Which agency should I join if I wish to become an Elite Diver?

[NAUI Wowie]

Hello all, newer board member here and just wondering after coming across a couple of old threads which groups are Elite and which are standard?

From what I can tell Naui, SSI, and PADI agencies are the certification agencies for us newbies. And Padi is the most rudimentary of those at least ive read that alot on these forums. I was certified PADI. My father was a NAUI instructor over 50 years ago for the YMCA. Even though my father was an instructor I only started diving about a year and a half ago but I digress.

I have started reading about GUE, DIR, WKPP, Hogarthian method, etc. For my benefit and so I dont step on any toes which of the higher tier agencies are the best to learn from? Ive heard there is competition among these upper crust agencies. Which agencies among the DIR GUE Hogarthian communities are in direct competition with each other?

Could someone just give me a quick rundown of all this so I can read these forums as a better informed individual and eventually become an ELITE diver?

thanks in advance,

 

[SleepySlipper]

Navy experimental diving unit.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Navy experimental diving unit.

Ooouch niiiice! haha

 

[seeker242]

As for DIR agencies, there is just GUE and UTD and you could say they are “in competition”. GUE doesn’t like to call themselves “DIR” anymore, but they are for all functional purposes. GUE is better IMO.

 

[Akimbo]

I honestly don't know what a elite diver is, but I wish I was one.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I honestly don't know what a elite diver is, but I wish I was one.

Mendocino eh, there really isnt any diving up along the mendocino coast is there? When diving do you travel or do you still go to monterey? Im assuming youve dove there much of your life?

 

[boulderjohn]

From what I can tell Naui, SSI, and PADI agencies are the certification agencies for us newbies.

...and every one of them can take you as far as you want to go.

 

[BlueTrin]

Mendocino eh, there really isnt any diving up along the mendocino coast is there? When diving do you travel or do you still go to monterey? Im assuming youve dove there much of your life?

You should check his profile page

 

[Canadave]

Don’t get caught up in labels. What do you want out of diving, is really the question. Collecting badges is for Boy Scouts and since it isn’t an Olympic event, there are no medals for being the “best” diver, whatever that might look like.

Not to be condescending but at your level focus on just getting out there and diving as much as possible, meeting experienced divers and thereby gaining experience. If a particular form of diving interests you, such as cave, wreck or cold water, start taking courses and work toward that as your goal. If you want to be a dive professional or commercial diver there are courses for that as well.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

There are no elite agencies, only elite divers and elite instructors. The elite don't have club jackets or hats that identify them.

(Though I'd agree with the earlier post regarding Navy divers. Or some of the deep commercial divers.)