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Diver
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
.... if you get certified in a quickie warmwater location, you will have to learn everything all over again if you want to dive in the kelp in cold
water. On balance I think learning to dive in cold water conditions is best if you can. |
Very good point.
I learned in warm water and had to make the conversion to dry suits and band masks at one time; I hate hoods !
And who ever said commercial diving was fun !??
*#$%@* changing zinks on oil platform legs at 120' all day !
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Ken Bondy
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Diver
I have enormous respect for you hardhat guys!!! You really know what you are doing!!!
I hate hoods too, but I learned to hate them less a few months ago. I suited up for a dive in Morro Bay (water temp about 52F) and realized that I
had forgotten my hood. Macho me, decided to go ahead and do it hoodless. After 45 minutes in that water without a hood I was damn near paralyzed.
Even with a drysuit covering the rest of me. Now I believe that old adage about losing most of your body heat out of your head. It's true, and if I
ever again forget my hood in those conditions I will sit that one out 
++Ken++
carpe diem!
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Diver
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dean miller
I do know that the coursework and required dives are very similar between both organizations.
Most important is a good dive instructor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to know a little more on this subject you and others who have posted with such great authority
You identify your self as "Diver" and a "Diving Instructor"...so instruct me and others...
Therefore explain the difference in the course work and required dives
What about the Instructor? How would a rank novice identify what constitues a "good instructor?"
sdm |
OK Dean, I will be your "grasshopper". 
From what I know about course work, both organizations are very similar in what they offfer and what they require to reach various levels of
certification (Advanced Open Water for example). The difference that I note is that some of these course specialties are required by Naui where PADI
gives you a choice as to which specialties you will take. Some would say that this makes Naui a better certification and assuming that a PADI student
made poor choices for their specialties, this could be true, at least for the type and location of the student's diving.
AS for instructors, what I think makes a good instructor included the following;
1. Certified in all areas of teaching
2. Experienced in all areas of teaching
3. A good communicator and leader/teacher
4. Someone who will spend the time you need - to make you feel comfortable and to make sure you are safe.
As an assitant instructor, I used to get the ladies that were afraid to put their face in the water and often had them loving life at 30' a few weeks
later. Someone who enjoys this satisfaction and is informed enough to ensure safety would be my first choice for an instructor.
So how did I do, "master" ?? 
Ken, not sure about the respect part; I was doing a LOT of drinking back in those day !!
.
[Edited on 11-18-2009 by Diver]
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by DiverKen, not sure about the respect part; I was doing a LOT of drinking back in those day !! [Edited on 11-18-2009 by Diver] |
You survived.....I'll drink to that!!
carpe diem!
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Wiles
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First of all, a big shout out to my Alma Mater NASDS OWII.
In the early eighties I crewed on the Dive Vessel Atlantis out of 22nd St. Landing, San Pedro for several years.
NASDS & NAUI frogs were better prepared after certification than the PADI frogs. Nothing against PADI instructors or organization (friends with
many of them).
Kelp diving is unique and challenging and one of the greatest experiences a diver could ever have. On a calm day with no current and awesome
visibility you just couldn't beat it.
Those were the days for sure. Diving at SBI I held the boat record for the fastest time limiting out on abalone (4). Two minutes and thirty-seven
seconds from the time I left the deck til I was back on the swim step. Greens.
And don't get me started on the hub cap reds we would get in the kelp beds at San Nic.
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k-rico
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Wiles
Kelp diving is unique and challenging and one of the greatest experiences a diver could ever have. On a calm day with no current and awesome
visibility you just couldn't beat it.
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Kelp diving is fun. Looking up from the bottom into a kelp forest with high vis and a bright sun is magical. Tangles are a hassle tho.
Wreck diving is my favorite. I doubt I'll make it to Truk lagoon and I regret that.
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k-rico
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BTW, I always liked diving Cabo. Short easy boat ride and the deep water fish are schooling right off shore, close to the tropicals. That's unique.
The sand fall is fun too.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
I doubt I'll make it to Truk lagoon and I regret that. |
Maybe a good trip for your ashes.
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C205Driver
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. . .Only MY opinion, but, I have dove a little & did LaBuff. . .On 1st dive only 5 of 7 divers made it to the bottom (others got lost in the LOW
VIS & went back up topside) . . Then . . . in the excitement of the momement & sucking air real hard the others got low on air . . .SO it was
a VERY short & uneventful dive. . .If you are a good diver & go with other good divers it at best might be so-so. . .I would suggest Sea Of
Cortez, but, even it is getting cold right now. Have multiple dives out of PSFO, Mulege & La Paz. Different days will always get different results
& different species but the Hammerhead Shark dive, Ferry dive & the Los Islotes dives are recommended by me. . I'v dove with Mulege Divers
under 3 different owners; different dives at different times but, still noteworthy(Had one dive where we did not move more than 10' as there was
SOOOOO much to see). . .No coral but rather volcanic underwater. Watch out for scorpion fish !!! DO NOT waste your time diving Bahia de Concepcion
unless you enjoy 4' vis. . . Again, only one divers opinion. . .
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bwana_John
Cold water, big wetsuits, heavy weightbelts, surge, swell, waves, and kelp are not the best environment to learn how to scuba dive in unless you are
already used to those conditions. |
That's arguable Bwana John. |
Ha! I learned how to dive in cold Puget Sound, in an ill-fitting (non-custom) wet suit (no dry suit). Lots of us learned in cold water and crappy
(ill-fitting) wetsuits. It builds character to feel a surge of cold water everytime you turn your head or stretch your arm
Aint no big deal to learn in cold water, you just need to get out there and learn.
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
I suited up for a dive in Morro Bay (water temp about 52F) and realized that I had forgotten my hood. Macho me, decided to go ahead and do it
hoodless. After 45 minutes in that water without a hood I was damn near paralyzed......
++Ken++ |
Your episode reminded me of a near disaster my roomate had at Pillar Point a very long time ago.
Like you, he decided to try scuba diving without a hood. In fact, he dove with only the wetsuit bottom. His diving partner talked him into going
against his better judgment. Nick started to feel real bad maybe 15 minutes into the dive. He tried to get the weight belt off but, he later told me,
his fingers felt like claws, unable to grasp anything. He couldn't undo the buckle. He was now in a life and death situation and knew his only chance
was to make the shore. The beach was too far away but the rocky headlands were within reach. When he got there he let the waves throw him up onto the
rocks and musselbeds and somehow held on. He was a cut up mess by the time I saw him but at least he was alive. The water temperatures here are
usually in the 42-48 range. Pillar Pt is where the Mavericks surf contest takes place now during the winter months.
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Ken Bondy
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Scary stuff Igor. Classic hypothermia. The Navy publishes a table that relates survival time to water temperature, assuming no thermal protection.
In the 40s it's just a matter of a few minutes.
carpe diem!
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Classic hypothermia.
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Yes, and because he wasn't eurythermal.
eurythermal , eurythermic, eurythermous:
adj (of organisms) able to tolerate a wide range of temperatures in the environment
An interesting side note to this story. The diving 'partner' stayed near Nick during this whole episode but never actually helped much. I think he was
afraid of Nick grabbing him in a panic death grip and both going down. Either way he was no help according to Nick. The lesson to be learned is to
pick a partner you can really trust.
I really don't know what NAUI recommends to do under such circumstances. I was certified by NAUI at one time and we never covered stuff like this in
class.
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