THE LAW OF PRIMACY, con’t.
The key to our species survival: ocean-friendliness. I have seen hundreds of first-timers going through
their first dive: do I dare calling the mess a massacre?
Roy, on the other hand, was 100% safe on the environment: all through both OW dives (a total of 2
hours underwater), he never touched anything to reposition, move/stop, or even to perform his skills; he
did not stir up the bottom, not even once. By itself, this is tremendous!
Thinking diver: The Whole Package
How many times did you look behind you in the water only to see all of your students’ eyes staring
right at you, as if waiting for salvation? Is this really where we want them to be?
I believe that UTD Open Water is designed to provide students with a complete learning package
through online material, lectures, ESM, ZUBA, pool, then OW dives.
Roy came out of his training with high levels of understanding, competence, confidence, and skills.
In the water, he demonstrated adequate situational awareness, efficiency within a team, and self-sufficiency. I have found myself, for a first time in such a scenario, in the presence of a responsible thinking
diver – he simply got the right attitude: I didn’t feel I was leading him much (not a follower diver), but
rather supervising him (thinking diver)…which is the position in which I strive to be.
Personal and Team Safety
Not only that, I even felt safer diving with him even though it was his first dive.
Have you ever wondered what will happen if you, the instructor, ever needed help during such training
dives? Will your students know how to react when you are the one in difficulty? Don’t they need a bottom to kneel on to be able to act? And talk about stress levels if the instructor is ever the one in trouble.
Let’s call it how it really is: in those circumstances, you are SOLO diving!
With Roy, it was a totally different ball game. I watched him perform basic 6 and S-drills comfortably
in mid-water, as well as performing proper ascents. I knew that if he ever sees the out of gas sign, he
now has the reflex to react
properly.
Fun, Fun, FUN!
I sometimes say this as
a joke: new open water
divers often have only one
objective when first at sea
– not to die! They are not
yet accustomed to being
underwater, do not fully
understand all aspects of
diving, and lack full control over their equipment
UTD Instructor Alain Najm.