Thanks to all--I have read every reply to date. Here are some of my thoughts on the comments.
I couldn't care less about racking up certification cards or getting into "tech." My goal is simply to be the most competent and confident diver I can be at depths up to what is generally considered "recreational." I don't feel a need to learn to dive significantly deeper or longer because my longtime dive buddies and I are all about coral reefs and occasional wrecks, and there's little point in taking my training beyond what my dive buddies want to dive with me. None of us wants to get into Trimix due to the expense, etc. We dive tropical/sub-tropical resorts/liveaboards and that's it But some of our dives can certainly reach 100 feet or more, and that's where I need help. All that said, I'm sure a course that teaches information useful to any diver but that happens to be labeled a "tech" course would do no harm. But no Recreational Trimix for me, thanks.
I have no intention of becoming a GUE devotee, but I would like to take the Fundies course someday because I am certain that SOME of what is taught will be useful to any diver, even those who decide they want to stick with traditional rigs and procedures. My wife (my No. 1 dive buddy) and I looked into doing Fundies at Ginnie Springs last year but were deterred by the cost as well as her concern about "weird" diving practices--that is, things that seem at odds with what PADI taught her. (The course was also canceled.) I think she'll be more receptive to Fundies in the future, especially if she first gets some more training that builds directly on what she's already comfortable with. She still doesn't really grasp that there are various schools of thought as to how things should be done, and that the PADI Way is just one of them. In time, we might explore some other agencies' offerings. But for now, we'll stick with the agency we've had experience with--PADI. Clearly, some of PADI's courses fall short, but Rescue was one course that I and everyone I've ever asked who has taken it thought was their most valuable course. So the present continuing-education goal is a Rescue course for my wife and something for me. Someone suggested that I take Rescue with her--as a refresher, and maybe INSTEAD of the Deep course. This is an excellent idea, and I'm going to look into it. Of course, that won't directly address my concerns about deep dives. But the opportunity for two lifelong dive buddies to take the course together is tempting.
NetDoc, we LOVE Key Largo and dive there at least once a year, which is exactly why I was thinking that maybe putting ourselves in a less familiar environment for this additional training might enhance the experience for us. We've never dived in the Atlantic, so maybe North Carolina. But I'm open to suggestions. By the way, the one time I dived the Spiegel Grove I nearly had a panic attack. I clearly need deep dive help.
Sounds like the concensus is that PADI Deep Diver is not worthless, but like many other PADI courses, leaves out much that could be useful. An instructor who goes the extra mile would be great, but I suspect I will have a difficult enough time finding a class that fits our schedule without limiting it to a specific instructor.
There are lots of ops available as well as many independent instructors like myself. You might even consider redoing rescue with your wife and both of you doing Deep together. That way, you're both on the same page with your training. Let me know if I can help!
