I am back, feeling poorer, colder and sick. Yes, age is catching up for sure. Between 9 to 14 August, under Orpheus Dive, I brought a total of 24 divers to Bali to dive with the much talked about, much heard about and much brag about - Mola Mola and Manta Rays.
Well, finally took a "teachable" course with them over the weekend (Deep Specialty). What can I say… The crew was friendly, accomodating but overall the whole organisation was still administratively WEAK, yet again. sigh… also, no theory, no manual, no video (something wrong here?), just a couple of seemingly silly exercises done during the dive segment (this part's PADIs requirement). Worth the money? considering it only cost less than a hundred bucks for the course, mmmmm…. not if you wanna learn something useful… I had a different objective in mind, as such for me, yes on two counts (evaluation & insurance). Did they meet all of the requirements set by Padi for the course… the jury's still out on a definite answer… In a Nutshell, if you wanna learn something well and proper, probably not the BEST place. But if you just need the certification, than possibly one of the ideal places to approach. - goodeatsfan 01/08/07
I came across the posting from a local dive forum recently. What caught my eyes is that it was posted by someone I really know and has paid LOTTSA MONEY to attend a GUE course. I have removed the name of the dive centre, just in case if anyone stumble upon this site and think that I am trying to stir up something.
Well, the above mentioned is a new PADI 5 Star IDC. One of the highest rating given to a dive centre that has met supreme standards by PADI. However, what really amazed me is "no theory, no manual, no video". According to the diver who has attended the course, he was telling them about me/Orpheus Dive and the owner went on rattling "Wah, this Lester, very evil. Only bother about watching me dying. Only want us to waste money and nah nah nah.. …"
Grow up motherfuckers. If you want people to stop bitching about you, do things right and do things good. Trying to cut corners and breaking standards are not something any instructors nor dive centres should be proud of. Like what Greg used to tell me "If you cannot even do it right here in Singapore, what makes you think that you can do it right anywhere else in the world".
Specialty courses are not to be taken lightly. It is a course where divers who are really keen in learning more, wanting to dive safely. With such records of teaching, in no time, no divers would want to attend any courses, let it be specialty courses.
For those people reading this, yes, I do understand when there are times that standards are broken, but breaking it till no point of return, this is too much. Skipping one or two, I can understand.
According to training standards for PADI Deep Specialty, the following are inclusion of the course.
Recommended depths for each dive:
Dive 1 — 24 metres/80 feet to 30 metres/100 feet
Note: The maximum depth for Dive 1 is 30 metres/100 feet
Dive 2 — 18 metres/60 feet to 24 metres/80 feet
Dive 3 — 30 metres/100 feet to 40 metres/130 feet
Dive 4 — 18 metres/60 feet to 30 metres/100 feet
Safety equipment
a. Boat or surface float with weighted reference descent/scent line.
b. First aid supplies and equipment. Recommended: First aid kit, Pocket Mask and oxygen.
c. Boat/surfboard for rapid surface transport
d. 6-metre/20-foot weighted line for safety stops and practicing an emergency-decompression stop.
e. Backup air supply attached to 6-metre/20-foot weighted
line
f. Surface signaling devices
On another note on independent study, even if a course allows independent study, candidates need to have some form of reference materials. Video, deep diver specialty manual or knowledge reviews. In this case, there is nothing. It is as good as, you come, you pay me money, i take you to 40 metres, we surface, do safety stop and get your certification. What do students learn? Nothing!
This is really sad