Best Dive you've thumbed before doing

[waterpirate]

I have called many dives. Some Because my state of pre-dive fitness was in question. Some because a possible safety situation existed "other divers not fit, or conditions to advanced for divers aboard."
Eric

 

[CAPT HOOK]

I once thumbed a dive on the Thunderbolt because I just didn't feel right; fortunately my wife got to do the dive with the dm.

 

[almitywife]

ive only called one dive before

on the way to the dive site we came very very close to car crash when someone else ran a red light

then when we got to the dive site the gates were locked and we had to wait about 25mins for the national parks to show up and unlock them

and just as i went into the water my reg started to freeflow and at that point i called it

too many things were telling me not to go diving and i finally listened

my buddy (also my hubby) had no dramas as there was too many signs that day

cheers

 

[ArcticDiver]

Don't have any hesitation at all. The latest was a couple weeks ago. The boat owner had been a bit skittish in our previous get together attempts. Then requested that I go along as Safety Diver on a freediver photo shoot. I was really tempted but ultimately turned it down.

Explicit in the title "Safety Diver" is the duty to rescue people from situations that, for one reason or another, have gone wrong. In this case I would be diving with the boat, photographer and free divers all being strangers to me. We would be diving in approximately 100' of water. Too many adverse factors for my taste.

 

[Buoyant1]

I've had only one that I called...something I ate the night before went right through me, and I was too weak (in my mind) to risk it even after eating a hearty breakfast in hopes to get my "legs"....

I've had more than a few cancelled because of weather (actually of three trips to the Keys since certified, each had at least ONE dive that got cancelled because of bad weather that day)

 

[Gil57usa]

Just this past summer I thumbed a dive I had been looking forward to for months. The St. Pete on Lake Ontario. Eight of us took two boats out, a pontoon boat and my 21 ft. Penn Yan. The wind was from the south and the water was fairly calm. By the time we anchored, the wind had shifted to the east and the waves were picking up. We were all suited up and ready to go. My years of experience on Lake Ontario taught me that conditions can change drastically in minutes. The others did the dive and I selected to stay on the boat for safety reasons. The idea of surfacing and having our boats drifting down the lake without us was not a good one. That and the fact that we were a couple miles from shore. Anyway, the guys had a great dive, the weather did not get any worse and I had made a choice that I still feel good about. There will always be other dives. And before anyone feels the need to lecture about leaving a boat unattended, under good conditions, this dive site is not considered to be a problem in that respect.

 

[DeputyDan]

Dove with an outfit in Myrtle Beach SC - did not feel comfortable with the entire operation, etc. and sit out second next dive.

 

[FredT]

I've called a bunch of dives.

One was a night dive on the Flower Gardens with a ripping current NOT heading towards the distant rigs. I didn't like the "Plan B" exit model of over a hundred mile swim to the beach.

Another was a second dive on the Wallace out of Orange Beach, approaching dark, with an incompetent boat crew unable to get the engine running. Again "Plan B" sucked. Getting bumpier and a good current running. We stayed in our wetsuits until I finally got really pissed off and fixed the wiring so the boat would start and the radio work a couple hours later.

Another dive was off Destin with Fantasea on the Extasea. We got out to the rubble, but had a relative newbie with us. The current was good but not ripping, seas were 4'-6' short and building. Rick gave us the choice. Matt and I wouldn't jhave had any trouble getting into the water. Getting out would have been "interesting" to say the least given the ladder system on that boat, but doable if you timing was JUST right. If your timing was just a bit off the stitches to close the scalp would have been numerous inthe best of results. We called the dive because we didn't want to have to do the newbie rescue after he got beaned by the ladder. Again it was the Plan B issues that did it.

ALWAYS have at least 2 ways out of the water, at least one of which does not include actions on the part of the boat you rode out on! On beach dives there is the "preferred" exit point and the "d*mn, that's a long hike back to the car" one.

 

[shoredivr]

A number of years ago I was signed up to do a spring dive on the Munson wreck near Kingston, Ontario, a dive I'd done before and really liked. My buddy went first, pulled himself along the granny line to the bow and the mooring buoy. I jumped in, and had a hard time with a surface current that put me out of breath. I decided that this was not for me, and aborted the dive. This decision let the new diver behind me, who appeared apprehensive about the dive to bail, too. My buddy said he'd hook up with someone else on the wreck, then went down the mooring line.

While sitting on the boat I made another three decisions. One, get a drysuit. Two, get fit. Three, be self-sufficient.

Later, my buddy, who had teamed up with someone else, said the surface current was snotty, viz was the pits and the thermocline was shallower than usual.

I still feel good about those four decisions. And the second dive of the day on the wreck of the Comet, was just beautiful.

 

[Oriskany Divemaster]

Call it for weather or sea state; A smart decision.

Call if for viz or current; your Y chromosome is morphing in to an X

Call it because you're not up to it, leaving your buddies hanging: you've got sand in your v-word.

I've done all three.