No different as a PADI DSD imo.
Not that I agree with it, but it can make sense for instructors to be able to do DSD without needing to be an instructor for another agency.
What is the future of GUE?
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Not that I agree with it, but it can make sense for instructors to be able to do DSD without needing to be an instructor for another agency.
gobuyastick
Contributor
[QUOTE="PfcAJ, post: 8038907, member: 43147 "South Fl has a pretty good number of gue folks. ] theres about 20 of us that i personally know of and like seeker said, most of them hardly dive frequently. If my buddies and i were tech certified then yes theres a quite a few divers who frequent doing tech dives every week.
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seeker242
Contributor
But what kind of person is going to seek out a GUE DSD as opposed to another agency's DSD? (Sorry if "Discover Scuba Diving" is a PADI term--I mean it generically here.) A GUE DSD will be done in the GUE gear configuration, and it seems to me like the diver will spend quite a bit of time on things like Basic 5 and how to receive a donated long hose--things that I have to believe most people do not consider all that "fun"--when if he were to do DSD with another agency he could be blissfully swimming around underwater. I mean, if a person isn't sure whether he enjoys the basic concept of swimming underwater while breathing from a tank, why go to all the GUE-specific trouble of finding out when there are simpler DSD programs available? So again, what kind of person is going to sign up for GUE DSD? A GUE fanatic's kid? That's about the only scenario I can think of.
I have nothing against GUE offering Discover Diving and Recreational Supervised Diver, in principle. Other agencies seem to attract students to these. I just don't see how GUE will manage to do the same.
Do people starting DSDs already know how to dive?
They're given a big tank and a reg with tons of hoses. They don't care. There's some pics on facebook (can't find them atm) where those guys have better trim than most divers. Yeah, they seem bothered a lot by the reg.
edit: Niccolo Crespi
edit2: Oh, and on some small digging, both those divers use pictures from their GUE DSD as cover photos on facebook now. They clearly had a terrible experience going with GUE.
They're given a big tank and a reg with tons of hoses. They don't care. There's some pics on facebook (can't find them atm) where those guys have better trim than most divers. Yeah, they seem bothered a lot by the reg.
edit: Niccolo Crespi
edit2: Oh, and on some small digging, both those divers use pictures from their GUE DSD as cover photos on facebook now. They clearly had a terrible experience going with GUE.
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OP
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
Boat Diver (Because I do not need to take a specialty to jump from a boat)
Shore Diver (Because I do not need to take a specialty to walk straight into water)
Wreck Diver (I do not need a specialty to swim around a wreck)
SMB diver (I do not need a specialty to shoot an SMB)
Advanced Open Water diver (The real one in this is Deep diving. The rest of the 4 are fillers for which the above argument apply. The one specialty "deep" is to be learnt in one single dive so AOW is essentially a guided diving package.)
There is so much "fluff" in scuba training that folks are getting certified first and learning to dive later in their own time without instructor supervision. This is why there are so many bad divers all over the dive boats. I used to be one of them and I am still unlearning nonsense I picked up during my early days of diving. Every one says "find a good instructor" but my problem with this rhetoric is that your definition of "good instructor" may not be the same as mine and mine may not be the same as Jarod Jablonski's. People start to seek "good instructor" based on the yard stick they have gotten from their own instructor so all instructors become "good instructors." It all turns into a self justifying logic.
I respect GUE because there is solid education there with quality control. People fail these courses and the ones who pass show that someone has spent time on them. I think as an educator, you will agree with me John that the world needs an agency that is committed to proper diving education. Presently it seems we are more interested in creating customers of diving gear as quick as we can.
I actually use this course in the AOW course that I teach, as the last adventure dive, as I feel it brings core skills together. It can also be used to address a number of issues that a diver may have. Now one may say that a diver should never have had such issues, but let's say a diver is returning to diving after a period of time for whatever reason (illness, area of residence, parenthood, changing interest, whatever). It could serve as a good refresher course or something missed, not practiced in previous courses for whatever reason.
That said, I think that PADI has hit the market of infrequent/vacation divers quite well. Many divers don't dive often. They may want to take a short course to improve some skillset while they are on vacation.
People know I recommend GUE fundies ad nauseum and I will continue to do so, as it is an excellent class (at least where I am taught). But 4 days straight, 8 to 5, is too much for many people. One of my friends just can't do that with his schedule, and he's a prime candidate diving skills wise for that course, as it would really help him (yes, I know for some people, the course can be broken up in 2 separate weekends, but even 8-5 for 2 days is too much for some people).
I think GUE will continue to survive. Now I'm in the area with the largest GUE community and it is certainly a community. One of the great things about GUE is the people/camaraderie . GUE divers often go to other places with their certification information to match other divers, and it works really well. This is a plus I think. Within the organization, I see a lot less drama. For people that want to dive that way, it works great, and I believe there is a segment of the dive population that will always want to dive that way. I really like@DevonDiver's article: An Evaluation of the Modern Scuba Diving Training Industry. That top part of the pyramid will continue to grow, I expect. It will consist of dedicated divers from GUE, UTD, ISE, TDI, PADI, SSI, and pretty much all other agencies.
OP
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
I totally agree that shooting an SMB should be taught. I am not sure if that within itself can constitute a "specialty."
KevinNM
Contributor
If your standard is that you must deploy it while neutrally buoyant and not change depth by more than 5 feet or move more than 5 feet from a fixed marker on the bottom during the entire process I'd say it probably would be a worthwhile course. Might take more than one try....
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