Video from a Training Dive with John Chatterton

[JohnnyC]

Yeah, on 92 now hoping to hit 100 by november. Not ashamed of it either, given the environment I normally dive in. Why?

Just trying to gauge your practical experience level. One of the things that's great about this site is that everyone can have an opinion and comment on it. However, there is a significant difference between a qualified opinion and an unqualified opinion. It just helps people gauge whether or not your opinion comes from a place of expertise or not. That's all. There are often topics that people comment on where a certain level of expertise is required to fully understand the topic at hand. That doesn't stop people from throwing in their two cents, but it helps separate the wheat from the chaff as it were.

(Hence the disclaimer in mine, and why I allow "Divemaster" under my name instead of pestering the mods to change it. No agency on earth will certify a DM at 0-24 dives, it's my own self having a little chuckle)

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Just trying to gauge your practical experience level. One of the things that's great about this site is that everyone can have an opinion and comment on it. However, there is a significant difference between a qualified opinion and an unqualified opinion. It just helps people gauge whether or not your opinion comes from a place of expertise or not. That's all. There are often topics that people comment on where a certain level of expertise is required to fully understand the topic at hand. That doesn't stop people from throwing in their two cents, but it helps separate the wheat from the chaff as it were.

May I ask of you (or anyone else here) would say to someone with “only” 230 dives?

Because I’m thinking of a former student who earned his T1 cert with that number of dives.

 

[cerich]

Which was discussed in the class I was in back in the spring, we were told he has a waiver.

Standards are standards and I agree 100% they should be followed unless you have a waiver.

I hear all the time that instructors have a waiver for a particular site they use and it's all good. I have never seen one nor had any training department at any agency say they would issue one for multiple classes, quite the opposite.

Just saying.

 

[Scuba-74]

Just trying to gauge your practical experience level. One of the things that's great about this site is that everyone can have an opinion and comment on it. However, there is a significant difference between a qualified opinion and an unqualified opinion. It just helps people gauge whether or not your opinion comes from a place of expertise or not. That's all. There are often topics that people comment on where a certain level of expertise is required to fully understand the topic at hand. That doesn't stop people from throwing in their two cents, but it helps separate the wheat from the chaff as it were.

(Hence the disclaimer in mine, and why I allow "Divemaster" under my name instead of pestering the mods to change it. No agency on earth will certify a DM at 0-24 dives, it's my own self having a little chuckle)

I see. If anyone uses dive count as an indication of anything, I don't care. What is yours, then? And if it is not 0-24, as it says, then why do you choose to hide it? Also, while we are at it, why use someone else's picture as an avatar?

 

[JohnnyC]

May I ask of you (or anyone else here) would say to someone with “only” 230 dives?

Because I’m thinking of a former student who earned his T1 cert with that number of dives.

100 dives is just a baseline number to take most advanced courses in most agencies, whether an agency mandate or an instructors own personal pre-requisite. Knowing if someone is even capable of taking a course based on pre-reqs at least offers some insight into their level of understanding of the issues. If someone doesn't even meet the pre-requisite number of dives, it's a safe bet they don't have a full understanding of all of the issues involved. That's not the issue here since TDI only requires 50 dives to do Advanced Wreck, 25 to do AN/DP, etc. However, there should be some expectation that someone posting their opinion should have at least some experience with the topic at hand.

If you're referring to T1 in the GUE sense of the word, I don't think a T1 with 230 dives would be saying anything like some of the things people are saying regarding topics like kneeling to drop a stage bottle, etc. If they were, I would be willing to bet their GUE instructor would be clutching at pearls over the betrayal. The idea makes me a giggle like a little school girl just a bit.

 

[JohnnyC]

I see. If anyone uses dive count as an indication of anything, I don't care. What is yours, then? And if it is not 0-24, as it says, then why do you choose to hide it? Also, while we are at it, why use someone else's picture as an avatar?

Mine is somewhere north of 1500 last time I estimated, but I don't log dives so that's the best I got. I don't choose to hide it, 0-24 just happens to be the first drop down on the info page, or it was when I first signed up and I haven't felt the need to change it.

I use Mike Tyson as my avatar because it's funny af.

Don't tell me this doesn't make you laugh.....

 

[CT-Rich]

I see. If anyone uses dive count as an indication of anything, I don't care. What is yours, then? And if it is not 0-24, as it says, then why do you choose to hide it? Also, while we are at it, why use someone else's picture as an avatar?

Generally, everyone uses dive count as a metric, at least until they see you dive. You can’t count on AOW being much of an indicator (on the Internet, everyone gets to be an expert....). Might I also point out that your avatar is just as ambiguous as his....

This has really devolved into mud wrestling

 

[Scuba-74]

Mine is somewhere north of 1500 last time I estimated, but I don't log dives so that's the best I got. I don't choose to hide it, 0-24 just happens to be the first drop down on the info page, or it was when I first signed up and I haven't felt the need to change it.

I use Mike Tyson as my avatar because it's funny af.

Don't tell me this doesn't make you laugh.....

View attachment 539964

I see. I guess I’m just a little confused on how not feeling the need to change it jives with the need to help people decide if your opinion comes from a place of experience... Maybe I should have hidden mine to avoid the whole conversation?

No, sorry, that level of humor doesn’t make me laugh. My dive count must not be high enough...

 

[JohnnyC]

I see. I guess I’m just a little confused on how not feeling the need to change it jives with the need to help people decide if your opinion comes from a place of experience... Maybe I should have hidden mine to avoid the whole conversation?

No, sorry, that level of humor doesn’t make me laugh. My dive count must not be high enough...

Since that number is often inaccurate, I asked. You answered. I could have just assumed that you were a 5 dive wonder, but instead gave you the benefit of the doubt in asking.

Hey, Mike Tyson's not for everyone. I don't think dive count has anything to do with that.

 

[doctormike]

(Hence the disclaimer in mine, and why I allow "Divemaster" under my name instead of pestering the mods to change it. No agency on earth will certify a DM at 0-24 dives, it's my own self having a little chuckle)

For years I thought that your sig line was a political statement. Someone finally explained to me that it referred to your dive count.