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OK Billy, we'll keep it above the board and out in the open. You sat
there and put words into my mouth but I'm not going to waste time
straigtning what I said versus what you said I said out. I am going abit
further than leaving your questions to a simple yes or no and am adding
a couple extra comments as well as questions for you. And since you
insist on keeping this conversation going over techdiver, I decided to
change the subject name.
(1) As for the cylinder markings: Like I've told many others, I do
like the way WKPP marks their cylinders but I see one problem. For
thoughs how have made comments about the pricy stickers that agencies
sell. The person filling the cylinder (most of the time at a dive shop)
would probably feel more at ease if their were an official type of a
marking stating that the cylinder has been cleaned for O2 service and I
know this is no guarantee that it has been, but anyone could simply
stencil 3" letters onto the sides of a bottle. So, in that case I feel
at least this sticker(or someother official type of marking)would be
appropriate.
(2)As for weather or not I think trimix instructors should observe each
student switch gases. I do! And I watch them like a hawk! Remember this,
all instructors are not created equal. No matter what agency your with.
(3)There are many newbie's to technical diving that are required to
wear equipment differently than they have in the past. Some of thoughs
find wearing 1 stage alittle tuff to get use to, often due to the lack
of inwater time with this new equipment. Now we are going to hang 2
maybe 3 cylinders off the left side of their harness. How is this going
to be either easier and/or safer for the newbie technical student. Also,
why would it make it easier for the newbie student to be less confused
as to which gas they are reaching for by wearing them in this fashion
apposed to wearing them like most agencies promote(higher PO2 towards
the right). Needless to say most newbie techdiver students are neither
riding a scotter or wearing a canister light.
Whitney or Ian or maybe it was even George said to look this up on
their web page but I haven't found this yet.
(4) There are NOT a bunch of courses to take at the degree you try to
show it. You can take training to what ever degree you would like. And
choose what ever avenue you would like to go. Maybe wrecks, caves,
rebreathers or just plain deep. Would'nt quality diver education take
some time. You don't graduate with a college degree after a quick
spelling test in high school. Seeing that all of this slamming is about
agency inqualities why would you prefer that people take less training
and then send them out telling them that their something that their
not(a competent tech diver).Your sounding like the TDI advertisement I
read the other day by the way you put it. Are you a TDI instructor by
chance? Also you say IANTD is trying to soak students. Students have
choices to take thier training to the next levels as long as their ready
for it. They often know if their ready or not. And as you put it, not
all people are ready to be a tech diver. Small increments offer them the
opportunity to decide weather or not to proceed to the next level. If I
were to put a dollar sign on the time that I teach I would probally me
making a buck a hour. That don't sound like soaking to me.
Here are some of what you say is to much training.
(a)A basic EANx is a course offered to though who are strictly
interested in a safer breathing medium for recreational diving.
(b) Advanced EANx is a course offered to thoughs who wish to extend
their knowledge of EANx. Most of the time this is combined with a deep
air program( don't panic, this is still within 130fsw).
(c) Than there are Technical courses for thoughs who wish to venture
beyond the 130fsw mark. Even though the latest gatherings have showed
that trimix is the preferred way to go, most agencies still offer Adv.
Deep Air and/or Technical EANx courses to thoughs who still want to dive
helium-less possibly due to many things such as cost, availability or
what ever reason. Also for thoughs who want, there is a intermidiate
trimix courses designed for light trimixures up to about 200fsw. I say
about because I'm not sure of everyones standard or outlines.
(d) then there is full trimix.Training is usually within 300fsw.
Each of these courses requires more and more responsibility on the part
of the student in order to progress. I think thats a good call. Than we
have (e).
(e)is for ect. cave, wreck, rebreather or whatever else. Should
students be required to know ALL of this if they are just planning to
blow a few bubbles on a wreck at 100-200-300 feet.
Sorry, but I don't feel that I am soaking anyone and theres no pressure
put on anyone by me. They can choose to learn under me or go somewere
else. Sometimes it takes time to get were your wanting to go. And every
once in a while people find out that you don't really want to go there
after all. If that were the case and I was the student I'd me much
happier that I did'nt enroll in a super duper high tech course right off
the bat. Like I said before, I don't do this for the money.
IANTD is not killing anyone. Mistakes do! Mistakes don't = murder. And
I apologize if I did'nt sound sympathetic enough. My sincere condolences
go out to the families and loved ones of all diving fatalities.
Hopefully this will be interpreted properly and for thoughs of you
that want to conplain to me about my spelling, FUK U.
John Walker
--
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