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Chris Hellas <chris@de*.de*.co*.uk*> wrote:
> Technical diving is in grave danger of becoming 'fashionable'. We have
> already had a few threads on the subject of "technical diving wanabe's".
> Well unfortunatley we are going to se a lot more!.
I think you have a point here. There are folks who get into technical
diving for all the wrong reasons, who don't get the proper training, and
who don't use the proper equipment on dives. Of course, this is also
true for "recreational" diving, flying airplanes, mountain climbing, and
many other "high-risk" sports. The extremes that attract serious, dedicated
individuals also tend to attract lunatics (it could be argued that the two
mindsets are not all that far apart :-).
> What we do not have is education beyond initial certification. Divers pass
> the theory, demonstrate certain in water skills & then are let loose waving
> a C card. I know lots of instructors who care enough to advise students on
> the way foreward and ensure that they have a 'feel' for a particular
> mindset that will hopefully mean the student will progress in a logical
> manner. I suppose we are back to sounding elitist, but I still think that
> Trimix is not for mass market consumption.
You're right, it does sound elitist. You're making broad generalizations,
and painting all of us "techdiving wannabes" (yes, I too "wannabe" a
technical diver eventually) with the same brush. I like to think that I
am going about it carefully and safely, thanks to some divers & instructors
who came down to my level to teach me what I needed to know, and who did
it willingly, without the slightest hint that it might have been a burden
to them (OK, maybe a little hint, but I guess they can't make it TOO easy :-).
So, my question is (for you, Chris, and for anyone else who's annoyed with
us "techdving wannabes"), what are YOU doing about it? Are you one of these
instructors who points students along the right path? Do you take novice
divers who express an interest in technical diving under your wing, show
them how to do it right? Do you lecture, write articles, or do anything
else to let people know that techdiving can be done safely, but that doing
it safely requires certain careful preparation? Perhaps, if more of the
experienced divers did these things, there might be fewer of the type of
divers you're complaining about...
--tab
--
Tracey Baker tab@pa*.co*
*** NJ SCUBA Diving Info at http://www.panix.com/~tab/scuba.html ***
"I don't think safety is the main issue here...
You'd be stupid not to be safe." - J.Comly
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