First time without an instructor?

[LSanchez]

First of all, hi to everyone. Great message board and this is my first post.

So now that I have my advanced certification, I want to start doing some beach dives (socal area) with some friends. We all have about 15-20 dives each but have never dove without an instructor or divemaster present. I feel confident about this, but is this an accident waiting to happen? At what point does a newly certified diver start diving without supervision?

Thanks in advance!

 

[norcaldiver]

I think as soon as you feel comfortable with your buddy(s) ability to save you should anything go wrong. I started diving without a DM/Instr the week after I 1st got my cert, BUT that was with 2 other people that had dove the area many times before and it was the same area that I was certified at.
Find out waht you can about the area so there are no surprises and it's best to find someone that has dove the area and is farmiliar with it.

 

[LSanchez]

I bought a book on socal beach dives and have done a little research. I was planning on taking it easy at first just to get acquainted with the area and all. I wasnt planning on going gonzo my first time out. I was also gonna talk to some of the local shops to get some info also.

 

[JRScuba]

My friend, everytime you dive is an accident waiting to happen. That is why you went to classes to prepare yourself for this sport. Learning is a constant process and safety should never be taken for GRANTED. Remember this " Always err on the side of caution " and if there is any doubt in your mind abort the dive. You cannot afford to make mistakes. Go to this WEB site www.scubadiving.com/training/lessonsforlife/ . I am not trying to scare anyone but we all have to realize the reality of the sport.
Even the most experienced divers are cautious. On the boat put your " OWN " gear together. Make a check list and follow it. In the water stay with your buddy and always check on one another.
Glad to have you on board, stay healthy and be SAFE.


Happy Holidays Should you have any questions post them, this board is full of experience just waiting for you to ask a question. As you will find out from this post.

Joe

 

[IndigoBlue]

First of all, hi to everyone. Great message board and this is my first post.

So now that I have my advanced certification, I want to start doing some beach dives (socal area) with some friends. We all have about 15-20 dives each but have never dove without an instructor or divemaster present. I feel confident about this, but is this an accident waiting to happen? At what point does a newly certified diver start diving without supervision?

Thanks in advance!

An AOW certification means you probably did some deeper diving to 100 ft, probably did some night diving, probably did some beach and boat diving, and got some more dives under your belt, for a total of about at least 12 dives by now.

You should be a pretty good diver.

An "accident waiting to happen" would be a bunch of basic O/W divers going out diving for the first time without an instructor or D/M with them. AOW is a pretty good training course that should prevent an accident waiting to happen.

You may want to consider a basic rescue course, since accidents can still happen at any time!

 

[LSanchez]

I'm definitely planning on taking the rescue class. I just want to get a bit more practice/experience before then. I'm planning on taking that class in May/June.

 

[cdennyb]

Welcome, and may all your dives be good memories.

Now, I've been diving for 26 years now. Up until a couple of years ago, I thought I was ready for anything. I got certified AOW at the Dive N' Surf shop in Redondo Beach. We had a cool instructor, did a few 100' boat dives at the end, did lots of class work and were taught what to do and what will happen to us if...
Now, I say I thought I was prepared for anything up until a few years ago because I ran into the people (several different ones to be exact) that were true Technical Divers. They did mixed gasses, blended their own, made tables the night before their dives, checked and rechecked their equipment and then went for it. At first look, I was overwhelmed at their precision and safety. I was "taken into" their little group and delicately instructed and had all the bad training removed from my mind. I thought I was pretty safe. over 500 dives and no accidents, only a couple of close calls years ago, but after being around them, I learned there's a way to kit-up and a place for everything you take with you.
I was taught the right way to run (route) my hoses, the proper regulator setup to use, how to select the right reg for dry suit inflation, where to hang my backup reg., which reg to give my Out Of Air dive buddy, how to deal with emergencies, how to fasten stuff I really needed to my rig, and literally hundreds of other little things that, after my close analysis, made such perfect sense, I was shocked why I hadn't figured them out before. So, you see, you're in the perfect place and at the perfect time to NOT learn the bad habits. The habits that will lend themselves to accidents and possibly serious injury to you or maybe those you dive with.
Check out DIR or do a search on "google" for WKPP and read up on the right way to do stuff. I don't follow ALL of their 'rules', and I dive with a computer, which they frown on, and I use a BC, which most of them use backplates and wings...but the one thing we all have in common, is the safe and right way to rig our dive gear, and how to react in an emergency. How to control the emergency situation and not be controlled by it. eEmail me if you want more, I hate to take up so much room on theboard with this stuff. but now you know.
thanks
db
dennisb@advancedequipmentsys.com

 

[chrpai]

And remeber that any diver can call the dive off at anytime for any reason. Don't force yourself into diving conditions that you are uncomfortable with just because your buddy is doing it.

Have fun.

 

[Walter]

LSanchez,

Sounds like it's way past time to cut the apron strings. You sound like you're becoming dependent on someone to look after you. You need to move away from that concept and become responsible for yourself. I believe this is a good step to be making.

IndigoBlue,

"AOW is a pretty good training course....."

Not usually, although I'm sure there are exceptions.

 

[wreckchick]

An AOW certification means you probably did some deeper diving to 100 ft, probably did some night diving, probably did some beach and boat diving, and got some more dives under your belt, for a total of about at least 12 dives by now.

You should be a pretty good diver.

An "accident waiting to happen" would be a bunch of basic O/W divers going out diving for the first time without an instructor or D/M with them. AOW is a pretty good training course that should prevent an accident waiting to happen.

You may want to consider a basic rescue course, since accidents can still happen at any time!

With all due respect... I call BS. In a perfect world, a bunch of brand new OW divers should be able to go out in the conditions they trained in and do some diving. In the real world, those 12 dives may or may not mean anything. Depending on the instructor, the AOW card can be anything from a fantastic learning experience to a piece of plastic. Don't assume that just because someone has the card they're *advanced*, most aren't. 12 dives is just a very small, almost miniscule start.

When you should dive without an instructor? When you feel ready and you have a buddy that's experienced in type of diving and the site.

JMHO,

Rachel