Instruction the way it used to be

[SeaRat]

I had a very interesting experience last Wednesday. An workmate of mine, ex-Marine and very knowledgable about many things, came to me with a confession. He had tried scuba, and had not passed the open water portion of his basic scuba class. He said that the instructor had taken them to a lake, with about three feet of visibility, and taken them to 40 feet on their first dive (no lights either). He got clausterphobic, and when water came into his mask, he paniced. He did not bolt to the surface, but did surface and never dove after that. He wanted me to teach him how to dive again, so he could get over his fear of diving.

Well, I haven't taught since about 1986 (NAUI Instructor #2710). But I told him that I would help out, but only incrementally. I told him that the secret to any instruction, and especially for diving, was to "teach from the known to the related unknown." So about a month ago, we got together at noon, and I brought some snorkeling gear. I had him try two different styles of fins (one regular and one full-foot pocket with a split fin). I showed him how to use a snorkel, and how to swim with fins and mask. He got so that he could surface dive (he apparently never learned that in his scuba class), clear his ears, and swim underwater.

He was jazzed enough by that to buy his own mask, fins and snorkel. He went to the pool, and practiced several times on his own. Then we finally met up last Wednesday evening a the pool for scuba (I had shown him how regulators and valves work at noon).

In keeping with my thoughts above, I told him that we would be diving a single hose regulator that was a single hose. I put my multi-single-hose regulator with an SPG on his tank, showed him how to open the valve, and showed him that he had a full tank of air. I explained about a "J" valve, and that he would be diving in only a few feet of water and did not, in that environment, need either an SPG or a BC. I then put the regulator he would use back onto the tank.

When he asked how to get to the surface, I told him that he could swim there. I mentioned that in the early days, without BCs, we swam where we wanted to go in complete freedom--it was as near to flying as a person can get without an airplane. So we put on the gear, and walked down the steps into the pool.

I again showed him how the regulator free-flowed. I was wearing a double hose with twin 50s (AMF Voit 50 Fathom with a "J" valve on the tanks). I wore it with a modified military harness (no waist strap though--I wore that weird, French buckle on a weight belt with no weights, and a crotch strap that connected into it).

He had a single-hose, Calypso J, and a standard 1970s backpack. The free-flow was initiated either by me leaning back (double hose), or him putting the second stage mouthpiece-up. I showed him how to stop the free flow of a single hose too (finger over the mouthpiece). This was followed by a buoyance check, to determine whether he needed further weights (he did not).

At first, we did not use fins. We breathed on the surface through the regulators. Then we ducked down a bit underwater, and breathed ten breaths. We did this several times, and then sat on the bottom and looked at the kayakers (they had the pool with us). The kayakers and canoeist provided a great distraction as we simply sat on the bottom and watched them try righting their craft with only their paddle. Several times, they failed and had to bail. I noticed that his face mask was fogging, and motioned for him to surface. I then asked him to watch me "defog" my mask by letting water into it, swirl it around, and blow it clear. He did that, and we debriefed it on the surface. I told him about keeping the little hole in the skirt at the bottom, and looking up. He did it again, and got very comfortable with it. He said, "Thanks, I needed to learn that." All this time, I was wondering what his original instructor had taught him.

When he was comfortable with this, we put on the fins and swam in shallow water. At first, At first, he kept hitting the bottom. After two lengths, he asked me about this, and I was able to explain how the lungs work as a buoyance bladder (like a fish's swim bladder). Also, that in diving we needed to breath differently, and take a long, deep breath. On land, we usually breath only from the "bottom" of our vital capasity. Diving, I explained, we needed to take those deep breaths to rid our body of CO2, and to maintain our buoyancy. We swam another two lengths this way.

Now he was much more comfortable in the water. I explained again about equilizing the mask and ears, and we proceeded to the deep end. He stayed close, and got to the bottom with no problems. Then he began to "get it" concerning buoyancy, and began swimming circles. I showed him how to balance on one finger, which he did. We then began swimming, and he was able to maintain himself neutral in the water. He was starting to have fun...to swim around, do a roll, and "fly" underwater. He swam another 15 minutes, and when he surfaced, I told him to switch to his snorkel in deep water, which he did without problems. We swam to the shallow part, as the lifeguards were kicking us out of the pool.

He had a great time, and so did I. I was happy watching his joy, after knowing about his previous terror. I now think Vintage Instruction has something for todays divers too. I think we get so wrapped up in the equipment end of things that the instructors seem to forget the basics; the feeling of complete freedom and weightlessness, the ability to "fly," the view of the world from a different perspective, the simple joy of breathing underwater. Isn't this the essence of diving? I think so.

John

[BLT]

I don't understand how people can think that just because they have gone through 5 or 10 hours of classroom instruction they are experts on the physical act of scuba diving. So much of diving is practice, practice, practice. I always shake my head when I see people take their basic scuba class then take an advanced class right after that. I always suggest that they get with a dive club or a group of friends, get in a bunch of dives, then take the next class. The experience they gain by setting up the gear, doing the dives and doing the informal dive de-briefs (either in the parking lot or at the local pub - whatever works) will make them much more prepared for any other classes they take.

I base these conclusions on how I was originally certified. My first Open water class was actually my PE credit from my AA degree in Marine Bio and Oceanography. The class ran once a week for several weeks, with each class lasting several hours then came a pool session (the instructor was none other than SeaRats buddy Bruce Higgins). After I was originally certified, I went several years without diving- I didn't have a car and couldn't afford gear rental and the only other person I knew who dove had to have skull surgery and was out of the water for a long time. Eventually I went to work on a NOAA ship and was offered the chance to become one of the ships divers. I went through the NOAA dive school which was 2 weeks of 8+ hour days doing theory, pool and open water work. After the first 2 weeks, the people from down south went home and the rest of us went through a week long drysuit class (my ship was usually in Alaska). While we were doing the drysuit work, we had a class of DMs assigned to help us. By the time we had finished our class we all received NAUI advanced certifications. To further my education, I was sent back the next year for DM training. Due to my limited in water experience, they sent me back through the 2 week open water class then instead of the drysuit portion of the class, I was bumped over to the DM class for that week. If the ship didn't have a DM they couldn't do any diving, which was a required part of the support for the ship, so the other option was to temporarily assign someone to the ship who was DM certified and that would have been too much hassle.

All in all, I have had lots of training which has made me very comfortable in the water, but a large part of that training was in the water - diving. Helping to run a dive club I have seen many newer divers and for the most part they simply need time in the water - at a relaxed stress free pace - so they can actually see what is going on around them instead of being stressed and forced to run through drill after drill to get every one finished with the class in time for the instructor to get home to watch TV.

I know that was a bit of a ramble, but I think the "problem" with many newer divers or wannabe divers is that they don't get enough basic instruction and time in the water before they are sent out on their own. This situation can be helped some by dive clubs and some of the mossbacks, but it all boils down to time in the water...

[seakrakken]

Nice job SeaRat. I like stories with happy endings and that was a good one. Thanks for being there for someone.

[garyfotodiver]

I also learned the "old-fashioned" way in 1970, after I spent several summers snorkeling off the NJ shore.

My daughter certified last year and now we are taking things slowly. We have made a few dives together in warm FL waters.

The point is that I still learn something new every time I dive.

[Deleted]

Hi John

Nice done....

I was certified thru the "old-fashioned" way. US navy diving manual was my text book and the course ran three times a week and last 16 weeks.

Today's diving teaching are so systematics, it has become a procedure like they prepare french fries in the fast food chain. Diver are told what should and shouldn't to do and are out for diving. My point is, a VCD can do all the teaching and the dive instructor is needed to hit the on/off button on the VCD/TV machine. I recalled I nearly fail my instructor course, because the trainers though I was too young, they though 24 is not mature enough to handle another person's life.

What has happen to the diving teaching is a transfer of the instructor's experience to the student in an environment which is safe, enclosed and overcoming fear.

I can see that most people tried diving because it is a social thing - (my other friends try it so must I, I would like to flash my C-card too). This is one of the factor which contribute to develop today's diving teaching methods.

I still enjoy in teaching in the "old-fashioned" way. I think this is the only way to introduce a life long hobby to another person.

[SeaRat]

Thanks guys,

Last year I went to a different pool to be in the water while a well-known instructor taught basic scuba. The water skills of the new divers were poor; one person could hardly swim.

I was also surprised that one slight gal was very overweighted, and dependent on her BC. Tanks used to be nearly neutral; the tanks I used above for my workmate was a single 72. Her tank must have been 5 or more pounds negative, as she had a very hard time staying on the surface without air in the BC (which the instructor, to his credit, was teaching). We've got to realize that this can be a problem for some people.

John

[SDM]

Interesting observations and comments....

Perhaps I can shed some light on the underlieing reasons for the deteroiation of the quality of American and the world's diving instruction. However, I will for brevity confine my remarks to the American Instructional scene but which probably in reality represent the world.

Frist one must examine the very genius of organized diving with in the US.

I think we all realize that the first attempt at a dive manual was by Spaco in 1948. This manual with minor alterations was used by first Rene when he owned US Divers (USD) and later for a number of years by JYC & EG.

The very first Instructional program was the famed and very difficult and demanding LA County program. Established in 1953 for the LA Co life guards and later in 1954 made avaliable to the general public as a civilian diving training program.

With this transition came the first civilian traning manual of importance "Underwater recreation" by Bev Morgan in 1954. (not ot be confussed with book of the same name by Al Tillman or Bev Morgan's book published several years later by US Divers)

In 1950-60s Neil Hess, an LA Co Instructor, wrote a column in SDM called "American Dive patrol." It became apparent to him and others that what organized diving existed in the US was in dire need of organization and leadership.

At the UW Society of America in Huston in August 1960 the first national instructional program was presented; it was a considerably watered down version of the LA Co program and was preseted by All Tillman, Harry Vetter et al (see picture of Harry Vetter in the Photo section of VSS.) All Tillman assumed command of this new program which was called National Association of Unerwater Instructors aka "NAUI"

NAUI had a slow but steady growth for a decade. NAUI was consided the very best in in UW instruction and offered the very best Instructor training program outside of California's LA Co.

About 10 years later, around 1967-8 in the windy cold city of Chicago, Bob Chow, Ralph Erickson and the local US Diver's represetative John Cronin determined there should be another instructional organization in diving, one that was developed for the profit of the founders-something that would generate an income for them . Thus was created "Professional Association of Unerwater Instructors--PADI"

>>Note that "SCUBA" was not in common usage at that time so was not part of the names of these programs, however, it is often found in later programs=another way of "dating" an activity>>>

For many years SDM produced a reader survey.

In the 1970 survey, which appears to be the era in question and of interest for this thread, it is noted what organizations were certifing and the percentage of the total they were certifing

YMCA 29.9
(If using a YMCA pool for instruction, YMCA card must also be issued-so this is not a true percentage)

NAUI 19.4

NASDA 9.2

Clubs 7.5

LA Co 5.5 (29.4 with in California)

PADI 3.6

FSDA 1.6

SCIP .8

Other 18.7

Therefore it should be concluded that there was a good high quality instruction with in the US up to and encluding that time frame of 1970-almost 35 years ago.

But wait--enter John Cronin, a master marketeer, a Chicago street fighter, a two fisted Irsh drinker and a dear friend until his end...

PADI began watering down the requirements for diving and especailly Diving Instructors--PADI began playing the numbers game. As PADI's substandard divers and instructors flourshed so did the profits of the organization. Soon they were the largest, wealthest and they were attempting to control most recreational diving.

They effectively gained controlled the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) which developed the standards for all SCUBA coures. Soon the higher standards established by LA county and as modified by NAUI were being erroded, eventually down to PADI's level. So the playing field so became level for all,-- basement level.

For instance.....
A prospective diver could obtain a class from NAUI for YYYY and required XXXX weeks to complete--or a PADI class for Y and requred a week end of time. Most people would vie for the course of least resistance -the cheapest and fastest --but not necessary the best in quality or quanity of instruction--no matter for they were only risking their lives--and the lives of their loved ones but no matter- they would chose PADI -- they could get it cheaper!.

SCUBA shops realized that students were $$$$ so, no matter from whom they had received their original training the shop often opted for a change to PADI. Soon the majority of shops and certainly all the newly established shops were "PADI shops."

Concurrently US Divers, now under the total control of John Cronin, established turn key Aqua Lung shops. Minimum money down and a complete shop was made avaliable for a few dollars and a signature--All PADI and all Aqua lung, (US Divers)

With this came classifications --shops with the star ratings and finally the student; the money makers for the shops were classified. Specialties were developed which the student could earn endless "merit badges".. a carrot was always in front of their noses --until they obtained all of them all or dropped out of diving or went bankrupt from all this "training." (AKA the instructor could read upside down and backwards faster than the student could forward.)

So now a generation has passed...PADI is in the drivers seat, and continue churning out almost adequate divers and certainly as a general rule sub standard instructors who are "PROFESIONALS!'

The finger for the dererioation of diving instruction/instructors should not pointed at one person or shop, but is lost in the history of Instruction--This sort of thing should have been stopped or side tracked years ago but it wasn't. so now the new neophites are paying the price and will continue to do so...


Yet, one must not find fault with sucess. John worked very hard and was very sucessful. One needs only to travel around the world, PADI is every where and they are making money for the shops/operators/boats... and certainly PADI.

And now It is often heard I am a "PADI DIVER!" if they only knew........
certainly does't impress me

SDM
aka:
Underwater Instructor,
LA COUNTY # 11
outstanding contributions to UW instruction -1963
outstanding UW instructor of the year - 1969
NAUI #27
CMAS 2 STAR
PADI 2241
(and many others who have fallen by the wayside.)

I guess my cover is blown!!

[SeaRat]

SDM,

I really, really appreciate your explaination of what happened to underwater instruction since the 1970s. In the early 1970s, I participated in several of NAUI's IQ conferences, and at that time we were looking at how to improve the state of the art. I have not seen this. There are two reasons, and you have hit the instruction part of it well.

The other area I have noted is the increase in dive travel, and "diving destinations." I do not travel much for my diving. The last time I was in warm water was 1986 in Hawaii. My diving since has been mostly in the water environment of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. I note with sadness the decline of Skin Diver Magazine, and it's eventual printed demise (it's still on the web though). It declined as it became more and more dependent upon dive travel, and less and less on diving adventures that any diver could experience around home.

I watched as diving became the realm of the wealthy. New equipment was priced so that it became unreachable to the majority of our population. Now, if someone wants to take up the sport (especially in the Pacific Northwest) can now expect to spend $3-5K on equipment, and and about half that on instruction.

In contrast, my first experiences were with a single 38 ft3 tank, K-valve and a Healthways Scuba regulator (the first version). I got a wet suit the next season. My equipment was paid for by seasonal berry and bean picking in Oregon's Willamette Valley near Salem. It took me until the next year to save up enough to buy a wet suit, and until then I simply got cold. I learned scuba from reading The Silent World, probably three times after watching the movie of the same name in about 1958.

My first instructional experience was after we formed the Salem Junior Aqua Club, and got an L.A. County Instructor to give us a class in 1963 (that's right, I was diving for about four years before taking my first class). We tagged along with the Salem Aqua Club on their dives to the Oregon Coast and Puget Sound/Hood Canal. But all of us were very good in the water. Most of us had swim team experience. We were comfortable in the water, and had been snorkeling for years before getting into scuba. I was snorkeling in about 1956, and remember watching Sea Hunt after swim team practice after school. I went on to greater experiences thereafter.

But as dive travel has increased, the dynamics changed. Divers were no longer interested in local areas as much, and more money was coming from the travel industry. Skin Diver Magazine promoted the travel industry, and diving became increasingly a rich guy's activity. Travel courses were introduced, first as introductions to diving in warm water, and then as more of a norm for the travel industry. I've read some real hair-raising tales about the travel industry now and Japanese tourists. But I think some of the dilution of diving instruction has to do with the travel courses.

I see a resurgence now of interest in local diving. Maybe it really never went away. I was rather isolated for about twenty years raising my family, doing my job, and solo diving when I had the opportunity. I am seeing club activity now is better, especially now that I'm in a city.

John

[diverb0b]

Having been diving since the early to mid 70s I to am amazed and sohcked at the way padi puts out divers.I ,myself have had quite a few in the last few yrs come to me to be retrained. They are actually shocked at how much training that they didnt receive from their open water course.Its a wonder that there isnt more accidents with the lack of training that most dont receive

[dogsbodydiving]

Hi Ya

As a Padi Professional I would just like to say.........That I totally agree with what you are saying. My Dad was a BSAC instructor yrs ago, and he never had time for PADI when they 1st hit the UK. As you may have read I used to go to the pool when he was teaching but I didn't get on too well with the scuba side of it I was only about 8yrs old at the time but wanted to follow in his footsteps.
It wasn't until about 8yrs ago that I passed my open water, that was only due to the fact that even though the teacher was a PADI instructor She had firstly been a BSAC instructor, which made all the difference to Dad that made him happy. We had known her for years.
After two yrs of hard work diving I got my Dive Master. Even at this stage I was being asked to check out Dive Masters, AI's, and Instructors in the pool who hadn't been taught by us. (had some that couldn't even clear a mask). Scarey...
After a year my friend wanted to go through to instructor so I was dragged along to doing AI with her, which I did, then booked in for Instructor course in Blighty, but then had to have op on my ear (NOT GOOD0) 2yrs no diving, and no Instuctor course.
My friend went on to do the Instructor course in America, while I sat here. 2yrs later major changes. It was always no decompression dives but now we have Tec Wreck, you can now do Nitrox on your 4th open water dive even though you aint got a clue what buoyancy is. Kids can qualify at 10yrs old and they can do bubblemaker at 8yrs in pool ..What happened to boneacrosses (not sure on spelling) And they wonder why I moan. I will not be doing my Instructor, not for the fact I've been struck off for saying this but I think that PADI is now earning its nick name of PUT ANOTHER DOLLAR IN. I'm sad to say.......................

[John Lundy]

You folks sharing the history of scuba instruction is most appreciated. SeaRat was diving before being certified - many of us were. I got my first gear in 1959 - a 72cuft tank and a Mistral regulator, Voit Viking fins and I can't recall the mask. My mother had asked a ffiend who was in UDT during WWII what gear was out there and it was a birthday present. I did my first dives in the public pool in Stevenson, WA. Eventually I took a class in 1960 put on by a local club - The Aquaneers, in Camas, WA. It was taught by the UDT vet, Bud Sanders, and a commercial diver, Ed Pallamounter. It was easy paced but challenging. Water skills were stressed and we all had to remove our gear in the deep end, surface, and then go down and put it all back on. An open water dive in Puget Sound completed the course. We had a C-card from the Club - I am not sure if there was a NAUI or PADI then. I dove in the Navy, although they would not let me go to diver's school (Philadelphia then) because I was an electronics tech. I spend most of my service in the Pacific which is great if you like SCUBA. I was able to con a chief at the second class shcol at Ford Island in Pearl to let me go through some training. In 1986 I was back in Hawaii as a DOD civilian and hadn't dove in a few years, so I took the PADI course at a local dive shop. Even then it was VERY different from my initial training. I watched some videos and took a test. Then I dove with an instructor at several spots around Oahu. I remember I was supposed to make an ascent and when she signaled me to do so, I took out my reg and blew all the way to the surface. She was shocked and said that I didn't need to do that, just breathe on the way up. No ditching and donning either, just practice clearing your mask and finding the reg and octo when dangling down. The pace was easier than usual, since I paid to take the course by myself rather than with an entire class. So, I have a 1960 C-card that PADI would scoff at and a 1986 PADI card. I think I learned more the first time! But, I think we all learn something new every time we dive. The underwater world is still and wonder to me, and yes John, the feeling of flying is super.

John

[Dale]

While I agree that diving is not what it used to be, in many ways it is better. In the old days, instruction weeded out the weak people and kept diving an exclusive sport only for the very hearty. This also kept diving as an industry very small. What PADI did was bring diving to the masses. The masses then bought equipment which helped equipment manufacturers to grow. This put more money out there to develop new equipment. The masses went on diving vacations. This allowed resorts to be started and opened up places to go that weren't available before. The expansion of PADI made diving an industry instead of an exclusive sport with little support.
I do believe that instruction can and should be better and it is every dive instructors duty to make learning as thorough as possible. I also believe the diver has the biggest responsibility to keep learning and to become better. People need to realize that open water courses are learners permits and to get better you need practice. My initial OW course was through NAUI. 6 weeks long, lots of swimming and water work, heavy academics. But it was still a learners permit. No matter how thorough the OW course you still cannot dive once a year and call yourself an accomplished diver. Todays society wants to place blame somewhere else instead of taking responsibility. The fact is that the dive industry today is still turning out some good divers, ones that get hooked and keep diving and learning and do whats necessary to become accomplished at this sport. There are those that want to shortcut there way through life, get there without earning it, and because of them we will continue to have threads like this one.
While I enjoy my vintage diving, I'm also glad the old days are behind us. In a lot of ways, diving is still a very exclusive sport. There are those who want to see the pretty fishes on vacation once a year, and then there's us die-hards that will dive in a cold, muddy puddle just to get wet. Almost everyone can enjoy this sport to one extent or another, and I think that was PADI's goal and one that has benefited more than just themselves.

[nemrod]

Dale, I am sorry, I just don't think I can agree with all that, just me and I am ornery and getting more so with each passing day.
Maybe the "masses" don't need to dive, maybe the FAA should just give out Pilots licenses for free, high school diplomas are now approximately equal to my kinder school diploma and PADI is an evil force from the dark side that should be avoided. Nemrod

[Danny D]

Yeah back in the day when my dad started diving people used to get weeded out of the classes. Now adays anyone can do it no matter how inproficiant they are in the water.
Little story for you. A couple of years ago I was diving in Hawaii with a charter and we all were "licensed PADI divers". Well one guy was so well trained when his mask strap broke and his mask fell off he turned into a human assasin by freaking out at 30 fsw. Well lucky me was right next to him and during his freak out he almost drowned me ,another guy, and the divemaster that was trying to help him. Remember this was a Padi certified diver.
This is my example of a Padi robot that never really learned how to be at ease in the water and endangered several people. Hey though keep pumping out those babies Padi and keep those sales up.

[Dale]

Nemrod, its OK, you don't have to agree with me Really, its ok, just stating my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions ;D