To those considering an OW class...

[JamesD]

My quick two thoughts...

Agencies have some influence, note SOME, not a lot, but some, unfortunately agencies always rely on the individuals who are instructors to carry out what they need to do, some instructors are really good, others seem to be really bad (especially from what I've read on Scubaboard). I had a great instructor who was good about making sure that I had some idea of my limitations (many many limitations) and what was a good idea for diving for me (and what wasn't).

I think a great many of the issues are people, as others have stated, people always want the quick fix, they want the extra fast class where they can dive within 10 minutes of walking into the shop, they DON'T want to think about the risks, they want that to be someone elses problem, they just want to do what they want.

Unfortunately, it's a toss up of how much do the agencies make it so that you can get certified quickly, as opposed to staying longer in class and not many people getting certified. Obviously the certification agencies DO need to make money (they are businesses right?) unfortunately I think even if all the agencies made the courses long and hard, at the end of the day another agency would spring up that would certify people quickly and easily... and then the problem would be back just someplace else.

 

[Leadking]

I looked at the original post and agree with his overall view. I recommend to those who look to me for advise and tell them to look for the course with the most amount of in water time. I have talked with too many drop out divers and diver wanabees who told me " I took a course (resort or quickie) and went diving and thought I was gonna die. I never want to do that again". These individuals are now spokemen for our industry.

Quick course may be well for those who feel comfortable in the water. If you can take the five miles offshoredrop them in the water and tell them you will be back in an hour to pick them up and they're comfortable with that, they will do fine.

 

[artichoke]

My quick two thoughts...

Agencies have some influence, note SOME, not a lot, but some, unfortunately agencies always rely on the individuals who are instructors to carry out what they need to do, some instructors are really good, others seem to be really bad (especially from what I've read on Scubaboard). I had a great instructor who was good about making sure that I had some idea of my limitations (many many limitations) and what was a good idea for diving for me (and what wasn't).

I think a great many of the issues are people, as others have stated, people always want the quick fix, they want the extra fast class where they can dive within 10 minutes of walking into the shop, they DON'T want to think about the risks, they want that to be someone elses problem, they just want to do what they want.

Unfortunately, it's a toss up of how much do the agencies make it so that you can get certified quickly, as opposed to staying longer in class and not many people getting certified. Obviously the certification agencies DO need to make money (they are businesses right?) unfortunately I think even if all the agencies made the courses long and hard, at the end of the day another agency would spring up that would certify people quickly and easily... and then the problem would be back just someplace else.

Yes it's the instructor and the student not the agency. My PADI instructor has been diving for a zillion years. He teaches curricula X, Y and Z and is a bit rigid about it, but if I am aggressive about it I can get more out of it because he knows a lot. I'm paying the money and I don't let him waste my time.

 

[artichoke]

GUE doesn't teach the entry level course (at least not yet). They take someone who was already a beginner at another agency, then "fix" them.

I guess that means they must see value in that initial training through PADI, NAUI, etc. Right? I really think so.

Otherwise they would not require it for their DIR/F class, and in fact they would probably say they prefer someone who doesn't have bad habits from that training.

 

[artichoke]

...
I have dove 2 times this summer. I could only log one of them. I am scared, I am not comfortable and I don’t like being cold.

I'm no instructor myself, but our OW instructor made it very clear that you should not be cold when diving. A woman in our class got cold easily, so the instructor lent her a hood. If you're cold, wear more stuff. A hood (I think that's what it is called) can do a lot to keep you warm for example, or a longer / thicker wetsuit.

Why are you scared? Is there some difficulty with the breathing?

 

[artichoke]

Or perhaps altering and bringing back a higher level certification
such as the "Master Diver" cert.

I believe PADI offers that don't they? You do some "Adventure" specialties on top of a Rescue Diver cert.

 

[Dive-aholic]

PADI's Master Diver cert is given to anyone who is a Rescue Diver and has 5 specialties and wants to pay the application fee. There's no other requirement from PADI for that cert. It's not really a higher level cert, it's just a milestone for some.

 

[TSandM]

GUE, although they have been working on it for a long time, has yet to offer an entry-level diving class. All of their educational offerings assume that one is already some sort of diver. It's not that they think the education from PADI/NAUI/SSI or whatever is great . . . It's that they haven't figured out how to do it themselves in a practical fashion.

 

[Spongebobscubasteve]

I didn't read through all the answers to the OP. I have to agree whole heartedly. When I booked my course through my instructor so many people told me I was crazy to do so. They said I could get certified so much easier with this or that school. The reason I wanted to go through Brandon is because he is so strict.

He would NOT let me get into the ocean until I got perfect buoyancy in the pool. He was tough on me, I was the only student booked and he gave me intense one on one time. Once he felt I had my skills down 100% he decided I was ready for open water.

As a result, once I hit open water I was comfortable and calm. I could do my skills with no problems and now feel very comfortable in the water.

For my third and fourth open water dive with him he took me to two very difficult dive spots. Seal Island and Vulcan Rock, cold, dangerous and with big ocean on either side. I felt calm and safe at all times. When I came to getting on and off the boat that was no problem either because he made me practice the backward roll in the pool until I didn't flinch.

He may be known as a drill sergent but it was well worth it. I am a calm happy diver that knows what to do in a situation. I thank the tough course I did and my strict instructor.

I could not fathom hitting the water with just me and my buddy with a 2 day course! What if something happened!

 

[Tigerman]

In my limited, yet recent experience with diving courses, I found that the first course is more of an introduction to the world of diving.
I took a PADI Open Water Diver course early this summer and we spent 4 nights i think it was (25-30 hrs i guess) on the theory which is followed by a written test that you need to pass.
This we did with the entire group. The pool and open water dives however we where too many to do as a complete group, both from logistic and safety reasons, therefore we split the group up. The group I where in was doing good in the pool and spent less time there than some of the others, who needed more time.
Then we proceeded to the open water dives (6 dives, I wouldnt mind to have had more, its fun!).
During the pool dives we covered the very basics of getting accustomed to breathing under water, procedures for things like losing your mask, running out of air, losing and recovering your mouthpiece and so on. The open water dives was, obviously, where I got more hands on experience with the "real" diving. Ascents from a pool limits itself, its not that deep there afterall.
After the course was completed, my first thought was "i want more", so I used the opportunities i got to get more dives and I knew from the start that the OW course didnt by far teach me all about diving, even on shallow depths (<18 meters).
Fortunately for me, I had an instructor that really want people not only to take the course, but to continue diving, so some of my post-course dives was also with him and some other previously graduated students of his.
I had mentioned for him that I was interested in AOW course from the beginning, so he gave me a heads up about the first one he had after I finished the OW. The AOW course is much more hands-on than the OW course and Id recommend anyone to take the AOW course as soon as they can after the OW course.

However, Im convinced that no course will ever be able to teach you all about diving. I dont think that anyone will ever be able to learn all about diving. What I do think tho, is that anyone that take a course held by a serious instructor should learn to dive safely, within their own personal limitations, regardless of what organizations name there is on the plastic card. That youre certified to dive to 18 meters dont mean you have to do it if you dont feel comfortable. If you have problems with bouyancy control, then there is only one way to improve it and thats by practice, which youll get when youre in the water.