Hooah. First dive class. Question about specialties.

[Salvor6]

About 7 years ago, after Instructor Liability Insurance went sky high, the major dive certification angencys got together and asked "What can we do?" They started a new agency called RSTC (Regional Scuba Training Council) to study the situation. The RSTC said all certification agencys have to standardize the scuba training course to lower insurance costs since they all taught it a little different. They also got group rates to lower costs. The RSTC is the agency that regulates training courses.
Modern scuba equipment has to pass minimum standards set by the U.S. Navy. Even the low-end regulators will out perform the equipment from 10 years ago. You can't even get parts to fix old regulators. They have been discontinued by the manufacturers for liability reasons.

 

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[Diver_Down]

Gentlemen some excellent posts on both sides. However I still contend that all divers should be trained in how to cope with equipment failures, under water.
"cut hoses do occur, diaphragms do fail, valves do stick, etc., etc".

I can't speak for the other certifying agencies, but I'm sure they have the same requirement. PADI requires a skill to be taught and demonstrated by the student in both confined and open water called a CESA. It stands for a Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. Maintaining an open airway while ascending no faster than your exhaled bubbles. What can't be taught is how to control panic. Reinforcement of skills and confidence in one's abilities can lessen the chance that one won't be stricken with panic, but panic can set in even with the most experienced divers. I think we can all agree. Panic kills not whether a skill was taught.

 

[FISHEYE]

Don Jose,

Any plane crash that you can walk away from is a good crash.I was in a crash similar to the one in your pic and walked away from it.Only it was a cessna 182.It wasnt our fault either.We flew thru some old telegraph lines that were strung up on poles at the edge of a runway.They didnt have the balls on them.The wire wrapped up around the prop an stalled us.The plane was totaled.The railroad paid the insurance co for the plane.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

diver down you hit it exactly. l had learned the thumb rule about adjusting your ascent to the bubble rate. I wasn't paniced when I found my reserve tank and compressor beside me in 30 ft of water in spite of having just exhaled, since I knew that a slow ascent was possible, in fact relatively comfortable since most of the expansion of the gas in your lungs takes place in the last few meters. I was able to let air out 3-4 times on my ascent.

This was with an old Scuba pro, single hose, regulator of the 50's. self modified for shallow water, surface supplied air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FISH EYE

That was what did me in, the international tel line from Fredricsburg to Britland. The dumb Canadians had placed it squarely in my flight path. How as I supposed to know? sheesh I must admit that they treated me royally to make up for it.

Incidentally a Cessna 182, while a very nice lil aircraft, isn't my ideal for pilot protection in a boo boo, the Stearman was. Every bay in the body was collapsed 3 - 6 inches in longitude / length wise. The aircraft was a complete wash out except for the wheels.

As mentioned, obviously it wasn't MY fault, despite what the prejudiced investigator claimed,, he was bribed by Canada. snifff

Incidentally my present ticket is single / multi engine land and sea, instrument not current. # 1087851.

Don Jose de La Mancha (el secluded, chaste, mule driver in the cave at the end of the road contemplating his navel).

 

[LM]

Diver_Down, I'm a St. Aug native and am down there pretty regularly. Family all still there. I'm starting to wonder if we haven't crossed paths before. Do you work at Sea Hunt?

We should probably hang out the next time I'm down that way, maybe do some MD'ing or a dive or two. I usually stay on St. Aug Beach. It would probably be good to learn some diving tricks from a divemaster who has a TH'ing interest.

One thing I really want to lean is any tricks applicable to diving in the high energy surf zone.

 

[Diver_Down]

Diver_Down, I'm a St. Aug native and am down there pretty regularly. Family all still there. I'm starting to wonder if we haven't crossed paths before. Do you work at Sea Hunt?

We should probably hang out the next time I'm down that way, maybe do some MD'ing or a dive or two. I usually stay on St. Aug Beach. It would probably be good to learn some diving tricks from a divemaster who has a TH'ing interest.

One thing I really want to lean is any tricks applicable to diving in the high energy surf zone.

PM sent.

 

[captbonnie]

my open water dive was to 150' in a blue hole off eleuthera - I was 16 will never forget it as first shot at it went down on reserve and ran out of air at 60'
my instructor (PADI) thought I didn't like the hole and grabbed me by the ankle to encourage me to descend. we had a little kicking goin' on. free ascent but hey if you can't free dive in the Bahamas you didn't go diving back then... second try new tank it was a thrill
still don't have any specialties but admire those that do just don't forget two great things are bringing home the fish for dinner and fanning out the treasure

neither the fish nor the treasure ever asked for my card - but you guys inspire me to get better educated one day --

really it's all about what you feel comfortable with and what helps you ---if the dive isn't for you no paper will help and you'll know in your gut

ground-looped my Maule and it wasn't lack of training it was just damn slow feet on the rudders and too much crosswind -my fault

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Seaman Hawk, you wrecked a beautiful Maule? If there was a lower rank you would be demoted. to it.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[captbonnie]

guilty as charged - no excuse Sir!