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Next class to take


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#1 VaScubaGirl

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Posted 11 March 2004 - 03:22 PM

Hey y'all! I have a question...this spring I am taking the Stress and Rescue class. I already am AOW certified with basic Nitrox and was wondering what your suggestion is for the next class I need to take as I devlop my diving. Thanks!
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#2 Walter

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Posted 11 March 2004 - 05:19 PM

That will depend a great deal on your goals. Some people like to collect cards. Others have specific things they want to accomplish in diving. They want to concentrate on diving wrecks or they want to learn more about the environment of reefs. You didn't tell us how long you've been diving or how many dives you've logged. You may want to simply dive with a mentor and gain practical experience outside the formal class.
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#3 Diverlady

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 07:35 AM

Hi VaScubaGirl,

I too am planning on taking the Rescue course this spring. That will then give me my Master Diver cert. I'm thinking of taking the Equipment course next so I can better fix/adjust/troubleshoot my own gear. My LDS is anxious for me to get my DM cert though so I'll probably be doing that at the same time.

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#4 VaScubaGirl

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 05:01 PM

Well, I have been diving for about 3 years now with a total of 65 dives logged. I've been doing wreck diving mostly off the coast of the Carolinas with some reef diving in mexico and Florida. I would like to be able to do some penetration dives of the wrecks, and if I liked that maybe move into cave diving. And I would like to get dry suit certified seeing as how I get cold easily. Does this help clarify a little bit more? :D
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#5 Narwhal

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 05:11 PM

I'll agree with Walter. What do you really want to learn about scuba diving from where you are now? The great thing about scuba diving as a hobby is that if you ever get bored with it, it's your fault!! There are so many different areas you can explore--from photography and videography to wreck exploration or underwater naturalist or perhaps technical subjects or perhaps archeological diving. And the list goes on . . . I do highly recommend the progression through AOW and rescue as sort of "Basic Training" for all divers. By taking these courses, you are by definition continuing to dive--and continuing to "get wet" is the name of the game. The AOW course--whether PADI, NAUI, SDI/TDI (The agencies I instruct in) or SSI NASDS, NASE or whatever other agency certifies you is designed to give you exposure to practical application of the skills you learned in your open water course. If you didn't find an area there that you wish to become more proficient in (night dives, search and recovery, navigation etc) look at one of the other specialty courses. Or, as Walter says, continue to dive and gain experience with more experienced divers and take an interest in what they do and enjoy. Above all, maintain the enthusiasm you have now. As I said at the beginning, if you get bored with scuba diving, it's your fault.
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#6 Walter

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 07:48 PM

That does help.

I'd recommend taking a wreck class that includes penetration techniques. Make sure the class includes practice in anti silting techniques and in laying lines.

There are lots of differences between wrecks and caves. I love wrecks, but have no interest in caves.

Walter
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#7 Blublood

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 11:38 PM

Great thread! Being pretty green I have kind of wondered where I would go from here. Did my AOW, a couple of specialties and nitrox. Doing the class for rescue now and next week have two nights of equipment. Really don't know where I want to go from there except to travel to some great ports of call and catch some trades and get wet! Looking forward to meeting lots of great friends and mentors and going from there. Guess I'll see what hits the hot spot and go from there. appreciate the posts from everyone and hope thr day comes, sooner than later, that we all get to go on adventures together!
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#8 VaScubaGirl

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Posted 23 March 2004 - 07:32 PM

Thanks for all the great input! Well I have signed up for my Stress and Rescue class and will get that one under my belt come June. I would love to take some underwater photography classes, but I haven't found anyone in my area that offers them. I messed around with a borrowed camera on the Cozumel trip in January with mixed results. I am a shutterbug on land so it would be nice to bring that passion to Scuba too. So I guess the long and short of it is once I finish up with these bare essentials, there is no natural progression, it's just then time to follow my bliss :D Thanks again guys!

:(
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#9 medic13

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Posted 24 March 2004 - 11:52 AM

First I stress the Rescue class, and then from there it’s a matter of personal choice.
This may sound funny but I took a class last year just because a friend of mine did. Boy did I get a shock with this class.
One thing is the gear configure for this class was very expensive, but now I have to say was worth every bit of it.
It’s a croup that calls them self’s www.GUE.com
I took their Basic DIR-F class and man we worked on finning techniques, buoyancy control, safe lift bag deployment and many other things. I have to admit this was the hardest class I have ever taken, we spent allot of time in the water more than any other class I have ever taken. And to be honest I would recommend this class to anyone who is planning on going into Tech Diving.
Other choice for more recreational diving is Advance Buoyancy control class , photo class ect.
as othere will tell its matter of personal choice.

#10 VaScubaGirl

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Posted 25 March 2004 - 06:48 PM

Hey Medic! Are you the same Medic13 from SB? If so...hi again! Thanks for the info...advanced technique training in finning, bouancy control, and lift bag deployment sounds right up my alley (I just got a reel and lift bag for Christmas and am going to take it out in the quarry to mess around with it as soon as it gets warmer) but I am unfamiliar with GUE and DIR does not seem to be big in this area. Can you give a little more info on it?
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#11 Coo's Toe

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 01:20 AM

First off, you'll need to be warned, that DIR is one of the dreaded hot button issues on many of these internet boards. Newly GUE trained divers often go overboard with a near religious zealotry trying to convert EVERYONE to their new found way of thinking. Consequently, a lot of other divers have come to hate the preachy DIR-zealots ( with good reason, they have become the internet diving world's version of Jehovah's Witnesses, often referred to as "Lemmings" )

That being said, I'll now let you know that I am also a big fan of GUE's classes, and highly reccommend the DIR-Fundamentals class to all divers, recreational divers and aspiring tech divers alike. It is the best class I've ever taken, if you judge classes by their results. No single class has ever done as much to improve and refine my diving skills as much as this class did.

There is plenty of info online, both good and bad, about GUE and their DIR philosophy. Many people do not like their rigid ideas about gear configuration, and do not want to spend the money to change their gear before the class. But if you are interested in taking the class, you can rent the necessary gear, and you'll also find many people will offer to let you borrow what you need to take the class because they know how good the class is and they don't want that to be the reason you won't take it. I personally feel that the techniques you'll learn during the class would benefit your diving even if you don't plan on ever becoming a tech diver or completely changing your gear after the class. I do highly reccomend you take it, even if it means travelling out of your area to find an instructor ( though many GUE instructors WILL travel to you to teach the class if there are others willing to join you ).

Anyway, I've probably said too much already ( at the risk of sounding like one of the "Lemmings" myself... ). Decide for yourself. I just happen to be one voice in favor of looking into it.

#12 Coo's Toe

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 02:06 AM

I guess there are a couple more things I wanted to add here. They relate to what I said about the DIR-F class and to taking classes in general.

While I think it IS important to take classes to improve your diving, I kind of disagree with the mentality that seems to stress the progression from class to class being a quick and necessary thing. What I think IS important, if you really want to improve your diving, is to take the time to master what you've already learned in the classes you've taken. I've met many divers who rushed from OW certification straight into AOW class, Rescue, and sometimes even farther, but never developed mastery of the basic skills that WERE taught in their OW class. They don't have total control of buoyancy, they have to stop kicking and use two hands to clear a partially flooded mask, and are lacking in many other basic skills even though they have a nice collection of C-cards in their wallet. Why?

Practice what you learned in the classes you've already taken. Use your 3 minute safety stop to do a practice an OOA emergency ( if you're nice, you'll discuss this with your buddy BEFORE the dive!!! ) or to completely remove your mask, replace it, and clear it while your buddy watches you to ensure there are no problems. practice tired diver tows on your swim back to shore. Many people just do the required skills in OW class and then never touch them again, and never gain the real comfort level that practicing them would bring. Instead they start looking for the "next" class that will "improve" their skills. Sure, taking classes and challenging youself in that way WILL benefit your diving, but only if you are practicing the basics and giving yourself a solid foundation on which those new classes will build.

Which brings me back to the whole DIR-F thing. GUE is an agency that started out teaching more advanced level classes focused on cave and technical diving, ie the extreme types of diving. But the problem they were running into with a lot of the students showing up to take their classes was that the students didn't have a mastery of the basic skills like mask clearing, air sharing, and buoyancy control. They had to introduce the Fundamentals class to re-teach the basics before the students were ready to move on to the more advanced stuff.

So don't let those basic skills get rusty on you in your quest to move on to bigger and better things. Get an idea of where you want your diving adventures to take you, and remember that a mastery of basic OW skills is what will get you there. Once you're truely comfortable with the basics, any class you take will benefit you more, since you'll be able to focus on the new material and skills instead of fighting to overcome deficencies that a little bit of regular practice would've turned into second nature.

#13 WreckWench

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 07:47 AM

Coo's Toe....these are BOTH excellent posts. I too have 'heard about the controversary' between the DIR and GUE philosphies however I had not seen them described nor compared so eloquently. Thank you for taking the time to introduce them to our divers...myself included.

I can easily see how once someone becomes enamored with anything..(hey isn't that how we all feel about diving???) or finds something that REALLY works for them....perhaps DIR...that they would want to tell the whole world about it. It kinda comes with the nature of the beast! I am intrigued by the two concepts and thanks to you I have a much more open mind about them as well.

Of course I always have an open mind about someone who is rational, clear thinking, logical and methodical about most things!

Thank you again...I hope that anyone who is interested in these disciplines contact you for more information. -ww

P.S. if I may ask...how far have you personally taken your certifications too?

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#14 WreckWench

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 07:48 AM

I am taking the Stress and Rescue class. 

Has the name been changed from "Search and Rescue"??? Gosh...maybe I'm dating myself here! LOL!!!

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#15 Walter

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 07:59 AM

I believe you are confusing rescue with Search and Recovery.
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