Dave Poole wrote:
>
> Sorry about this but I disagree. I am an avid diver, but my wife, Carol, has
> decided that it really is not for her. She has, however, done a couple of
> dives when we have been away on vacation. One was in the Maldives and one
> was off a liveaboard on the barrier reef. On both occasions she really
> enjoyed the experience but is still adamant that she does not want to 'learn
> to dive'.

So, in other words, she wants to "have her cake, and eat it too." I
would like to do the occasional appendectomy, with supervision, of
course, but I am adamant that I do not want to attend medical school.
Life is full of attractive benefits for which we do not wish to accept
the cost. Should we seek to eliminate all such dilemmas in the name of
effortless immediate gratification? And, what role do current cultural
trends toward exactly such goals play in creating a society where kids
shoot up their schools?

> She was in the company of competent instructors on both occasions - I would
> not stand by in a situation where I felt she may be at risk.

As an assistant instructor, I have had occasion to intervene in crises
while assisting with OW courses, both in the pool and open water. On
one occasion I actually pulled a few muscles using all my strength to
physically prevent a student's potentially fatal panic induced behavior,
and while I'm no Popeye, I'm a triathlete who curls a 50 lb. dumbbell
without strain. You are deluding yourself if you think your wife isn't
capable of mistakes the supervising instructor can't save her from.
Numerous threads here have discussed the folly of overdependence on
one's buddy; that goes double for the complete dependence of
intentionally diving while not competent and depending on the
accompanying instructor to make it right.

> It is my belief that certified open water divers who push themselves beyond
> their training


So, since other people are taking stupid risks, that justifies it for
your wife?

> (and how many don't ?)

Quite a lot, actually

> are at far more risk than someone
> undertaking a reef dive in the company of a competent (and I mean competent)
> instructor.

For supervising people with no training, who abdicate any responsibility
to be self reliant underwater, the standard of competence, in my
opinion, involves a level of strength, stamina, and reflexes I have not
seen in any great frequency among even the most respected instructors in
my cold-water region. In the tropics I would expect even less.

> A few classroom sessions followed by dives in confined water and
> benign open water conditions and, hey presto, you are a diver. I think not.
> Ask the families of the guys who have died at Stoney Cove who, having taken
> a quick open water course, jumped in without supervision and died.

I do not believe in quicky courses either, but at the very least,
participation in such a course indicates the a certain willingness to
learn properly, and assume responsibility for oneself. Your wife
essentially wants to be a diver without ever being responsible for
herself underwater, and I submit that if you really want to show how
much you care, you'll stop being an enabler in this.