Crush
Contributor
A new scuba shop is opening up near me. I called the shop and chatted with the owner, who is also the only instructor. Here is how he really failed to impress me:
1. When I told him that my daughter was 8 and that, at 10, I would encourage (but not force her) to learn to dive, he immediately started pushing the "Seal Team" (yes, you know which agency) on me (which you can begin at eight) and wanted to get her into the water ASAP. I was reluctant and said that I wanted her to improve her swimming and snorkeling skills first. He continued to push the Seal Team idea and it became clear to me that he wanted to start earning money from her participation despite my reservations;
2. I began to toy with him. I asked him how and when he became an instructor. Apparently we went fro zero to hero in three months in Mexico a short while ago. It is unclear to me whether he has ever dived in our local cold, dark waters; and
3. Finally I "confided" in him, indicating that my daughter was a very weak swimmer (which was untrue) and that I feared that she might never pass his agency's swim requirements which, I added, were so very meaningless because the point of scuba is to be able to breathe air under water, thereby eliminating the need to learn to swim (and I don't for a second believe this - I simply lied to him). In response he told me that, if he gets her into his Seal Team program, he can promote her "from within the program" while she continues to learn (i.e., pay for) specialties so that she can be promoted into a Junior OW diver and never have to pass a rigid swim requirement.
Needless to say, I will have nothing to do with that shop. I have no reason to think that the "promotion from within" is possible and he likely promised me something which his agency would disapprove of, if they knew.
So, instructors and shops, if you want to impress me tell me that there is no way in hell that you will pass my kid unless she/he learns everything to your satisfaction, meets all the requirements, and, in your professional opinion, she/he is capable of handling the underwater environment.
1. When I told him that my daughter was 8 and that, at 10, I would encourage (but not force her) to learn to dive, he immediately started pushing the "Seal Team" (yes, you know which agency) on me (which you can begin at eight) and wanted to get her into the water ASAP. I was reluctant and said that I wanted her to improve her swimming and snorkeling skills first. He continued to push the Seal Team idea and it became clear to me that he wanted to start earning money from her participation despite my reservations;
2. I began to toy with him. I asked him how and when he became an instructor. Apparently we went fro zero to hero in three months in Mexico a short while ago. It is unclear to me whether he has ever dived in our local cold, dark waters; and
3. Finally I "confided" in him, indicating that my daughter was a very weak swimmer (which was untrue) and that I feared that she might never pass his agency's swim requirements which, I added, were so very meaningless because the point of scuba is to be able to breathe air under water, thereby eliminating the need to learn to swim (and I don't for a second believe this - I simply lied to him). In response he told me that, if he gets her into his Seal Team program, he can promote her "from within the program" while she continues to learn (i.e., pay for) specialties so that she can be promoted into a Junior OW diver and never have to pass a rigid swim requirement.
Needless to say, I will have nothing to do with that shop. I have no reason to think that the "promotion from within" is possible and he likely promised me something which his agency would disapprove of, if they knew.
So, instructors and shops, if you want to impress me tell me that there is no way in hell that you will pass my kid unless she/he learns everything to your satisfaction, meets all the requirements, and, in your professional opinion, she/he is capable of handling the underwater environment.
