I see both sides of view, but having been through PADI open water certification some 20 years ago when it was way different then it is now, I'd have to agree that I don't think that safety is stressed like it should be. Sure you are responsible for yourself, but it also helps to spend some time going through equipment and what to do with it if it fails. They used to do this a long time ago, at least my instructor did. My class was 6 weeks long 2 times a week, 2 hours at a time and before you were even allowed in the class it was a mile and a half swim with 3 different strokes, and 30 minutes of tredding water. We had to do 5 dives, and one of them was down to 100 feet so we knew what it was like to go that deep and the instructor spent a lot of time before that dive explaining what we might expect at that level. I know someone that went through the current certification and I was horrified that they were considered to be "certified" with a few classes and a couple of pool exercises and 2 dives at a rock quarry. They proudly were bragging about how they were certified scuba divers and all I could think of was that there was no way I would ever buddy up with someone with that level of experience unless it was a very, very basic dive down no more then 30 feet or so. I still think PADI is a great cerfication program, but I agree with the various levels of certification. I think that would be a great idea.

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