On  Friday, October 04, 2002 7:50 PM, Michael Doelle wrote:


> Did a couple of great dives today. Wasn't *required* to dive with a DM,
but
> buddied with one anyway who supposedly knew the area real well. Poor guy
> couldn't find the boat again, so I lead him back. Second dive he was out
of
> air after about 40min. Are these the guys we are supposed to hire in order
> to be safe? The 3 DMs on the boat combined didn't have as many dives as I
> do. Back on the dock they rinsed all the gear with a big hose - including
> my drysuit undersuit, what a hoot; caught it too late cause I was getting
> the car.

G'Day, Michael!  Your comments about DM's reflects the real world of
diving - rather than the fantasy world that exists only in the minds of some
Instructors and DM's  :-)

In part of what I sent to Kuty,  in response to his request, I wrote:-

"It should also be noted that many truly experienced and accomplished divers
have few, if any, formal diving qualifications above those of entry-level
certification!  To also suggest that those people - who, in many instances,
are far more capable divers than an Instructor, (a qualification that only
indicates that they have been taught to teach particular training programmes
and does not reflect their diving abilities or skills!) - should be bound by
those same proposals is absurd!"

> But the dives were great and I'm sitting here all relaxed with a beer in
> hand.

That'll be me this time tomorrow!  :-))))

Strike