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Now what do we have here? A practical question. My name is Joe Diver, I want to learn about diving, these are my option: I ask a friend how to do it, I buy my equipment, and I go diving. That is what we did back in the late sixties, we had no BCD, no pressure gauges, one single reg, and heavy vulcanized neoprene suit. It was OK, there were no other choices available, maybe some CMAS, but the commercial diver that trained us, didn't have much respect for those sport divers. I was 7 years old. When new technology came out, (and somebody was still diving the Mistral) it was immediately criticized, "what do you need a BCD for?","why a pressure gauge, when you can pull the reserve valve?" etc. We alway went diving with a spear gun, "Why do you go in the water if you do not fish anything?", things were different, sometimes dolphins were caught in a tuna-net, and had them for lunch, Yes real dolphins, the one we all love!" Then there was the big revolution, CMAS and the other European agencies became stronger with more certifications. PADI came into play, and then many other, I do not remember in which order. They were considered the easy way to get in the water, and they still are. An industry was born, new certifications = more money = more equipment. As a Joe diver I have to start with a PAID course or something else SSI, NAUI etc. Of course they are so fucking stupid and ignorant and so full of themself, that they never tell me the truth, there is nothing behind 130 feet, just X-files! Nobody goes there, and do not use Nitrox, it is bad for you. Or at least before Nitrox made money, now they have a PAID, SSI, etc. course for that. NAUI has announced a full Technical course. IS PAID going to teach trimix? Yes if there is enough money to be made. Now I have my sport certification, I go diving, and what I do I see? Somebody is going deeper then 130 on air, they have no idea of what is going on, mamma PADI told them not to do so, but never told them there is a better way to do it. But of course the kids want to go deeper, at that age they think they are bulletproof. Most of them come back alive, so what do we need mixed gas for? I've heard from friend that someone is teaching mixed gas in Florida, but what the hell do I need that for? We know that CMAS is using mixed gas, they have table for it, but they are so arrogant that I do not want to get close to them. I asked my PADI instructor, but his few neurons are busy with the PADI wheel, he doesn't know, he never reads anything anyway, he knows everything already, "the world is flat". Somehow I get information about Tech agencies, TDI, IANTD and PSA, there is a lot of confusion, someone is selling Deep Air here and there, the other one sell extended range masking the deep air, but eventually they will teach trimix, I will end up paying a fortune, but I will finally breath some helium. And then I have George, we all know his impressive track record, his approach is simple and strait forward logical, but he doesn't teach it, he has another job. I may ask the WKPP, I heard they are willing to teach if you go there. The problem is, how do I get there? I cannot send all my students to George, not everybody speak English, not everybody has a net connection. There are no manuals yet, no structured course... I have been PADIfied, but I still have some neurons left, I found out that deep air is dangerous, it almost killed me (the story is available upon request), my few neurons are telling me that too much equipment is dangerous, that I have to be streamlined etc. but how and where do I learn that? And I need some sort of recognition, I need to show that damn card, if I want a fill from the dive center. So what do I do now? Roberto PS: I loved the old days, I wil never forget Falco smoking a Gitane inside Cousteau habitat at 40 feet, but he was not allowed to smoke inside the submarine... (Mr. Falco was the chief diver for Cousteau, and they had a saturation habitat in the Red Sea some 30 years ago) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>> < > < > < "Memento audere semper" > < > < > <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>> -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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