IANTD Free diving instructor course

[FreediveWI]

Taking the course through Dan or kirk would teach you a lot and let you test your limits with the proper safety divers around.

I know that I could teach it, I am just not convinced that I could break even around here with the extra expenses.

If your working with your buddies to help them get deeper and feel more comfortable I think that your fine. As soon as you start collecting any money to teach something you open yourself up for all of the libabililty issues that come with living in the USA. We see it all of the time on the boats out in Lake Michigan. As soon as someone has their friends chip in for gas the Coast Guard considers them a boat for hire and you need a captain's license. People break this rule all of the time until something goes wrong and the lawyers come out.

Taking the course in Cayman would be really nice because the water is so warm and clear that I know you would add a ton of depth onto your PB. Doing it in B.C. would be tougher. I've dove and kayaked up in that area and the water is cold and dark. THe best vis is in the winter around there because all of the alge is dead. When Eric F. set his record up there he did it in 3' of vis.

I know that Kirk taught a class in Ottowa last summer. That would be closer from Wisconsin, but maybe not from where you live.

You could always get the instrucotr rating and teach for a year or so. IF it doesn't pay back you can still say you were a freediving instructor.

One thing that I have learned after almost 20 years of diving is that being an instrucotr doesn't mean much when it comes to diving skills. I have seen plenty of instructors, tek instructors, instructor trainers, ect. who just plain suck in the water. Many of them can't even put their own gear on and I bet a lot of them couldn't pass their instructor swim test after a couple years on the job. Almost every freediver I have ever met, if they have a c-card or not, is 10 times better in the water than 95% of the scuba instructors that I know.

Working on a charter boat has allowed me to see, and rescue, more than my share of divers and c-cards mean nothing. The more money people have the more cards they can buy. I think you had the right idea when comparing your abilities and what you can teach/learn from others.

Hoping to get out and dive today. It is going to get up to about 80 and the ice is off the lakes.

Jon