PowderGal
Registered
I'm looking for Resources/Dive Site Maps that I can study before going to a new location.
So far, all my dives have been guided - and I'm not complaining. I've enjoyed my dives, seem tons of cool things and have been able to work on techniques to maximize my dive experience. But now I'm ready to bite off a little more to become more self-sufficient underwater. I'm ready to start preparing and learning the terrain underwater. QUESTION: "How can I prepare in advance for a new dive site (even if I'm going to follow a guide) to know the terrain better before I go?" Before I go to a new city, I pull up a map (having Google maps has come in quite handy), look it over, review the major arteries, figure out start and stop places. Basicly, I study the map. By the time I get to the new location, I'm far from being an expert, but I know enough not to panic if I make a wrong turn and can usually find my way around. Now, I expect that relying exclusively on maps underwater will be a little trickier than on dry land with street signs. But, are there any books or resources online where I can find maps of dive sites that I can study before going to new diving locations? Part of this studying is to train my brain to understand terrain features and how to negotiate. My thought process is that if I prepare, then follow a guide, I can compare my preparation to actual experience and learn faster from this approach. My approach could be wrong, of course, and if any of you have comments on why I'm doing this all wrong, please speak up and tell me what else to do. Thank you.
So far, all my dives have been guided - and I'm not complaining. I've enjoyed my dives, seem tons of cool things and have been able to work on techniques to maximize my dive experience. But now I'm ready to bite off a little more to become more self-sufficient underwater. I'm ready to start preparing and learning the terrain underwater. QUESTION: "How can I prepare in advance for a new dive site (even if I'm going to follow a guide) to know the terrain better before I go?" Before I go to a new city, I pull up a map (having Google maps has come in quite handy), look it over, review the major arteries, figure out start and stop places. Basicly, I study the map. By the time I get to the new location, I'm far from being an expert, but I know enough not to panic if I make a wrong turn and can usually find my way around. Now, I expect that relying exclusively on maps underwater will be a little trickier than on dry land with street signs. But, are there any books or resources online where I can find maps of dive sites that I can study before going to new diving locations? Part of this studying is to train my brain to understand terrain features and how to negotiate. My thought process is that if I prepare, then follow a guide, I can compare my preparation to actual experience and learn faster from this approach. My approach could be wrong, of course, and if any of you have comments on why I'm doing this all wrong, please speak up and tell me what else to do. Thank you.