Be cautious with this service provider

[jelo]

See attached.

The chap is not known for his overly legal or ethical business practices.

Approach with caution, pay on the day, do not EFT the entire amount.

[BruceHun]

Isn't Harties green? Potato Bass- barbel....

[PRA]

Isn't Harties green? Potato Bass- barbel....

Maybe they use virtual realty goggles instead of normal ones?
Marketing trick?

[hunter26]

Best is go to Sadwana coral divers.

[Rebel 4x4]

See attached.

The chap is not known for his overly legal or ethical business practices.

Approach with caution, pay on the day, do not EFT the entire amount.

Too little info or any substantial evidence as reference. Just an image off Facebook and text to say approach with caution.

Its like posting a pic of someone and say “beware of this guy”

[AllanDrover]

See attached.

The chap is not known for his overly legal or ethical business practices.

Approach with caution, pay on the day, do not EFT the entire amount.

Jakes, please report this to PADI, alternatively provide me with all the detail and background info and I will forward this to PADI.
If there is one thing that PADI will not tolerate it is a PADI professional acting in an unethical way!

[jelo]

Too little info or any substantial evidence as reference. Just an image off Facebook and text to say approach with caution.

Its like posting a pic of someone and say “beware of this guy”

I know him personally. I have been burned, so have many others.

Saying any more on a public forum might get me into legal trouble.

Take my warning, or leave it, simple as that.

[Prof]

I know him personally. I have been burned, so have many others.

Saying any more on a public forum might get me into legal trouble.

Take my warning, or leave it, simple as that.

Post pic of the hyacinth on dam where course will be held.....it will explain plenty

[ghouwens]

IMO these "dam" courses are not worth the money spent on them in the first place. You need an ocean to learn to dive.

I was once buddied with someone from up-country that, despite being a qualified diver of long standing, was complete out of his depth in the sea. I had to hold on to him to stop him being carried away by the current, he got completely disorientated, and went into a full blown panic when the first shark appeared. He terminated the dive after just 12 minutes. When he got back on the boat, his cylinder pressure was down to 90Bar, and we'd only been down to 17m.

[stephenplumb]

.

[cainslie]

Diving seems to have changed a lot since our days. At least you had a buddy and you were aware of him.

It has. The training and the "rules" are still there. The discipline is not.

First dive he says, he will meet her on the bottom. She says, no, they will go down together.

I do that often when I DM a dive, however that's when there's a group, there's decent vis and the group has a number of experienced divers in it. Certainly not with a buddy!

My rules were that a dive buddy is always within arms reach, always. No exceptions.

Good rule, generally. Our group of regular divers don't really stick to it though. We dive regularly, we're pretty experienced, we're going down to 35m max. so a CESA is always an option.

but diving with buddies of unknown pedigree has not gone well for me in the past.

Yup. InstaBuddies are the worst. The best thing you can do for yourself is become self sufficient and assume your buddy won't be there when needed. It's a wonderful way to dive. The major downside of course, is that diver is guaranteed to need you to sort out his stuff up and end up ruining your dive. When I'm diving out of town with strangers, I've learned not to let anyone know my qualifications, inevitably the DM will assign you a buddy who "needs an eye kept out over" and you end up being a free babysitter for the operator.

but I guess the course is only as good as the instructor.

This. This is exactly the issue, and it's a money problem.

You can do an open water course for R4k today. You'll be in a group with a snot-nosed-wet-behind-the-ear instructor who's only job is to get all of you to pass in 3 days.

Real instruction would be 1:1 with an experienced diver, but it would cost 2 to 4 times as much and nobody would pay for it.

The industry (in SA) is in trouble.

[hedjudd]

As an ex-instructor “instructor” old school. SSI and NAUI.

When teaching there is no substitute for

• the full lecture process of the original methods. 5 x 2-3 hour lectures.
• The full pool training at 5 x 3 hour pool sessions
• 5 x qualifying dives in the conditions where you are most likely to dive ie the ocean or dam

something that went missing as well was proper pre and post dive briefings.

as for the buddy system there is no exception to the arms length rule, and that means that a buddies must be able to reach each others armpits as a maximum distance apart. You will only make this mistake once if you need help, and it is not only for air. Finger tips to fingertips distance dont even both trying.

finally refreshers before diving after an extended period of not diving and continuous training between dives no matter how good you think you are.

i started diving in 1977 have logged many many dive over the years, but still take nothing for granted. If I am not comfortable, confident or even a touch apprehensive (no gung ho options) i will abort the dive, a little fear (just a touch mind you) keeps your senses sharpened.

diving is to be enjoyed and not to be a stress test

[BruceHun]

As an ex-instructor “instructor” old school. SSI and NAUI.

When teaching there is no substitute for

• the full lecture process of the original methods. 5 x 2-3 hour lectures.
• The full pool training at 5 x 3 hour pool sessions
• 5 x qualifying dives in the conditions where you are most likely to dive ie the ocean or dam

something that went missing as well was proper pre and post dive briefings.

as for the buddy system there is no exception to the arms length rule, and that means that a buddies must be able to reach each others armpits as a maximum distance apart. You will only make this mistake once if you need help, and it is not only for air. Finger tips to fingertips distance dont even both trying.

finally refreshers before diving after an extended period of not diving and continuous training between dives no matter how good you think you are.

i started diving in 1977 have logged many many dive over the years, but still take nothing for granted. If I am not comfortable, confident or even a touch apprehensive (no gung ho options) i will abort the dive, a little fear (just a touch mind you) keeps your senses sharpened.

diving is to be enjoyed and not to be a stress test

Excellent advice. Agree 1000%.