Quote Originally Posted by blue matt View Post
No i havent done one dive, as i said, popped to the local dive club and they completely killed the vibe i had for diving, it was as if under PADI i was 2nd class to the BSAC, now dont forget i did all my cards and worked as a dive instructor, it was not like i had just got in the water, in Australia it really was a community thing, i have kept in touch with people i dived with in 93, one is a Australian and another is from LA ( worked for Microsoft in Sydney when we me ) , both top guys, we were like diving brothers

Do you dive with a club ? ? ? i guess under BSAC ? ?
I know exactly what you mean with BSAC - though I have met many who are great guys and don’t give a shit about the politics.
I spent 15 years teaching (PADI) and was a member of a club but again can’t be arsed with the politics and shit. I’m just independent now, I don’t teach anymore and go diving with whoever, whenever, and wherever I want to. Being more experienced - nearly 30 years diving - I’m happy to do what I want but can understand why newly qualified divers gravitate towards clubs; the problem you often see with clubs, and not just dive clubs, is they often get dominated by big personalities, and macho personalities, which often don’t work well with new divers.