PADI scuba divers??
Discussion
CyprusCraig said:
Bit of a bump really.
Also I have been working out in Egypt for the last 6 months gaining lots of experience. So much experience that the dive centre I work for suggested I do the IDC so I did. Not wanting to sound like a t
t but i sailed through the IE getting 100% in pretty much everything, I understand that this does not make me a good instructor. In fact I am stting myself about teaching my first course.
I have racked up just under 300 dives now.
Any other new divers since last year??
Did you do your IE in Egypt? I have just qualified (last Saturday) and it hasn't quite sunk in yet. I cannot wait to start teaching properly (none of the bubblemaker/scuba review things!) MSDT next methinks.Also I have been working out in Egypt for the last 6 months gaining lots of experience. So much experience that the dive centre I work for suggested I do the IDC so I did. Not wanting to sound like a t
t but i sailed through the IE getting 100% in pretty much everything, I understand that this does not make me a good instructor. In fact I am stting myself about teaching my first course. I have racked up just under 300 dives now.
Any other new divers since last year??
dabofoppo said:
Id love to try this scuba diving thing where can i try it in scotland? and how much does it normally cost i tried google but i couldnt find anything.
I'd say do the PADI Open Water course where you do the pool work in Scotland but then do the Open Water dives somewhere else in the world - somewhere you can at least see past the end of your nose.dabofoppo said:
Id love to try this scuba diving thing where can i try it in scotland? and how much does it normally cost i tried google but i couldnt find anything.
Or better yet join a local SAA club that way you'll be able to borrow kit and not have to rush into things. (Not trying to start a BSAC/SAA vs PADI argument)
Edited by PimpmyHotwheels on Friday 4th June 19:19
Jasandjules said:
dabofoppo said:
Id love to try this scuba diving thing where can i try it in scotland? and how much does it normally cost i tried google but i couldnt find anything.
I'd say do the PADI Open Water course where you do the pool work in Scotland but then do the Open Water dives somewhere else in the world - somewhere you can at least see past the end of your nose.mel said:
While I agree with the sentiment and suggestion, I most take exception to the implication of scotland having bad vis' I'll admit it was much colder but i've seen visibility in the waters around Scotland better than most of the red sea, personally I'd say that Scotland would be a lovely part of the world to learn.
I've only ever seen pictures of diving in Scotland and it wasn't exactly wonderful (some lovely shots of mud with a 2k camera), mind, I've not dived the Red Sea either. But still, I am pretty sure the fish and corals are nicer looking in the Red Sea................... And I am not permitted to dive cold places, the OH will only dive in warm places.Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver. Did all my training at Capernwray in Jan a few years ago. Went from 3 degree water to 34 degree in the Maldives (nice change) Been to Sharm 5 or 6 times and a Red Sea live aboard. Have seen a couple of whale sharks, Oceanic Whitetips, mantas, hammerheads, threshers as well as reef sharks in Egypt. The Thistlegorm is well worth a visit, done it twice and would definately go back. Dived on mumerous other wrecks in the northern Red Sea also. Only scary moment I've had was getting caught in a down current on Shark and Yolanda reef. I was finning up with a full BCD and still dropped about 25m in a couple of seconds.
PS Night dives are awesome.
PS Night dives are awesome.
Edited by dontdropthesoap on Friday 4th June 22:22
dontdropthesoap said:
Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver. Did all my training at Capernwray in Jan a few years ago. Went from 3 degree water to 34 degree in the Maldives (nice change) Been to Sharm 5 or 6 times and a Red Sea live aboard. Have seen a couple of whale sharks, Oceanic Whitetips, mantas, hammerheads, threshers as well as reef sharks in Egypt. The Thistlegorm is well worth a visit, done it twice and would definately go back. Dived on mumerous other wrecks in the northern Red Sea also. Only scary moment I've had was getting caught in a down current on Shark and Yolanda reef. I was finning up with a full BCD and still dropped about 25m in a couple of seconds.
Jealous 
This is some of the exotic stuff I've seen
[/URL][URL=http://img138.imageshack.us/i/dscf1205s.jpg/]
[/URL]Could somebody re size them for me please
Edited by PimpmyHotwheels on Friday 4th June 23:02
Edited by PimpmyHotwheels on Friday 4th June 23:05
dontdropthesoap][url said:
As for sharks, the f***ers all run away when they see me....
Cyprus Craig: Hope the training goes well and you get the dives in with the qualifications
It looks like I could be in for a job cut soon, so after 24 years in financial services, I'm now thinking about buggering off to Bali for a couple of months to do the Dive Master qualification, diving 2 or 3 times/day. Beats being stuck in an office!
Went to Praslin, Seychelles last August with Mrs.5Pot, who's PADI AOWD qualified, I've just OWD, and we had a great time with Octopus Dive Centre, which got my diving bug going again. I use Nemo33 in Brussels (indoor centre) to increase my number of dives as I'm quite a way from the coast.
It looks like I could be in for a job cut soon, so after 24 years in financial services, I'm now thinking about buggering off to Bali for a couple of months to do the Dive Master qualification, diving 2 or 3 times/day. Beats being stuck in an office!
Went to Praslin, Seychelles last August with Mrs.5Pot, who's PADI AOWD qualified, I've just OWD, and we had a great time with Octopus Dive Centre, which got my diving bug going again. I use Nemo33 in Brussels (indoor centre) to increase my number of dives as I'm quite a way from the coast.
Jasandjules said:
dontdropthesoap][url said:
As for sharks, the f***ers all run away when they see me....
Hammerhead off Jackson reef.
A motorbike in one of the holds of the Thistlegorm.
The Thistlegorm's prop.
Dog Star said:
Jasandjules said:
Dream is to dive with an adult whaleshark (crossed of Manta a few years ago).
I'm going to make you sick as a parrot now: saw one on my very first "qualified" dive!!! 
My first Qualified dive was with turtles and a white tip reef shark in the distance. On one of the training dives we had a turtle follow us for the whole time, it seemed utterly fascinated by us.
How do people get sharks to come near them? Whenever I see a shark in the distance it f**ks off, before I have a chance to get my camera out.
I have however spent an entire 50 minutes parked up on a rock whilst the Manta "flew" overhead - I think that so far is my best dive ever.
And the baby whaleshark that I met, as you say about grabbing fins of a white tip (not sure exactly how stupid you have to be to do that mind), the reason the Whaleshark left was because some woman grabbed his tail.
mel said:
I'm not having a dig at you personally but I simply can not comprehend how any one can seriously consider being a "rescue" diver with only 12 dives under their belt. I know it's courses and qualifications etc but seriously at 12 dives you won't have even reached the totaly at ease with yourself stage while underwater let alone being confident enough to assist others should a problem arise. I honestly think if PADI are able and willing to award these qualifications at that level then they are without a doubt dangerous, not just to the student but others around them. I would take a "rescue" qualification to indicate a confident, well trained, experienced, and self sufficient individual who if needed could be called upon to assist in a rescue situation, infact I would look to be able to actually send the rescue diver into the water to do the rescue while co ordiating from the dry side, at anything less than 100+ dives I simply would not have that confidence in any diver, at anything less than level everything is still new and interesting.
they don't call it " Pay And Die International " for no reasonI don't have a problem with you quoting me from nearly a year ago and indeed stand by my comments made then, however what I would now add is all credit to Craig. He's stuck with it and he's certainly clocked up the dives if he's now over 300 (which isn't bad going in that amount of time) I hope that out of those 300 he has got in a good mix of locations, circumstances, weather & sea conditions and if he has I'd say he's probably now well on his way to being a well rounded, experienced, competant and useful diver to be around. The old school in me is still not convinced that a year is long enough to be looking at Instructor qualifications but I'd certainly feel happy having him working around me as a Dive Master, but yes maybe if his confidences and interpersonal skills are good enough then now could well be the time that he should be looking at starting his Instructor qualifications. Good luck and I'm glad you stuck with it.
I should also maybe add that in the last year I've met a 21 year PADI Instructor running his own training school & and charter business, yes his parents and family have supported him financially and helped him in setting up his business but why not? I was very cynical about the limitations of his age and experience but still dived with him on the recommendation of friends, and overall yes I was very impressed. My O/H is an inexperienced diver with only 20 ish dives logged all done in warm enclosed waters and a basic Open Water qualification, as such she has always dived with me with complete trust that whatever happened I have the ability to sort the both of us out without drama. The reality is that this had held her back, she hasn't needed to think too much or push herself to become truely self sufficient and as such I've been holding her development back. I watched from a distance as this young (IMO inexperienced) instructor took her on what was classed as an "advanced wreck dive" to just over 30m and with fairly basic swim through wreck penetration, and I must say that I was truely humbled and impressed. The guy had the ability to instil confidence and self belief that I had failed on, she came back a changed diver with the ability to cut the strings that had been holding her back, which is most certainly a good thing. It goes to show that the statements of an old dinosaur like myself who's dived for nearly 30 years, in some of the worlds most hostile waters and has worked on the training teams for some of the countries highest trained divers don't really count for alot, the young guy I met at the age of 21 was leaps and bounds ahead of my skills and abilities at that age.
I should also maybe add that in the last year I've met a 21 year PADI Instructor running his own training school & and charter business, yes his parents and family have supported him financially and helped him in setting up his business but why not? I was very cynical about the limitations of his age and experience but still dived with him on the recommendation of friends, and overall yes I was very impressed. My O/H is an inexperienced diver with only 20 ish dives logged all done in warm enclosed waters and a basic Open Water qualification, as such she has always dived with me with complete trust that whatever happened I have the ability to sort the both of us out without drama. The reality is that this had held her back, she hasn't needed to think too much or push herself to become truely self sufficient and as such I've been holding her development back. I watched from a distance as this young (IMO inexperienced) instructor took her on what was classed as an "advanced wreck dive" to just over 30m and with fairly basic swim through wreck penetration, and I must say that I was truely humbled and impressed. The guy had the ability to instil confidence and self belief that I had failed on, she came back a changed diver with the ability to cut the strings that had been holding her back, which is most certainly a good thing. It goes to show that the statements of an old dinosaur like myself who's dived for nearly 30 years, in some of the worlds most hostile waters and has worked on the training teams for some of the countries highest trained divers don't really count for alot, the young guy I met at the age of 21 was leaps and bounds ahead of my skills and abilities at that age.
Slightly O/T. Do any of you SCUBA chaps enjoy free diving?
I haven't worn a tank for years now, as I prefer the feel (and I guess challenge) of free diving. By the end of a weeks holiday I can usually manage about 15m giving me some useful exploration time on the bottom, which is good enough for a lot of areas. Obviously I miss out on the deeper stuff and a lot of wrecks.
It's funny, last time I put on a tank etc. it felt so cumbersome in comparison and somehow less enjoyable.
P.S I'm not SCUBA bashing (I'd still enjoy it if there was something I wanted to dive beyond my limits), just curious.
I haven't worn a tank for years now, as I prefer the feel (and I guess challenge) of free diving. By the end of a weeks holiday I can usually manage about 15m giving me some useful exploration time on the bottom, which is good enough for a lot of areas. Obviously I miss out on the deeper stuff and a lot of wrecks.
It's funny, last time I put on a tank etc. it felt so cumbersome in comparison and somehow less enjoyable.
P.S I'm not SCUBA bashing (I'd still enjoy it if there was something I wanted to dive beyond my limits), just curious.
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