As such, I carried my IANTD Technical Nitrox certification card with me so I could prove my credentials for my expected technical diving activities. I learned that day, only offer up the minimum certification to PADI Instructors with a superiority complex.
The dive leader, Murat, a PADI Master Instructor immediately mocked my c-card at check-in and proceeded to grab my logbook and flicked through it. He found a 60 metre dive in it and loudly proceeded to tell everyone how irresponsible I was, how I need lights a such a depth and my profile was not correct anyway.
I explained that the particular dive he was viewing was a square profile with air as the bottom mix, EAN36 as the travel mix and EAN80 as the deco mix - it was an accelerated deco. He then proceed to tell the open water dive students that such a dive was not possible and my log book was false.
I explained that the particular dive he was viewing was a square profile with air as the bottom mix, EAN36 as the travel mix and EAN80 as the deco mix - it was an accelerated deco. He then proceed to tell the open water dive students that such a dive was not possible and my log book was false.
I explained how accelerated decompression works shortening decompression requirements. His equally clueless divemaster agreed with him and they both thought it was bullshit and continued to ridicule me for the whole week in front of the entry-level dive students.
It was then I learned he and his divemaster knew nothing about nitrox, I actually had higher dive credentials than our dive leader and he was feeling a little insecure - he wasn't nitrox certified as a PADI Master Instructor.
It was then I learned he and his divemaster knew nothing about nitrox, I actually had higher dive credentials than our dive leader and he was feeling a little insecure - he wasn't nitrox certified as a PADI Master Instructor.
Not that was really an issue with me as nitrox was relatively new then and unlike now, not many people were certified. This was unfortunate as I normally only carry my PADI Advanced Open Water c-card for identification
I only had my highest level certification with me as this was prior to the days of internet and online checks and I intended to do some deep technical dives at the Blue Hole in Dahab.
The first dive was a check dive with Murat, what this turned out to be was a scuba review where we descended to a shallow depth, knelt on the bottom and then had to run through the basic scuba skills taught on the entry level course and then surfaced.
The first dive was a check dive with Murat, what this turned out to be was a scuba review where we descended to a shallow depth, knelt on the bottom and then had to run through the basic scuba skills taught on the entry level course and then surfaced.
Upon surfacing, I complained to Murat that this was not a dive, I paid for a ten dive package at two dives per day over five days. After a heated argument, he relented and agreed this short descent to five metres did not constitute a dive and would not be counted towards my ten dives. He did not keep his word and did indeed count this as one of my ten dive package.
As there were only three certified divers on board, we dived together with the divemaster as the guide. I quickly learned why the divemaster questioned and then berated my diving experience - his skills were lousy. He couldn't navigate, he had no knowledge of the local marine life, possessed terrible buoyancy and went through air at an alarming rate.
During the week of diving, I never returned to the surface with less than 100 bar in my cylinder, we always had to swim back on the surface as we could never find the boat the profiles were slipshod. We never found the features underwater that were explained in the briefing (he could do that ok) that were marked on the underwater charts.
As there were only three certified divers on board, we dived together with the divemaster as the guide. I quickly learned why the divemaster questioned and then berated my diving experience - his skills were lousy. He couldn't navigate, he had no knowledge of the local marine life, possessed terrible buoyancy and went through air at an alarming rate.
During the week of diving, I never returned to the surface with less than 100 bar in my cylinder, we always had to swim back on the surface as we could never find the boat the profiles were slipshod. We never found the features underwater that were explained in the briefing (he could do that ok) that were marked on the underwater charts.
We would be told we would go to a feature such as a cavern during the briefing, what would really happen was we would swim around for the whole dive looking for the cavern, wreck or reef. He would then get low on air, we would ascend and then swim back to the boat on the surface.
The final dive of the week was a dive together with the newly certified open water divers as a group. I already knew Murat was authoritarian to feed his ego and cover his insecurities. I soon learned why he was so dismissive of me.
The final dive of the week was a dive together with the newly certified open water divers as a group. I already knew Murat was authoritarian to feed his ego and cover his insecurities. I soon learned why he was so dismissive of me.
His ability to talk a good dive on the surface was not matched by his ability to execute the skills underwater. So I learned that while he was quick to tell everybody a PADI Master Instructor was the top level of instructor, I learned that this was really a purchased level awarded by course attendance.
So what did I learn? As a backpacker, I carried the minimum amount of gear with me then and still do today. But come on, how much weight and room would my PADI Advanced Open Water certification card taken up?
So what did I learn? As a backpacker, I carried the minimum amount of gear with me then and still do today. But come on, how much weight and room would my PADI Advanced Open Water certification card taken up?
Now, I only give the minimum certification requirement, don't have a logbook and certainly never list my deepest dive on the paperwork or correct number of dives, I generally only list 100 dives. Now that technical diving is relatively mainstream, it isn't seen as mysterious as it once was. I have never made that mistake again.
Great post, Jeff!
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