Obtaining a NACD Replacement Card or Other Options

[UCFKnightDiver]

I've recently moved back down to FL after being away for 7ish yrs and am slowly getting back into cavern/cave diving. Awhile back I accidentally washed my Intro to Cave with Doubles card through NACD which ruined the card and made it unreadable. This is when they were issuing this card as a laminated piece of paper. As I understand it NACD has essentially become defunct, lost all the records of the certifications they have issued, and as a result now require you to submit course paperwork as a record you took the class. I have contacted my instructor and unfortunately it looks like neither he nor I still have this paperwork.

I'm definitely interested in getting back into cave diving and progressing in my training (I have over 100 intro dives, but due to being in college and poor at the time, never sought to progress to apprentice/full cave). I'm interested to hear what others think my options are. Is there a way to contact the NACD and get a card without course paperwork? Might an instructor work with me to do a check out/refresher and then issue me a certification from another agency (my original instructor is no longer teaching cave diving)? Will I just need to retake the course entirely?

 

[SandyRobinson]

I got a new card several years ago because my original card was unreadable. I found that if I made a copy on a copier that some of the "unreadable" information showed up enough as to where I could get a new card. If you still have the ruined card, maybe this would help? My process was fairly lengthy because unbeknownst to me, I could only upload one picture to the application form - no error message during the process. It took several requests from me for them to tell me they did not have all required documentation. Once I sent it again, I got my card.

Does your instructor teach for another agency now? If so, maybe he could do your next course? After 7 years, it may be easier just to start over or maybe a potential instructor could have you go through some drills and "evaluate" where you should be. Good luck and welcome back!

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

I got a new card several years ago because my original card was unreadable. I found that if I made a copy on a copier that some of the "unreadable" information showed up enough as to where I could get a new card. If you still have the ruined card, maybe this would help? My process was fairly lengthy because unbeknownst to me, I could only upload one picture to the application form - no error message during the process. It took several requests from me for them to tell me they did not have all required documentation. Once I sent it again, I got my card.

Does your instructor teach for another agency now? If so, maybe he could do your next course? After 7 years, it may be easier just to start over or maybe a potential instructor could have you go through some drills and "evaluate" where you should be. Good luck and welcome back!

My original instructor was Jeff Bauer and unfortunately I don't think he's teaching any cave diving anymore. By the way, if you're the same Sandy Robinson I'm thinking of, I think we took cavern together back in the day. I think your daughter might have joined as well.

- Ryan Fahey

 

[tbone1004]

If you've been out for 7 years, I'd go find another instructor and see if you can do a cave refresher over say 2 days and get your card reissued through a new agency.

 

[SandyRobinson]

My original instructor was Jeff Bauer and unfortunately I don't think he's teaching any cave diving anymore. By the way, if you're the same Sandy Robinson I'm thinking of, I think we took cavern together back in the day. I think your daughter might have joined as well.

- Ryan Fahey

Small world Ryan - that is me. My daughter did take cavern with you, and Jeff let me tag along. Same trip where we saw the rattlesnake swimming on the mill pond. Laura was smarter than me as she put me between herself and the snake!

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Small world Ryan - that is me. My daughter did take cavern with you, and Jeff let me tag along. Same trip where we saw the rattlesnake swimming on the mill pond. Laura was smarter than me as she put me between herself and the snake!

I remember that rattlesnake. At the time I didn't know that diamond back rattlesnakes could swim. Probably best that we tried a different dive site!

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Update, Jeff actually was able to find my Intro to Cave documentation (initially thought he only found my Cavern), so I went ahead and applied for a replacement card on the NACD website. That said, as I've been out of cave diving for the last seven years or so, I might look around and see if anyone will do a refresher with me.

I appreciate all the replies and suggestions!

- Ryan

 

[Mark IV]

........ My process was fairly lengthy because unbeknownst to me, I could only upload one picture to the application form - no error message during the process. It took several requests from me for them to tell me they did not have all required documentation. Once I sent it again, I got my card......

I had the same problem (the web page would only allow a single photo, where more were required). I submitted the application anyway, then messaged the NACD about the photo uploading problem, and (encouragingly) heard back within a day from John Sapp (treasurer), telling me to send all the pics directly to his website, which I did, and never heard another word.
It's been about 6 weeks now, the upper edge of their projected (4-6 wk) timeline, and I messaged him again recently, as well as the NACD president (Orie), politely asking for an update and a rough delivery estimate, and haven't heard a word back from anyone.
There are reports floating around here of people waiting years for their card, and others having gotten theirs, with some folks saying it took 2-3 months. I was going to give them the full 6 weeks, then make a claim with Paypal, but now I figure I'm kinda priced-in, and thinking I'd better just keep waiting, at least until I get closer to Paypal's time limit for disputing a charge.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

I had the same problem (the web page would only allow a single photo, where more were required). I submitted the application anyway, then messaged the NACD about the photo uploading problem, and (encouragingly) heard back within a day from John Sapp (treasurer), telling me to send all the pics directly to his website, which I did, and never heard another word.
It's been about 6 weeks now, the upper edge of their projected (4-6 wk) timeline, and I messaged him again recently, as well as the NACD president (Orie), politely asking for an update and a rough delivery estimate, and haven't heard a word back from anyone.
There are reports floating around here of people waiting years for their card, and others having gotten theirs, with some folks saying it took 2-3 months. I was going to give them the full 6 weeks, then make a claim with Paypal, but now I figure I'm kinda priced-in, and thinking I'd better just keep waiting, at least until I get closer to Paypal's time limit for disputing a charge.

I appreciate the info. Unfortunately it doesn't sound encouraging and I've kind of gotten the sense from others that they've had similar experiences. All I had was my class documentation that was on one picture (2 pages), so hopefully that's enough.

 

[rddvet]

I had the same problem (the web page would only allow a single photo, where more were required). I submitted the application anyway, then messaged the NACD about the photo uploading problem, and (encouragingly) heard back within a day from John Sapp (treasurer), telling me to send all the pics directly to his website, which I did, and never heard another word.
It's been about 6 weeks now, the upper edge of their projected (4-6 wk) timeline, and I messaged him again recently, as well as the NACD president (Orie), politely asking for an update and a rough delivery estimate, and haven't heard a word back from anyone.
There are reports floating around here of people waiting years for their card, and others having gotten theirs, with some folks saying it took 2-3 months. I was going to give them the full 6 weeks, then make a claim with Paypal, but now I figure I'm kinda priced-in, and thinking I'd better just keep waiting, at least until I get closer to Paypal's time limit for disputing a charge.

Sadly many of us hoped Orie would fix the problems of the nacd, but he really hasn’t seems to do anything other than keep Ricks traditions of ruining the nacd intact.