Posted by Jason on July 29, 2002 at 23:47:18:
In Reply to: Yeah! And what's this bit about wetsuits? posted by brianc on July 29, 2002 at 08:48:16:
How far up north are you to see 48? Monterey/Carmel have been their usual low 50s for a while.
If you put all the students in dry suits too, great. Otherwise, dive the same gear. Is it not a shame that we see guys at the Breakwater taking large groups of poorly suited beginners to sit idle on the sand bottom, shivering while they wait their turn to do skills for the comfy warm drysuit wearing instructor?
They're not cold and they don't see any reason to do checkouts in a manner that is actually enjoyable. Good fitting wetsuits can be more than sufficient for Monterey, but odds are that the store brand is not going to fit more than half of the students well.
I've heard the lame excuse that instructors need to be at their best for a potential rescue. What does it say about them if they can't conduct a safe class in the same gear they provide to their students?