Scuba Diving Thread - mini forum

[limbo]

SoiSlut said:

Who staffed yourCDTC, I'm just wondering because they have down graded the staff over the years and I expect more since the passing of J.C. leaving the helm in the hands of non diving professiona;

 

[color:"blue"] There was a crew of 6 core CDTC training staff who where there from the beginning of the program (a.o James Morgan, Johnny Wetzstein) and for the evaluation days another 6 persons showed up (a.o. Drew Richardson).

I thought the staff was outstanding and did a great job. I wished the program had never ended!!! [/color]

 

Even thought a few at PADI enjoyed imaculate ascentions and some who came in from the field did so without alot of real life work I'm please diving was good enough to me so that I'm no to be plagued with the above! Me....let's just day that my current professioal crediental required no getting wet????

 

[color:"blue"] You're a shop owner who doesn't have time to get wet? [/color]

 

Yeah it's true! In fact I made 1 academic teaching presentation required to make a 3.0 which was the old standard.......That's then end of talking about me....lets just talk about diving and diver training..

PADI/DAN stuff is really the major thingo so let's stay with that! How many OWSI, MSDT's MI's and CD's on the board..

You all can vote for my status.....but it ought to be very clear!

How is Bill up in Pattaya.....the only remaining DCD. Shite that paid ok!

[lembeh]

 

>Make sure you Spec's incl, Night, Deep, Enax and believe it or not Nav

 

had planned on Enax (completed), wreck (next month), deep, nav and one to be decided. Not sure about Night, still mulling it over....

 

 

As a point of interest, I had heard PADI is becomming less popular, mainly as all the certification comes from only a few centers (australia for me) while other ones can issue on the spot...

-j-

[limbo]

Hi Josh,

 

Not sure what you mean here, but all c-cards for PADI come indeed from PADI AP, which is located in Sydney. However, after completing a PADI course, you'll get a temporary card which is valid for 90 days, within this timeframe you should get your real c-card.

As of very recently the temp cards are laminated now and look almost like the real thing.

Other agencies can indeed offer on the spot laminated c-cards, but for a 'real' card you have to wait as well. In other words, I don't think if you chose a laminated version of your c-card, that you'll get a real card on top of that.

 

This will not be a deciding factor which agency will be most pospular IMO.

 

PADI still is and will remain the most popular certifying agency in Thailand, for years to come.

[Guest]

Info for LIMBO..

I would love to share info but I'm a bit confuesed on your response....I mentioned that my current professional credential didn't require that I get wet. Specifically in the course there for. That's why I asked bout your program!

Where did being a shop owner ever fall into it and who said I don't have time to dive? Don't want to seem arguementative but I trust you'll see how I'm a bit perplexed

on how to respone... Not a shop owner!

 

YOUR CDTC? Did you attend at PADI WW in So. Cal or an International program. I'm interested in the staff other than Drew, James and Johnnie.

 

 

BTW, you might want to expand on your statement on issuance of Certification Cards to explain about regions and how the come from a number of places in the world. Regional Offices like PADI Eurpope, Japan, Europe and in Scandanavia with PADI Nordic which has some very interesting history. Then I'll post some interesting tid pits about some of the politics of how these little things go hatched and rehatched.

 

Lets try to promote diving in Thailand which I think is a great spot for people to complete openwater training or even get certified. And you have a flock of I.E's You have other activities for non diving family members which is a real plus and you could offer yourselves as "Diving in Thailand - We're Warm and Affordable" Now that is a free idea! Many destinations are not so affordable that have been over used.....Look at the shite hotels all over the Carribbean and how much diving costs. I realize you need to get a 10% price hike and reinvest that into Staff Training to get more return and add on sales for those 1/2 days of diving people. Earlier this year I sold and advance class to a group of 4 merely because I asked the magic question of how long are you here for after I looked over the info/waiver sheet to prequalify them as customers for a PADI ConEd class! With all the divers being picked up in Patong why doesn't a hotel provide diver friendly things like secure gear stowage and a washing area. Now I know that many pools are shallow because of the water table but I don't see much use of the pool demo although I really can't speak for Samui/PhiPhi.

There has to be 100 more DSD divers per day in Patong for the generating and will some proper training the staff there could find a 50% success rate in converting DSD's to OW Certs.

 

Sound like a big order....WOW, basic stuff with a little traning.

 

I also found that there is some OK diving right out of Patong, Which could lend itself to good DSD dive sites...That is a problem with DSD's and the long boat rides and increased apprehension!

 

I would trust some of the Phuket Crew log in here and share some ideas. Remember, the successful people are the ones who accomplish simple events set for by PADI!

 

How about the next topic on DM's doing DSD's a juicy one in many destintions...

[limbo]

No reason to be confused, being a shop owner would put a name to the description what you could be doing right now.

 

My answer was given as an answer, so don't read too much into it.

 

In Kota Kinabalu Alan Jan, Yasushi Inoue, Mike Holm and Susanne Pleydell were in the original team.

 

For the evaluation theyw ere joined by Brad Smith, Henrik Nimb, Takayuki Miyasita, Mark Caney, Pascal Dietrich and Trond Skarre.

 

 

Although you have some good ideas as your last post shows, I can't be bothered by your little games. If you got something to say or want to share with us, why don't you just do it? Rather than trying to sound interesting?

[Guest]

Limbo man

I'll continue to reamin a private person as is my private life!

Right now I'm living the life. Some consulting and working as an expert witness.

Sound like you had nice Int'l group. Brad Smithis a really nice guy and a good person to have at PADI. Too bad the couldn't keep Jeff Meyers, co- author of the current IDC, byut hes really doiong good things at DAN. I'd say PADI's ongoing support of DAN is again expressed in Jeff heading over to DUKE U. If you ever have a good visit with him he has great stories about his work in Radio before diving! Just don't let him take the Mic too long as you'll forget the current topic.

 

And you has Miyashita-san...Tha man who put the Japanese back in PADI Japan ( and that is another story about how Dr. Eric, found of PADI Japan had to move out becuase him and his red Porsche just didn't fit the mold of progress!) ....Somewhere about 1989 or so at DEMA, was in Houston that year, PADI Japan had their great party...You should have seen J.C. and Taka-san busting open the Saki Barrels... What a night as there was Rick Lesser in a PADI Japan happy coat and feeling very happy himself.

What a party! I hade the honor of escorting Taka around to the various Carribbean booths so the could open the door for Japan Divers to make those visits.

 

Lets talk about diving Thailand and let you tap my brain!

 

Pool parties are great. Harry Avril wrote the original programs and we had 35mm slides as the promo. It was in March of '87 that his event took its first road show. Still in use today at an annul show.....O.K. get a hold of the conventions schedule at all the hotels nad work that market!

If you do a good job you might even get on the program for the attendees and into the budget of the event provider.

But you have to get off you butts and make it happen!

[Guest]

How about application of the PADI system. A good application is Mermaid in Pattaya. He does calss in BKK and then people come down to Pattaya for the water work....That taps a good market in the BKK professional people....Hum? why couldn't people with very short plane rides to the same things... Possibly to a nicer place for the O.W. activities?

People who can afford weekends out of town are a very good market and now that Samui has more air service of very short plane rides ( possibly diving first thing in the morning and taking a late flight to BKK on sunday.

[limbo]

Hi,

 

We do have a shop in BKK as well, but the system you propose has never really worked, since the BKKokians prefer to go to Pattaya when they do the clasrroom/cfw work with our BKK shop.

 

Long weekends is a different story, that's when they all spread their wings and Koh Tao is a regular on the fave list, rather than Samui.

[Guest]

If one is compelled to gain the best they will travel...Andthat will depend on the quality of instruction....If you have objections then you'll not be able to help your customers overcome theirs! They will go where they find things to be the best. How is your presentation in Bangkok? I'll tell you what, I have a friend that is really CD quality but doesnt' watn to give PADI all that money... They ppay for classroom traning at youi BKK shop and give it a view......No Problem

[Brink15]

Well, you said you were looking for input from other dive professionals with Thai dive community experience so here goes.

 

I guess to start it sounds as though you really aren't that experienced with the Thai dive scene. You mention Phuket and Pattaya which leads me to believe you have based your previous dive excursions in Thailand on convenience to sanuk areas rather than the best diving and as a result you pretty much missed out.

 

The Similans are king when it comes to Thailand but there are many other great areas as well. Koh Tao has some very good diving for the Gulf and the Andaman Sea has a wealth of other dive sites beyond those close to Phuket. Koh Phi Phi, although not a pleasant place to stay anymore offers some very diverse diving. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are also fantastic, although more advanced. Koh Lanta is another very good area and the list goes on. It's just a matter of prioritizing diving vs. sanuk and you may be surprised that not all dive travelers put sanuk first.

 

I will admit that Thailand is not the best in the world but then again neither is Australia. For some of the best diving you need to hit the more remote areas of Indonesia, often times hiring a small boat and local guide (aka fisherman). But when it gets down to where the best diving can be found it is very subjective. Best what? Best live boards? Best diversity of marine life? Best visibility? Most untouched reefs?

 

You used Cozumel as an example, which to me is rather foolish. Cozumel throughout most of the 80's up until the early 90's had by far the worst safety record in the Caribbean if not the world. On two separate trips I saw dive boats capsizing on the way back to the dock. Fatalities were common place, something that has never been the case with Thailand. And by that I don't mean that Thailand hasn't had some. Any place with a very large number of divers will have the odd fatality. Happens in Florida several times a year.

 

As for DMs doing things beyond their expertise, unfortunately that is fairly pervasive in many parts of the world not just Thailand. It is up to the management at each shop to place a higher value on quality and safety than profits. At any of the shops I have managed that was always true.

 

I guess my overall feeling is that it appears you have entered this thread to puff out your chest. You drop facts like 39 years of diving experience, drop industry names, and imply you have a long industry involvement without coming out and saying just what your background is. I certainly can understand your desire for privacy, but then why drop these names and make statements like being an expert witness in the first place? I know plenty of expert witnesses in the dive industry and aside from Brett Gilliam I've rarely seen them have a need to boast.

 

What is it you expect to get out of this discussion?