Open water divers cave diving

[nakatomi]

Okay

I think I know who you refer to.

I'm sure there is more than just one instructor that matches that description.
And once you add instructors that allow their students to kneel in the cave you get even more.

Why not require NSS-CDS instructors to complete at least a GUE Fundamentals class? And preferably require students to dive at that same level also?
No kneeling, no touching the cave, proper frog kicking, back kick etc...

And why not retain ownership of the c-cards plus allow the agency to pull them if the student no longer dives to the standards and takes OW divers into caves?

[bamafan]

So you realized that the CDS had problems with instructors not teaching to high standards? Did you address this as the TD or just looked the other way as that was the easier thing to do?

[Rich]

Over the eleven years I've been teaching, IMHO the quality of instruction and cave divers in general has dropped abysmally. I try not to get too involved anymore 'cause I'm turning into a cynic in my old age, but some of the stuff I see when I'm lurking around in the dark just horrifies me, people just don't seem to give a crap anymore. Just seems to be a general lack of respect for the caves and themselves, I've failed students and they get all pissed off and just go to someone else. Back in the day they wouldn't have been able to do that 'cause the community was a lot smaller. Unfortunately I really don't have any solutions, but something has to change...

Jim, my first cave dives in Devil's were in '94 and the damage since then is just insane, I can't imagine what someone like yourself that dove it in the 70's thinks of it...

Safe diving,

Rich

[Jim Wyatt]

If you thought or my wording seemed to imply I was talking about you, I definitely was not. You would be on the opposite end of the spectrum for anyone who sees this in the future. I apologize if it read that way.

I didn?t think that & appreciate your good words.

[Jack Hammer]

I'm sure none of this would of flew before Rob left the NACD to open a pizza place.
:O

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

[jj1987]

If it's an issue, call people out by name.

[Benderr]

I'm sure there is more than just one instructor that matches that description.
And once you add instructors that allow their students to kneel in the cave you get even more.

Why not require NSS-CDS instructors to complete at least a GUE Fundamentals class? And preferably require students to dive at that same level also?
No kneeling, no touching the cave, proper frog kicking, back kick etc...

And why not retain ownership of the c-cards plus allow the agency to pull them if the student no longer dives to the standards and takes OW divers into caves?

Why not require GUE instructors to complete a cooking class? And preferably require students to post online about how great GUE-burgers are?
No neoprene, no non-tourist caves, proper goose-stepping to dive sites, all non-standard gasses verboden etc...

Also, I'd like cake and ice cream delivered to me, personally, after every GUE-level dive I complete. Do I still have to sprint 15 miles every day in order to retain my membership in the club?

[PfcAJ]

Why not require GUE instructors to complete a cooking class? And preferably require students to post online about how great GUE-burgers are?
No neoprene, no non-tourist caves, proper goose-stepping to dive sites, all non-standard gasses verboden etc...

Also, I'd like cake and ice cream delivered to me, personally, after every GUE-level dive I complete. Do I still have to sprint 15 miles every day in order to retain my membership in the club?

That’s a solid argument right there. Well thought out, relevant, beautifully articulated.

10/10 post.

[nakatomi]

Why not require GUE instructors to complete a cooking class? And preferably require students to post online about how great GUE-burgers are?
No neoprene, no non-tourist caves, proper goose-stepping to dive sites, all non-standard gasses verboden etc...

Also, I'd like cake and ice cream delivered to me, personally, after every GUE-level dive I complete. Do I still have to sprint 15 miles every day in order to retain my membership in the club?

What I was referring to was the portion of the fundamentals class where people actually learn to fin kick and keep their trim and buoyancy properly. That also includes to ditch fairy fanning.
There are quite a few NSS-CDS instructors who struggle with one one more aspects of all this and could benefit from the most basic of technical training.

Never mind the GUE equipment requirements and standardisation, I don't see the need for that to improve the standard of training outside of GUE.

[bent]

Agencies could asked their instructors to post an short video of themselves and a couple of their stundents on the agency website. It's not gonna fix the issue but I believe it could help with quality control and people could weed out the folks with dangling gear and trimm issues. These days every instructor has a gopro or access to one and for the good instructors it could be a good marketing tool. Why not try that? Doesn't have to be a goofy youtube channel, just some short demo. It certainly wouldn't hurt, at least not the good instructors.

If it's an issue, call people out by name.

I've recently called out a zero-to-hero instructor (owd to full cave ccr trimix instructor, mind you) for the bs posted by him/her on a German forum. What you get for it is people b!tching at you for being an ahole... whether it's true or not, noboby gives a damn. People just love their instructors/buddies... even if their instructors, in part, got their rating in a weeks vacation in Florida but still doesn't know how to properly rig a tank.