What course should I take next?

[Crush]

I'd like to solicit advice on what course or training I should take next (if any). Advice is appreciated. Here is some background information:

1. 125 dives so far;
2. Courses taken: OW (ACUC), AOW/SRD/MD/NITROX (NAUI), Cavern (NACD), GUE Fundies (rec pass);
3. Motivation: I love to dive and I get a sense of enjoyment from "diving well." I am very pleased with myself if I can position myself and hover to snap a nice picture, or if I can deploy an SMB while not touching the bottom and silting up the water. I am not interested right now in teaching or DMing;
4. Tech: Mainly I have a hang-up because I think that I will be required to do tech in doubles. I am not opposed to tech and I would like to obtain the knowledge and skills of a tech diver but I don't know if I can justify the expense of buying and maintaining doubles if my local dive sites are cold, deep lakes where there is little of interest and dive times are short because of the cold (even in a drysuit). Further, it might be hard to find local dive buddies for longer, deeper dives. Finally, if I take a tech class and am required to learn to dive doubles but do not subsequently keep diving doubles some of those skills will quickly fade - was the expense and time worth it?
5. Half of my diving is "local" and half while traveling. I am perfectly happy with non-tech diving off a boat with an AL80.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Graeme Tolton]

Just get out and dive!! Have fun. Technical courses are not for someone who just wants to do another course.

 

[mathauck0814]

I'd like to solicit advice on what course or training I should take next (if any). Advice is appreciated. Here is some background information:

1. 125 dives so far;
2. Courses taken: OW (ACUC), AOW/SRD/MD (NAUI), Cavern (NACD), GUE Fundies (rec pass);
3. Motivation: I love to dive and I get a sense of enjoyment from "diving well." I am very pleased with myself if I can position myself and hover to snap a nice picture, or if I can deploy an SMB while not touching the bottom and silting up the water. I am not interested right now in teaching or DMing;
4. Tech: Mainly I have a hang-up because I think that I will be required to do tech in doubles. I am not opposed to tech and I would like to obtain the knowledge and skills of a tech diver but I don't know if I can justify the expense of buying and maintaining doubles if my local dive sites are cold, deep lakes where there is little of interest and dive times are short because of the cold (even in a drysuit). Further, it might be hard to find local dive buddies for longer, deeper dives. Finally, if I take a tech class and am required to learn to dive doubles but do not subsequently keep diving doubles some of those skills will quickly fade - was the expense and time worth it?
5. Half of my diving is "local" and half while traveling. I am perfectly happy with non-tech diving off a boat with an AL80.

Thanks for the advice!

Go diving. You've got more training than experience as it is.

 

[Crush]

Go diving. You've got more training than experience as it is.

Just get out and dive!! Have fun. Technical courses are not for someone who just wants to do another course.

Just to be clear, I am not interested in card collecting. "I love to dive and I get a sense of enjoyment from 'diving well.'" I find that instruction in courses has (so far) been the best way to learn new skills while diving maintains those skills. Those skills help me to increase my enjoyment of diving.

 

[Diver0001]

How good are your navigation skills?

R..

 

[mathauck0814]

Just to be clear, I am not interested in card collecting. "I love to dive and I get a sense of enjoyment from 'diving well.'" I find that instruction in courses has (so far) been the best way to learn new skills while diving maintains those skills. Those skills help me to increase my enjoyment of diving.

... but you have skills now that you should be out practicing. So, go diving.

 

[Crush]

How good are your navigation skills?

R..

I can find my way from point-to-point underwater using a compass for bearing but I can't gauge distance with pinpoint accuracy.

 

[OldNSalty]

Hey Crush, what do you consider to be your weakness in respect to diving? It sounds like you have a good foundation. I assume you have Nitrox. Are you interested in servicing gear? I have thought about taking the gear course for the HOG regs just so I had a better understanding of how they worked.

Honestly I don't think you need anything right now but some time in the water (and I am talking to myself here as much as anyone).

Just remember, it isn't a race. You don't win by finishing all the courses first.

 

[Doppler]

I can find my way from point-to-point underwater using a compass for bearing but I can't gauge distance with pinpoint accuracy.

If you want to get better at gauging distance, you do not need a course.

Put a 15-20 metre line out at depth, count fin kick cycles, breathing cycles and relate to that distance. With practice, most can become pretty skillful.

Oh, and DIVE.

 

[Crush]

OK - DIVE!

As a bit of an aside, the one thing that I wish that I could improve would be my underwater photographs. I do not have any photography training, above or below the water. My camera is a Canon P&S with no strobe which suits me nicely since it fits in my cargo pockets when I am not planning to use it. Are there any underwater photography courses that are worthwhile for someone who just wants to document what they see so as to share it with others (i.e., a non-professional) that do not require lots of expensive camera gear?