SSI Night Diving course

[Pullmyfinger]

I gained night diving experience by diving sites that I previously dove during the day. Other than lighting (chem lights for my buddy and myself) and additional surface markers, such as a strobe, you can approach the dive similarly to diving the site during the day.
Night diving has improved my underwater navigation skills.

Unless you are the type that needs hand holding, I would approach it the same way.

If night diving is way outside of your comfort zone, then I would probably hire a guide or DM. I can't imagine why anyone would take a "night diving" course.

I personally think the "boat diver" courses and the cards that are given out for attending the "class" are pretty silly. "Night diver" is about the same, in my opinion. Unless someone just wants a bunch of cards.

I'd recommend diving any easier dive site that you are familiar with, or as previously mentioned hire a guide.

Have fun at night.

-Mitch

 

[dpaustex]

If you're looking for just one more course, I'd HIGHLY suggest the Stress and Rescue. It teaches you how to get your own panic situation under control, solve problems sequentially at depth, as well as to recognize stress in other divers, and do something about it (after all, if they panic, they're coming after YOU to save them - whether you want them to or not!!!)>

I like night diving, too, as it also gives a lot of good stuff on how to plan a night dive. If you ever go for your DiveCon, you'll need the Night, anyway, as well as Stress & Rescue.

 

[colo_diver]

I think it depends on you as a diver and what you want out of the class. If you have done a few night dives then the class (book work might appear worthless and redunant to you Sorry Jeff Chandler) but for those that havent done a night dive or boat dives the book work and following time with the instructor reviewing things might be helpful and is helpful. Some classes are just so much "common sense" like the one we are discussing BUT even a seasoned diver will get something from them if they are willing and not just trying to get a rating. So again it is all about what you want from the course

 

[AfterDark]

All these certs sure do seem to me to be a large out lay of $$ for not much return. When I started diving there were no such things as certs. You got one cert that proved you knew how to dive and enabled you to buy scuba gear and get air. If you wanted to night dive you bought a light and waited for the sunset. If you wanted to deep dive you planned a dive used the navy dive tables and went deep. These things were done on your own, you researched what you wanted to do, used some common sense, learned from your experiences and enjoyed diving. I long go lost any log books I had so I have no "proof" of my experience. I talked to a instructor today and everything seemed to be about money. I'm looking at over a $1000.00 in extra equipment and certs if I want to dive the way I used to, this is crazy IMO. I'd like to go to different places and dive, but it looks like without a gear bag full of certs I'm SOL.
Things have changed but unless your on the receiving end of the $$ the change was not for the better. Or maybe I'm crazy.

Edit: I would add that the rescue courses seem like a good thing. I would think these types of courses would be part of a basic scuba class. What good is dive buddy who can't rescue you? The only thing he/she would be good for is a 2nd air supply, in which case a pony bottle would do and you wouldn't have to keep track of it!

 

[Islandheart]

Good Thread Folks..... excellent discussion...
Regards,
Bob C.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I took a night diving course and was glad to have the instructor there.

In ideal conditions, night diving is fairly easy. But in five foot vis with current ripping through (like my night diver course) it was a challenge I wouldn't have wanted to do on my own. Unless you have a powerful light, low vis night diving is not easy in my opinion.

So whether or not I'd recommend the course really depends on where you dive.

 

[Bob DBF]

When I started diving there were no such things as certs. You got one cert that proved you knew how to dive and enabled you to buy scuba gear and get air.
AfterDark

We are from the same era (Stone Age as my daughter reminds me). I managed to avoid having any C Card till 1980. Show up with a half dozen tanks and a few stories...

I have taken a couple of courses to troll for a dive buddy (wife is getting less tolerant of solo diving) and to see how my diving knowledge stacks up in this day and age and find out if my abilities are up to the rescue diver course.

Dive training is not the same "as in the day" but neither are the students. I'm working on whether one is better than the other. I see that, as in life, many are caught up in aquireing the prize rather than the knowledge and satisfaction of the quest.

Or it could be a geezer thing.

Bob