What is the craziest "specialty" you have heard of that you know is actually real?

[LakeCountyDiver]

I wonder if there is a record kept to the one or ones that have the most c-cards.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

I heard of a store offering Eclipse Diver during the August 2017 solar eclipse in the US.

I have this one!!

Cost of the "Class" was only like $10-$20 more than admission to the quarry and 2 air fills (both included with the class). It also included eclispse glasses to watch the event...

 

[rsingler]

There is one distinctive specialty that has only ONE recipient. And he is the only one who will EVER receive it...

 

[Rollin Bonz]

There is one distinctive specialty that has only ONE recipient. And he is the only one who will EVER receive it...
View attachment 493926

I had several chances to volunteer for an identical role this month, but alas, would not have earned a c-card even had I been able to arrange my schedule to do so.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

I wonder if there is a record kept to the one or ones that have the most c-cards.

I think you should start a new thread with a poll for this!

 

[shurite7]

While there may be a few specialties mentioned here with substance (see boulderjohn above), for the most part I get the impression that this is for PADI a way of selling more cert cards. Can anyone say that most of those specialties mentioned in this thread compare to a specialty with real learning, such as Navigation, for example?

PADI is not the only agency that allows instructors to write the material and submit it as a specialty course. NAUI does as well. For some instructors this can be a competitive advantage or simply a distinctive (hence the nomenclature of the courses).

Over in Royal WA there is a guy who offers course in Missile Silo diving. One doesn't have to obtain the cert to dive in the silo. However, if one wants to learn more about it beyond a guided tour then the course is available. If I was in his shoes I would have done the same thing.

Some distinctive course become more mainstream and opens up to other instructors. A perfect example of this is full face mask.

 

[dmaziuk]

Cost of the "Class" was only like $10-$20 more than admission to the quarry and 2 air fills (both included with the class). It also included eclispse glasses to watch the event...

That's cheating: you are not actually diving there.

It'd be curious to see what you can see from underwater I guess... (Edited: I see I left out the 2nd "see". D'oh.)

 

[rsingler]

That's cheating: you are not actually diving there.

Lol, @dmaziuk , now you're being picky! I bet the study guide for Eclipse Diver was very rigorous. After all, Nitrox doesn't require any dives, either, and I got one of them cards.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

That's cheating: you are not actually diving there.

It'd be curious to see what you can from underwater I guess...

Drop down shortly before the full eclipse, within a few minutes, your day dive becomes a night dive becomes a day dive again

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Lol, @dmaziuk , now you're being picky! I bet the study guide for Eclipse Diver was very rigorous. After all, Nitrox doesn't require any dives, either, and I got one of them cards.

I completed the optional dives for both "Eclipse Diver" and Nitrox ... I'm no slacker

We did do a predive briefing to learn more about the eclipse, the path, and history associated with them... but there wasn't an exam