Problems with Advanced and Stress/Rescue Class

[acelockco]

@acelockco: I think it's really sad that such a touching gesture from your wife -- an anniversary present -- has come to this.

I think so as well. I know my wife and I are both upset about this and for sure will no longer use that dive shop or SSI for anything (unless one of them decides to make it right).

 

[acelockco]

After listening to most of you, I feel even stronger about my case. It seems like the majority of divers here can only handle the 5th grade level and that is what they like. Those people are only reinforcing my thoughts about SSI and diving with an SSI diver.

I didn't realize that diving was for uneducated adults and children. I suppose as a physicist and a mathematician I should find some other sport because SSI diving is not intended for intelligent people. Funny, because when I initially started diving, just the opposite was true. If you didn't have the inteligence to understand the material you didn't pass the class. Now it seems if you can't pass, they will hold your hand and walk you through so you do pass.

I can see clearly now that this is all about making money and not giving a proper education or training.

 

[flots am]

I didn't realize that diving was for uneducated adults and children. I suppose as a physicist and a mathematician

You have my sympathy. I've known many hyper-intelligent people who work in fields that minimze human contact, and they've all been socially inept and more-or-less miserable.

I should find some other sport because SSI diving is not intended for intelligent people.

That would be my recommendation as well.

I can see clearly now that this is all about making money and not giving a proper education or training.

Recreational SCUBA training is not intended to be a "proper education," it's an attempt to make SCUBA diving more enjoyable and less dangerous. It is, in fact, not a money-making venture for most shops and they fail at an astonishing rate.

flots.

 

[Scott]

Of course there are different instructors and all of that, but the bottom line is that the material is remedial and not appropriate for an Advanced Diver class or a Stress/Rescue class. I wouldn't want to have to rely on an SSI Rescue diver to save me!!!

It's obvious from your remarks that no 'main stream' program can live up to your expectations.
Here is my suggestion. Contact Thalassamania, DCBC or NWGratefulDiver on this board and see what they will charge you for an 'advanced' and 'stress & rescue' course. DCBC is in Halifax NS, Thal is in Hawaii and NWG is in Seattle. I'm sure any of them would make it well worth the while and everyone would have a really good time.

Before I depart from the wreckage I have one question. What are you looking to gain in skills and what are you looking for in material content?
Don't just say above a ___th grade level.

BTW if you're looking for an official response from SSI. It will be more than a 3 minute breath hold. The rep (Forum Mod) last posted on June 19th, 2008 and last visit was July 14, 2010

 

[acelockco]

I am just looking to learn something and to be taught on a reasonable level. I don't expect it to be as difficult as a graduate school class, but I also don't expect it to be the same material a 5th grader would be learning. I want a challenge and I want information without a lot of filler.

I think Scott and many others here have hit the nail on the head, I think I need to seek out the proper instructor. I also have found that some of the agencies follow strict guidelines on teaching and methods (PADI and SSI) where others leave a lot up to the instructors discretion (NAUI). I also think that rather then searching out a dive shop that can give me instruction, I need to find the instructor that I can connect with mentally.

I also don't think I would have been as upset as I was, but the entire thing started when the owner canceled my initial class two days before it started. He only offered the class again one month away and I would be on vacation for the last day of a three day class. I am going to be flying so I can't even dive on the second day of class. He told me to take the class anyway and I can make up the rest. I don't think that is reasonable, especially considering I needed my advanced certification to do a dive I was planning on doing while away (which I will now have to cancel as well). All I asked for was a store credit, which he wouldn't give me.

No worries though, I WILL get my money back.

 

[acelockco]

BTW if you're looking for an official response from SSI. It will be more than a 3 minute breath hold. The rep (Forum Mod) last posted on June 19th, 2008 and last visit was July 14, 2010

Just another reason why SSI is not for me. I contacted NAUI in the past and someone was right there to help me out with my questions.

 

[weaponeer]

I have a suggestion to solve your problem -

Give up trying to improve your diving ability all together. Better yet, give up diving completely. You should use your superior intellect concentrating all your time to solve the world's problems and let us dumb divers go about our business. I can't understand why you'd want to socialize with those of lesser mental stamina anyway.

 

[kelly7552]

Acelockco,

Wouldn't you want stress and rescue to be taught to as many divers as possible, so if you get in trouble, more people had the skills that could assist you? Or should this class only be taught to the elite who can discern the course on a higher plane of erudite knowledge? My vote would be keep the materials at a 5th grade level so that as many divers can understand the concepts as possible so if I'm in trouble I don't have to wait for the PhD to find me....

My $.02

 

[Doppler]

I didn't realize that diving was for uneducated adults and children...

I have no dog in this race, but as a long-time technical instructor and dive industry professional who writes textbooks, and someone who has done post-grad work in applied physics, I have to disagree with your assessment.

I've found the diving community, both at the sport and technical levels, to be a pretty neat and interesting bunch of people. The little group of divers with whom I dive consist of several professionals with a lively mix of masters, doctorates and post doctoral credentials. Last weekend the two students I had working with me to earn a sidemount helitrox decompression rating, where both doctors; one an MD the other a PhD. Some of my peer group are less academically inclined and work in construction, transportation, landscaping, restaurant services, the hospitality industry, welding, and regular "joe" jobs.

Everyone of them is a pleasure to spend time with and all of them are excellent divers. I would categorize none of them as uneducated, nor are any of them children, although they all share a childlike enthusiasm for learning and growing their experience.

I also think they are an empathetic bunch, but I think they would all have a good laugh at you and your bull**** opinion.

*** MUPPET ALERT ***

 

[BabyDuck]

ace, all written materials i've seen are childishly simple - even cave, adv nitrox, and deco procedures. they can't put all the material in a book, because then someone will think 'oh, i don't need a class, i can just read this...'

get over yourself. you're not the only educated person who dives.