Hi Don,
    Hope your diving is going better than mine at the moment as they're
predicting another "blizzard" up here and noone wants to dive.
     Anyway, the issue of a highly experienced "older" diver being
supervised by a relative "puppy" is certainly ego bruising as well as
not being particularly sensical (?).  I think that's why some operators
started taking log books in exchange for some of the advanced cert's but
still I think they are looking for advanced ratings to be sure.
Admittedly an instructor supposedly has training in SCUBA rescue
techniques that even the experienced diver may not have had much contact
with however I can related at least two situations where a crash course
instructor graduate was rescued by one of these "older" divers.
Although this is not a popular position It would seem that it is the
instructor rating that is overrated in many instances rather than the
open water rating being underrated.  At least an open water diver is
generally given the chance to demonstrate skill whereas the instructor
is simply assumed to be competent, a fact which is unfortunately now
always the case.
   This is not meant to bash any particular agency or instructors in
general, by and large dive professionals are my favorite people
currently taking up space on this planet, but it would seem that better
screening of divers on both ends of the spectrum of certification would
help and would create a much better operation.  Hopefully the experience
issue will become more widely accepted as criteria for higher
certification.
    Anyway I'm rambling, partially due to the early hour and no school
due to the weather.
     Be wet and well.
Dennis
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