I have dove in a lot of places and seen both sides of the spectrum. In the Maldives, they require a checkout dive for everyone before going away from the shore. One place I stayed had dug a pit at about 10 feet and the checkout was in the pit first and demonstrate a few skills, such as mask removal. I was a DM with logged evidence of 2 month recent dives and they still required the checkout. I agreed because I think skill practise never hurts and they are protecting their business. On another instance a diver showed his log with 118 dives and some the month prior so we expected a fairly competent diver. When he hit the ocean, he was all over the place and looked like a mating elephant underwater. When we got back up and talked to him, he toild us all 118 dives where in swimming pools and quarries. He had never felt current. It taught me to look not only at the number of dives but the type of dive related to what we were planning. The operator might not want to send business away, but revising the dive plan based on diver skills is important.
Its sorta like piloting an airplane. Unless you stay current, you should get a refresher before you get back in.
Its sorta like piloting an airplane. Unless you stay current, you should get a refresher before you get back in.
