Learning from 1000+ dives?

[TMHeimer]

I stopped collecting when I got the DM card in 2011. I have a bunch, and feel it has nothing to do with my desire to continue or stop diving.

 

[northernone]

How many dives did it take until you stopped collecting dives/certs/depth and so on, and were able to easily and without regrets skip a dive that just didn't feel "right"?

I went after certs once I wanted to instructor. Depth, simply how much water is between me and where I want to be.... that's from dive 1.

Knowing to call a dive, still not sure.

 

[RyanT]

So I continue to be amazed (and annoyed) when I see underwater stupidity at my minimal level of competence. A few trips ago I witnessed an instructor with a rebreather that bicycled vertically and beat the sh*t out of the bottom.

Ok, so I don't have 1000+ dives (around 700). But I found it interesting that I took a day trip out of Cairns to the GBR. We were required to fill out a form outlining our experience. I'm pretty sure they didn't look at it. Upon gearing up, the DM/instructor chastised me for how I had my gear set up. He started rearranging my gear before I splashed telling me I needed to do it for safety. So I put it back where I wanted it. He rolled his eyes and we splashed. So U/W I achieve my normal neutral buoyancy. I look over and see him bicycle kicking with the new students and kicking the crap out of the reef.

So yeah, giffenk, it's everywhere.

 

[RyanT]

To the OP, one of the things I've learned in my sub 1000+ dives is to analyze the situation for what it is. I once ran out of gas at the start of a dive because my tank had not been refilled on a LOB trip. As the reg kept getting harder and harder to breathe, I looked for every solution under the sun (e.g. valve not fully open), convincing myself the whole time that I couldn't be out of air. Yep, I was out of air. After that I learned to leave my preconceptions at the dock and assess the situation for what it is.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Since I’ve not logged dives for over 20 yrs now, it is hard to really identify the 1000 mark. One thing I have learned (and continue to have to re-learn)..is the idea of local knowledge and also “comfort”.

If you dive for a long time, you tend to get into a routine with a certain type of dive, a general gear configuration, people who accompany you (even if they are not actually dive buddies) and even the particular boat(s) you are diving from. Even though I have a ton of experience, 95% of it is very “similar”.

When I diverge from my “similarity envelope” I experience stress – more than seems appropriate. Generally not anything huge, but on an emotional level it is detectable. I’ve seen it as well in other experienced divers. For example, one guy who (I think) does 98% of his diving from his own personal boat, comes on another boat (to dive the exact same area) and I could easily observe a change in his demeanor. He became forgetful, a little nervous and other subtle characteristics – very similar to the “tells” I feel myself when presented with a slightly stressful situation.

The emotional aspect of diving is more important than many people may recognize.

It sounds weird, but when a diver goes just a tiny bit out of his “familiarity envelope”, it is stressful to some level – even though the dive may be easier and less challenging than is normal. So I try to have some consideration and understanding for the “new guy” when he is doing one of our “same old, same old” dives, even when it is rather benign and his experience level should put it well within their capabilities.

When I am presented with diving with new people, a new boat, a different location etc. I try to be prepared for some anxiety and it often takes me a dive or two to settle down. I try not to get too upset with myself for these weaknesses, but try to relax and accept them. Maybe it is nothing more than the loss of a “home field advantage”.

For me, one of the more readily apparent tells, is the resulting video from my head mounted Go-pro. To get good, usable video – that is not shaky or erratic, I have to dive like a zombie. Constantly remembering every motion is exaggerated by the camera, that I must pan my head back and forth super slow, much slower than seems normal. When I am even slightly nervous, scanning for sharks, worried the new buddy will do something unexpected, I will be glancing all around, checking on the buddy and these somewhat minor effects (which an observer might not notice) are readily displayed and amplified in the video.

Even getting too little sleep or rest, will make a big difference in comfort level, the stability of my gaze and also my ability to stalk spooky fish effectively.

The emotional effect is most dramatic when freediving. If I am diving with people I know and trust and really believe that they will have my back when I experience a potentially fatal shallow water black out, I can dive significantly better and more comfortably. If it is new or different people, or buddies that do something stupid like point a gun in an unsafe direction or fail to watch etc., then I get pissed, the heart rate goes up and it becomes a real challenge to talk my metabolic rate down so I can dive for more than 40 seconds.

Also the idea of local knowledge is something to be respected. For example, I did a good bit of diving in cold water in New England, so I figured it was no big deal to do a solo dive in the Pacific Northwest (maybe Orcas Islands – I forget). So on my first dive I swim out from shore (on the bottom) and get caught in a strong current and it is increasing rapidly. I’m barely able to pull myself back close to shore using brute strength. If I was slightly weaker (or less lucky) I would have been swept away. I have a strong aversion to relying on brute force to extricate myself from a dangerous diving situation, so this is a situation that should have been avoidable if I had been less confident.

The dive shop who rented the tank didn’t offer any advice and I solicited none, but when I returned the tank and mentioned I got my ass kicked, they started talking about 9 kt currents (at certain tides) at the location I dove and I am not sure they even believed I actually dove under the conditions I described.

Obviously, the current I encounter was not that strong, but I’ve learned to ask for local advice, especially for shore diving locations. If possible, I also will scout a new shore dive with freedive gear before trying scuba if the entrance/exit or seas or currents etc. seem questionable. I’ve found that I am much stronger and safer and able to handle much worse conditions if not saddled with heavy scuba gear in a high energy environment.

Those are a few of the lessons that have taken a long time to sink in – respect the sea, understand your own weaknesses; and ask for advice – if it is available.

 

[Compressor]

Many thing but mainly I learned to slow down when diving. Much more enjoyable looking at fish, coral and other divers who are all over the place while sucking the air out of their tank. Since I get a kick out of their acitivities, it relaxes me even more reducing my air consumption and increasing my brain endorphins.

 

[george_austin]

The quality of dive training (Basic OW) has really fallen off?

Don't be the a rush that become an expert. Don't dive beyond your skill

 

[Fin Finder]

I've learned to be humble, and that has made me the world's most perfect diver.

 

[electric_diver]

Don't Rush. Ever. For Anything. It is how mistakes happen.

A guy I met on a liveabord once said something like this: " The people who talk the most about diving tend to know the least about diving"
I've noticed its true.