Master scuba diver question

[Aquatic Eagle]

Yes, I agree with all of that to a point. Except that the the courses that don't involve safety and efficiency as diver don't really contribute to one's buddy being someone who is safer now to dive with. Maybe these "other" courses should be taken outside of either agency's MSD? Debatable. Still hoping for someone experienced in both agancies to reply to my question about NAUI AI/MSD vs. PADI DM/MSD (with core specialties). Just trying to see how my education stacks up.

Why do the other courses or subjects need to be taught outside of the MSD? The point of MSD, in my opinion, is to make well-rounded and competent divers. That's why 3/8 of the subjects are flexible while the other 5 are required. In the US Navy, a Master Diver is one who has experience in all aspects of diving, not just the basics and emergency procedures. Why can't the recreational MSD mirror that idea?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

No reason at all except how do boat diver, manatee diver, aquarium diver, etc make one a better diver? Or for that matter stuff like Fish ID?

 

[OldNSalty]

No reason at all except how do boat diver, manatee diver, aquarium diver, etc make one a better diver? Or for that matter stuff like Fish ID?

Aggressive Shark ID makes one a better and safer diver.

 

[TMHeimer]

Aggressive Shark ID makes one a better and safer diver.

I can agree with that. Also that Underwater Hunter may come in handy if you can spear the shark if it's coming right at you mouth open. These are rare situations. Think Jim Lap said it best.

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

No reason at all except how do boat diver, manatee diver, aquarium diver, etc make one a better diver? Or for that matter stuff like Fish ID?

NAUI MSD has certain subjects that must be covered. Those are the subjects that are meant to ensure that the diver has a certain mastery of basic diving and emergency procedures. Again, the extra specialties like boat diver, aquarium diver, photography, etc. all contribute to the diversity of a diver's knowledge. They are not required but allow the diver to explore several types of diving. I would rather call someone a Master Diver who has experience in several special subjects of diving AND has mastered the basics and advanced skills and academics. When is ANY dive not considered a step to making a diver better at being a diver?

 

[Crush]

I'm sure you just mistyped but:

1. I hope you did AT LEAST 8 dives that were considered MD training since that is the minimum required.

I didn't mistype, but my memory isn't that good, and I was typing from memory. My instructor is very diligent about obeying the standards, therefore if eight dives were required, I am sure that we did at least eight. We also repeated some dives for fun. The point is, we were into it for a learning experience, not to do the minimum and get a card.

 

[scubadada]

No reason at all except how do boat diver, manatee diver, aquarium diver, etc make one a better diver? Or for that matter stuff like Fish ID?

Sorry, I think certain fish ID/naturalist programs such as the one put on by Jerry Lignon at Bonaire Dive and Adventure in Bonarie are amongst the most valualble courses I have ever taken. This did not lead to a "certificaton" but I would not trade the experience for anything. When you're inland or in the quarry all the time, you may lose perspective.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Notso_Ken]

After you complete aow, rescue, five specialty dives and the 50 required dives - do you have to take an additional class for master scuba diver cert or is this just something you send all your info to padi with a check and you get it?

Reason I ask is if there is no additional training is the only point to have the "status"?

It depends on the agency. For PADI, no. For NAUI, it is a course, not the specialties. Don't know about the others . . . .

 

[Sas]

No reason at all except how do boat diver, manatee diver, aquarium diver, etc make one a better diver? Or for that matter stuff like Fish ID?

I would say that a Fish ID course would be very valuable. I have an SSI Master Diver card (it was free ok ) and I did the following specialities: Night, Drift, Deep, Navigation. In hindsight I would have learned all of these on my own or from my buddies easily. If I had to redo specialities (though I wouldn't in actual fact...) I'd pick:
-Underwater photography - it's taken me a long time to learn about how to take photos underwater but if I had done a class with an experienced photographer then I would have learned a lot faster
-Fish ID - it is so much fun to learn about all the local critters. I dive a lot so get to know where certain ones live so I go to visit them and I have learned various habitats. I could have got a massive head start on this with a decent Fish ID class
-Boat Diver - for laffs
-Nitrox - so I could get nitrox fills. This is something one can teach themselves, it's basic maths, but having the card is handy

Basically the Fish ID + Underwater photography involve specialised knowledge that not many people have and therefore I would find them about the only useful specialties that PADI/SSI offer.

 

[Doubler]

Jim you are a funny man, hell I graduated in 69, all of my close friends died in Vietnam and really don't remember 1978. I have quit drinking also.
In my field (US Navy) a Master Diver is something earned, it takes years. He is a crusty old fart that goes by the name "Master Diver" and he really is. I would never look at a recreational Master Scuba Diver as an authority on anything. Nowadays the only card I get asked for is Nitrox. I have never been asked for Deep, Wreck,Boat,Night,Drift,National Geographic, Fish ID. Now that being said the dive certification agencies are a business, they stay in business by keeping folks interested in the sport and coming up with new certifications for them to "Master". I look at these as "Familiarization Training" nothing more. You actually learn by doing. You could master each and every one of these skills with Basic Open Water Certification and experience, the best teacher.