Scubaboard challenge

[TSandM]

I do what Bob says. I reach out to new divers and offer to take them diving. I take them through the pre-dive routine I use, and then we go for a dive. Afterwards, when we're chatting, I'll ask, "Do you any tips?" I have yet to have someone say no.

 

[joolz]

The month is up...who else rose to the challenge?

My July challenge is to make the June challenge a regular habit, and just get out there once a month with a diver in need of a more experienced buddy.

P.S. Happy Canada Day!

 

[Hypno-toad]

Thank you for this post.

I am brand spankin' new to diving and I have been "adopted" by a couple of divers, one a divemaster, the other going for his instructors cert. I know I can go to them with anything and they will help me out and answer my questions. While diving, they make me challenge myself and think about it, but they also make sure I am safe and enjoying every moment. There are also a couple regulars in my dive club who are amazingly supportive, encouraging, and helpful. They make me feel like "one of the gang", not the idiot newbie wasting everyone's time, and I so enjoy diving with them. It is because of all their support and acceptance that I strive to be a better diver every time I hit the water.

It is GREAT to have experienced divers who are so giving with their own time and knowledge, and believe me, it does not go unappreciated.

 

[SailNaked]

I just read this for the first time today so i am taking it on for next month.

we have an open door policy at our shop for returning divers to come dive with us, but I am going to enhance it a little with "office hours" after any class to include any skill anyone would like to learn from me. (few that they are).

 

[Akimbo]

… It’s very easy to complain that divers aren’t emerging from OW classes as Navy SEALs, but that’s neither here nor there. You may also believe that perfecting a new diver’s skills is an instructor’s job rather than yours, but this also isn’t all that constructive. The market is what it is, and it’s not likely to change any time soon...

Good point and well stated. Unfortunately, it is hard to separate constructive debate over training, general whining, and horror stories that illustrates a point. It is not necessarily a bad thing for new divers to see criticism of training practices as it has the potential to be thought provoking.

When you were a new diver, were you offended or intimidated by this sort of discourse? What good and bad things on Scubaboard helped or harmed you. These are sincere questions (meanings on forums are easy to misinterpret).

… The goal here is to change the mindset of the divers who seem to do nothing more than complain about other divers. If you don't like what you see out there, then DO something to change it...

Perhaps Scubaboard could be more effective serving this objective?

Random thoughts:

• I wonder if the Basic Scuba Discussions, or a new forum, could be molded into a Mentoring Zone?
• I am not sure how to make a mentoring forum work, but the concept is intriguing. I fear it might require some fairly aggressive moderation.
• Another possibility might be to collect lists of posts worthy of being in a mentoring area and provide links.
• Perhaps authors of selected or nominated posts could be asked to collaborate to edit their posts into an informative conversation that unemotionally addresses common subjects?
• Some or all of these posts might include an open-ended poll. The content might be limited to factual pros & cons, but some people benefit from consensus opinions as well.

 

[joolz]

When you were a new diver, were you offended or intimidated by this sort of discourse? What good and bad things on Scubaboard helped or harmed you. These are sincere questions (meanings on forums are easy to misinterpret).

I didn't read SB until I was already a DM, and even then I lost interest very quickly -- I only rejoined last year because I needed to post something in a local forum. If others want to waste their time bitching about how much other divers and their instructors suck, that's their prerogative...but I derive little value from it and generally don't participate.

Perhaps Scubaboard could be more effective serving this objective?

You're missing the spirit of the challenge.

The objective is to take this off of SB and into the water. There's only so much you can learn from an online forum, and at some point you actually need to just get in the water and start practicing -- you can't learn to ski by reading a book, so why should diving be any different? If all the experienced divers are sitting in front of their computers arguing over the merits of split fins or Spare Air, it's not actually helping anybody improve their skills.

Log off, grab your gear, and just get out there and dive with someone. Anybody can be a virtual mentor. It's the offline ones that make a real difference.

 

[Akimbo]

…You're missing the spirit of the challenge.

The objective is to take this off of SB and into the water. There's only so much you can learn from an online forum, and at some point you actually need to just get in the water and start practicing -- you can't learn to ski by reading a book, so why should diving be any different? ...

Skiers don’t need to know much about physics and physiology, require more athletic aptitude to keep from hurting themselves during the learning process, and don’t run out of air.

Seriously, both types of learning are needed. Not all of us frequently dive with people who can benefit from mentoring, especially those of us that live in sparsely populated areas.

…If all the experienced divers are sitting in front of their computers arguing over the merits of split fins or Spare Air, it's not actually helping anybody improve their skills...

I agree that there is far too much unsupported opinion for an inexperienced diver to decipher. However, I believe that online forums could do a better job if the right formula can be found.

 

[mikescooling]

I know some people on this board that have helped me tremendously! They helped me so much, I look like I know what I’m doing now. They met the challenge. Thanks