Posted by brianc on June 20, 2001 at 08:28:35:
In Reply to: Kendall's Probationary Card idea posted by Ken Kurtis on June 19, 2001 at 18:02:41:
I like the idea, but I would want to see it followed up on both sides. By that I mean that I would want the boats to ensure that DM's are available to escort the probationary divers. I do a lot of teaching and volunteer dives with new divers. I hate it when I go on a recreational dive and a boat crew that knows I'm a DM tries to get me to buddy with a new diver - forcing me to change my dive plan or refuse, which often makes the new diver feel bad. It's gotten to the point where I show my AOW card so that I do recreational dives. I don't know what the situation is in SoCal, but in warm water locations the situation is so bad that all Instructors and DMs that I know do the same thing.