Greeting to all my fellow Fresh Water Freaks.
This is posted in the Instructor-to-Instructor forum, but I also wanted to share this with my fellow Ontario FW Freaks.
As many of you may have already heard, the dive shop I am currently associated with and have enjoyed teaching for the last 7 years, TAM Dive Peterborough has decided to permanently close it doors at the end of November 2004.
It is with some mixed emotions, that I have decided not to renew my active teaching status this Jan 2005.
I do not at this time want to go looking for another client. I can't see laying out almost $300 for NAUI and PADI instructor dues, plus the additional several hundreds $ for liability insurance.
I had been thinking on planning to retire sometime in the not too distant future, so this just pushes cart down the hill a little faster.
I certified and started teaching NAUI in 1978, and dual certified PADI in 1991. I taught primarily NAUI courses, because I prefer my own structured and delivered program, as opposed to the canned PADI course. I believe in establishing good basic skills(mask,fins,snorkel) before starting on scuba. I also accepted and conducted PADI O/W referals.(my prime reason for dual certification). I also taught NAUI and PADI Advanced O/W Diver courses Nitrox, Deep, Wreck and Night specialty courses.
I have never taught/sold nor would consider anything less than the O/W Diver or equivelant certification.
I am pleased to be able to report that in my 26 years of instruction, I have never had an accident or injury that required more than a band-aid happen to any of my students or staff. (Touch wood).
I have had the pleasure of training 12 Assistant Instructors all through apprentice/internship program and equally pleased that two are active teaching instructors today.
Fortunately diving instruction is not my livelyhood, but is a hobby and a part time job. I will remain actively diving, and hope to devote more time to fun diving, and more family time as well.
Mike Dolson
NAUI 4780
PADI 202288
This is posted in the Instructor-to-Instructor forum, but I also wanted to share this with my fellow Ontario FW Freaks.
As many of you may have already heard, the dive shop I am currently associated with and have enjoyed teaching for the last 7 years, TAM Dive Peterborough has decided to permanently close it doors at the end of November 2004.
It is with some mixed emotions, that I have decided not to renew my active teaching status this Jan 2005.
I do not at this time want to go looking for another client. I can't see laying out almost $300 for NAUI and PADI instructor dues, plus the additional several hundreds $ for liability insurance.
I had been thinking on planning to retire sometime in the not too distant future, so this just pushes cart down the hill a little faster.
I certified and started teaching NAUI in 1978, and dual certified PADI in 1991. I taught primarily NAUI courses, because I prefer my own structured and delivered program, as opposed to the canned PADI course. I believe in establishing good basic skills(mask,fins,snorkel) before starting on scuba. I also accepted and conducted PADI O/W referals.(my prime reason for dual certification). I also taught NAUI and PADI Advanced O/W Diver courses Nitrox, Deep, Wreck and Night specialty courses.
I have never taught/sold nor would consider anything less than the O/W Diver or equivelant certification.
I am pleased to be able to report that in my 26 years of instruction, I have never had an accident or injury that required more than a band-aid happen to any of my students or staff. (Touch wood).
I have had the pleasure of training 12 Assistant Instructors all through apprentice/internship program and equally pleased that two are active teaching instructors today.
Fortunately diving instruction is not my livelyhood, but is a hobby and a part time job. I will remain actively diving, and hope to devote more time to fun diving, and more family time as well.
Mike Dolson
NAUI 4780
PADI 202288