Old certifications

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Arkman

Contributor
Messages
345
Reaction score
82
Location
Moorhead MN
# of dives
50 - 99
I have an odd issue that I'm hoping someone can help me navigate. Around about 2010/11 I switched from my local PADI shop to my local SSI shop. I started on the advanced diver course through the SSI shop. At the time they had a deal where you purchase 3 specailty courses and get the fourth free. So I did this and took my drysuit diver and boat diver course (I never actually signed up for the 2 other courses). Also, aside from the 3 for 4 specialty course deal, I did my rescue diver course.

Then, like so many people, life got in the way. I shouldn't say that, I actually became a father so life got exponetially better, just busier. I dove a few times since then but not too much. I never signed up for the final two specialties to get my advance cert.

I finally have some more time (and money) and I am getting back into diving. Here is where my issue comes. I started looking through my logs and realzied I couldn't find my cert cards. After some research I realized I never recieved them. I went to my shop and talked to the owner and after a lot of digging we found out that the certification paperwork was never sent in. He was waiting to process them when I completed my other two specialties, which I had planned on doing that same year but failed to do.

He still has all my paperwork, tests papers, and information about my dives. Both pool and open water. I also have my signed log book pages with my instructors information and my notes from the dive.

We talked with someone at SSI and she said to send copies of the documentation and they'd see what they can do. Does anyone have any advice on how I can navigate this to get my certifications processed? I'd like all of them, but honestly, I don't care much about dry and boat diver. I mean, I did the work, paid my fees, but they aren't super meaningful to me. What I do care about is the stress and rescue. That was an incredible course, my instructor(s) were fantastic and I learned more in that course than I did in all of my other trianing and diving x2. Side note, I really feel like my instructors went over and above and took that course very seriously. It was a great course.

On one hand, it really doesn't matter because at this point, I woulnd't claim to be a "Stress and Rescue" diver since I'm out of practice. I'm actually thinking about doing that course again in the future. But probably not for a while. Really, I just want it as a reminder that I did it, because it was such a great experience.

So after that long, drawn out story. Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone gone through something similar. My local shop is being helpful. I just thought somone may have some additional advice.
 
I am not sure of what advice you want, SSI is looking at the documents and will let you know what they are going to do. It seems that your dive shop has all of the records for the courses you completed and they sent them to SSI.
 
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Sorry for the confusion. I guess what I'm asking is does anybody have any advice on anything else I can give them? I actually haven't submitted my documentation yet. I've been pulling it together to make sure I miss thorough as I can. I just thought maybe somebody had gone through this type of thing and could say make sure you give them this or that.
 
Sorry for the confusion. I guess what I'm asking is does anybody have any advice on anything else I can give them? I actually haven't submitted my documentation yet. I've been pulling it together to make sure I miss thorough as I can. I just thought maybe somebody had gone through this type of thing and could say make sure you give them this or that.
Welcome back to the scuba diving world:) Your local SSI service centre will 'honour' your certifications, as you have all the paperwork and proof of diving. At a guess, I think they will just check and ensure that your instructor was in teaching status at the time, and then you should be good to go.
 
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