Surface Supply - Restricted or Unrestricted?

[Kquim]

Hello fellow divers! I'm a unrestricted occupational SCUBA diver graduate from Dive Safe International in British Columbia, Canada. I am looking at going back to school to take surface supply, however, there is much debate on whether it should be restricted (inshore) or unrestricted (offshore) surface supply. The instructors at the school say to take the restricted first and that if I wish to take unrestricted later I could always do so at a reduced price, as most of the course content would be the same. Whether or not that's actually true is beyond me.

Some of the previous graduates from the school say don't bother taking either and just work as a occupational SCUBA diver for awhile first, while others say they wish they would have just gone to DIT in Seattle and not wasted time taking restricted because most companies are looking for unrestricted. So my question is, is it worth taking restricted surface supply? The only people who seem to support it here are the instructors...

I know it also depends on where the work is / if anyone's actually hiring. At this point though, there's next to no work in British Columbia so I'd be willing to relocate to where the work is regardless of where it is in the world.

Cheers, Kyle

 

[DCBC]

Hi Kyle,

I've operated an on-shore commercial diving business in B.C. and have over 30 years experience with the offshore industry. I've instructed at Seneca and Global Industries and appreciate what the instructors are saying to you. If however, you wish to keep your employment opportunities open, get an unrestricted ticket. The offshore and on-shore industries are night and day. DIT is a good school, so it would be a good choice. Good luck in your career!

Wayne

 

[Bombay High]

Unrestricted. No question.

You will want that ticket in no time anyway, so I would say dont bother with the restricted ticket.

I am presuming you want to work offshore ultimately ? ($$$$$$)

BTW - you seem to be close by to Wayne, so why not stop by and chat with him, if he is ok with that. As someone who does this for a living you will get more than you will get off this board.

 

[Thalassamania]

I think that they are a continent apart.

 

[Bombay High]

Ha ha ha !! That was pretty ignorant of me ...

But Canada is such a small country !!!

 

[DCBC]

4000 miles is almost next door...

 

[Bob3]

Dang, do you mean that somewhere, someone thinks that diving the Mississippi during flood stage is "easier" than diving offshore???

 

[DCBC]

Dang, do you mean that somewhere, someone thinks that diving the Mississippi during flood stage is "easier" than diving offshore???

I wouldn't suggest that diving commercially in heavy current, poor visibility and relatively shallow warm water is easy, but in my mind, it's much harder diving saturation in the North Sea. There, all you see is blackness, artificial light and ice-cold water with unpredictable currents. When diving on-shore you can often go home to your wife and kids. I for one find this much "easier" than living with a bunch of guys for a month in a small prison under pressure breathing helium.

 

[muddiver]

I always thought sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks was cooler than climing out of a cesspool.

 

[Sat Diver]

NOTHING is harder than working in the North Sea. Its not the diving ..... its eating the damn food in Aberdeen and Dundee for 14 years that did me in