How much experience to dive w/out others...

[TyTy]

Your dive certification is designed so that you may dive with a buddy and in theory not need anyone else. Of course if you're diving in a new area, new conditions, haven't been down in awhile, etc its a good idea to have a group or a DM with you, but BOW doesn't have as one of its limitations "must dive with a group".

That being said, if you are not confient (or your buddy isn't) in diving without a group, don't. I get the impression that pops isnt a diver. So unless you're only planning to dive to about 5 feet, he's useless in an underwater emergency (if he can see you he might be able to move the boat to where you'd surface, but thats about it. I dove the jetties at PC once. Horrible viz from what i remember) A problem that occurs underwater, gets fixed underwater unless there is no other way. Do you have utter confidence in your GF's abilities as well as your own? What does she think?

My girlfriend at first said something along the lines of, well maybe we should stick with a group. I just told her ya know I kind of feel that way too but I think it is just cause we have never dove by ourselves. Really what good is a divemaster in an emergency. If I run out of air Im not gonna swim over to the BM and tug on his fin so that I can show him Im out of air, Im gonna snag my buddies spare air, signal we need ti surface, take her forearm and rise safely with as much stop as we have air for.

After that little explaining she was like, ya thats true, sure lets do it.

What I am also considering is calling a LDS and see if there is a DM that is experienced on the jetty that will accompany us this first time. Maybe for free since my dad will provide the boat ride, that should sooth everybody this first time.

Thing is these jetties is the only place I see my GF and I being able to get regular diving in (5+ times a year). Once they get the road back in order it is 15 minutes drive from my folks place. After we get comfortable with this I plan to do the wrecks in the area.

Maybe Ill check into local dive clubs in the area.

 

[spectrum]

Why don't you find a simple safe dive site? Currents near rocks and lanes of travel are not where you need to be nor where she wants to be right now.

Pete

 

[Rec Diver]

My girlfriend and I have about 10 dives under our belts (all together) and are thinking about diving the jetties in Pensacola/Ft Walton Beach (between tides of course) by ourselves (meaning just the two of us, no other divers). Every other time we have dove we have been with a group.

If you have to ask you are not ready.

Anyway, how long after being certified before you started diving without a group/charter/divemasters in the water with you?

My OW check out dives were without a group. I have never dove with a group since being certified.

 

[HowardE]

Why don't you try going on a dive boat, but w/o a group, and see how that feels. There's pleanty of drift dives in FL to do, and you're basically all alone, until you surface, and the boat picks you up.

 

[alibee]

I think that while you feel confident, it's obvious that your girlfriend doesn't, and it would be unfair for you to pressure her into doing this dive (even if by "pressuring" her you're only showing severe disappointment with the concept of not diving with a group).

If you live near a university, you should be able to find a scuba club that you can dive with that should have a couple of DMs at each dive. That's also a cheaper way to rent equipment.

My fiance had been diving for 10 years before I got certified, so I felt safe with just us two diving straight out of my AOW, but after seeing how some of my OW/AOW classmates dived straight out of class, I wouldn't really recommend it for most people, especially if one of the buddies is nervous.

 

[TyTy]

You guys are probably right. I just called a LDS that has been the most friendly wiht me over the phone and they offered to put up on their posterboard for a local DM familiar with the area to go with us on a few dives.

So, we'll see what comes of that. Maybe find a nice guy or gal familiar with the area to go with.

Check out my new thread Im about to post about how much to pay someone like this...

 

[Blackwood]

As much experience as YOU need to feel comforatable.

 

[ScubaSixString]

My girlfriend at first said something along the lines of, well maybe we should stick with a group. I just told her ya know I kind of feel that way too but I think it is just cause we have never dove by ourselves. Really what good is a divemaster in an emergency. If I run out of air Im not gonna swim over to the BM and tug on his fin so that I can show him Im out of air, Im gonna snag my buddies spare air, signal we need ti surface, take her forearm and rise safely with as much stop as we have air for.

After that little explaining she was like, ya thats true, sure lets do it.

What I am also considering is calling a LDS and see if there is a DM that is experienced on the jetty that will accompany us this first time. Maybe for free since my dad will provide the boat ride, that should sooth everybody this first time.

Thing is these jetties is the only place I see my GF and I being able to get regular diving in (5+ times a year). Once they get the road back in order it is 15 minutes drive from my folks place. After we get comfortable with this I plan to do the wrecks in the area.

Maybe Ill check into local dive clubs in the area.

We were planning a dive with a DM to the U-352 off the coast of NC last week. We chose to dive with a DM due to our depth and lack of knowledge of the wreck. We didn't get to dive because of viz at the site but we did do a quick DM brief. His way of handling it was if a diver ran out of air you got with your buddy and breathed off his octo until you could get to the DM (he'd always be close) then breathe with him for the ascent. He had a long hose and a pony set up.

The benefits of a DM include having a guy who's not likely to burn through his gas when you have an OOA situation. Also a local one will know the sites.

You are correct in finding a place you can dive often. Cancun may be nice, but if you can't get there more than once a decade, its not a good dive site

 

[FZJ80]

...our instructors said top 1% of people they have taught.

I was told this and several of my friends were also told this. We all took OW at different times from different instructors. Either we were all amazing from the beginning, or it was a clever ploy to get us to sign up for our advanced courses.

I am an instructor now and I feel that this tactic is used to "hook" many divers into signing up for the next class, or specialty, whichever it may be. Don't let it get to your head. But, hopefully your instructor meant what he said.

As far as the dive goes, if you feel ready for it, do it. Be careful and remember everything you were taught. Make sure to be very conservative when you first start diving without professional supervision though. Things can happen very unexpectedly underwater and you want to be prepared to deal with them.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'll dive with you at the Fort Pickens jetties if you want an experienced buddy who will not 'lead' you but will keep an eye out for you. I've got several dives at this spot and like you said, I haven't been able to reach it since Ivan since the roads have been washed out. I'd like to dive it again, its alot of fun.

There are other places in the area(relatively close) that you can dive without a boat as well. Alabama Point Jetties in Orange Beach, AL. The Whiskey Wreck, if it ever gets uncovered, in Gulf Shores, AL. Destin and St Andrews Jetties in Destin and Panama City Beach respectively in Florida. This doesn't even include all the freshwater springs in the panhandle(Vortex, Morrison, Cypress, Becton are all about an hour/hour and a half from you.