc $38, and Mr. Holt admitted on the phone he did not think it was stated on the site that there would be a charge for this service. I asked for a refund, but don't expect to get it. They also offer online SCUBA training, which I doubt would be accepted either. Thanks to Dive Friends of Bonaire for calling this to my attention. I didn't think a supplementary class for Nitrox would be that scrutinized, but it was and it's probably for the best.

---------- Post added October 9th, 2014 at 02:30 PM ----------

I agree, see my other post.Beware of Scuba Divers of America. Nitrox card NOT accepted in Bonaire, Sept 2014. It's not listed with RSTC although SDA claims they are. Pass the word and put David Holt, Aquastrophics and Scuba Divers of America on the Blacklist!

I just talked with Mr Holt also. He admitted that they have not connection with RSTC and said they RSTC was nothing more than "Google Group." He said they were a "certified" agency just like PADI and NAUI and have certified over "50,000." He also charges people to $45 get cards replaced from other agencies. Those red flags waving my head were certainly not dive flags.

 

[Akimbo]

…He said they were a "certified" agency just like PADI and NAUI and have certified over "50,000." He also charges people to $45 get cards replaced from other agencies. Those red flags waving my head were certainly not dive flags.

No? A flag like this perhaps?