Megaladon Tooth Dive for 14 yr old

[tthirteen]

Aside from the fact that Cooper River dives involve black water and strong currents, you should also be aware that your son will need a spool/reel and a surface marker bag, and will need to understand how to deploy the bag.
When I dove Cooper River, we entered slightly overweighted and with no air in our BCs so that we could drop quickly to the bottom, which was at 30-40 feet. We went in with metal "picks" to jam into the bottom and help hold us in place. Then, after about an hour of staring at the bottom in one foot of visibility, we would deploy the bags and ascend. No safety stop, because 1) we weren't that deep and 2) after three minutes off the bottom in the current, the boat would have to chase after you!
I went in with an experienced instructor my first time, just to get the hang of things. Once I felt the current and attempted to ascend the first time, I was ready to go by myself for the rest of the dives.
It is a great experience, but these are just some things to discuss with your son. I hope his trip is as great as mine have been!


EDIT: SparticleBrane, I am sure that the OP would appreciate constructive criticism. Have you dove the Cooper River? If so, do you have any advice from your experiences to help advise him?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My son is 20 and certed for ow. He is in the air force and will doing things in his job that will be alot more dangerous than diving the cooper. Like survival school in washington state in a few months. He will however be training with pros and they will be somewhat looking out for him. I would not however take him on a cooper shark dive. He does not have enough experience and even though I do have experience in cold, low vis, strong currents, and night diving as well as having my DM cert and good rescue and buddy skills, everything I've seen about most dives in this river make me question if the crap hit the fan would I be able to even see let alone help a buddy. As a solo diver who has dove in the above conditions alone I would have no problem doing the dive and in fact have plans to do one next year. This year is already filled up. I have seen too many people think that just because they have a few dives under their belt think they can dive anywhere when they are barely able to dive where they do. To me the cooper is one of those dives where if you are not comfortable with being solely responsible for your own safety then you might want to reconsider it. If your self rescue skills are not above average, also think twice about it. This is an advanced dive IMO and not suitable for ow divers without low vis, moderate to high current, and cold water experience. My suggestion is to get him and your self some cold water gear and start doing some of this type of diving where you live. It will make both of you better divers and also take aow and a rescue class. Taking off work to go with him would be nice but you cannot look for teeth while holding hands and if you get seperated what will both of you do. Are your rescue skills up to snuff. As for low vis I don't know what you consider to be low vis but in the cooper it is also called braille diving because you look by touch. Think long and hard before either of you do this dive at your present level of skill and experience if your profile is correct.

 

[Ann Marie]

It sounds like you have concers, follow your instincts.

If it were my son, I wouldn't let him go. Sounds like a very advanced dive (haven't dove there).

I tried to dive Venice Beach, FL last year. There were storms that morning and we couldn't dive. Based on the comments about Cooper, Venice Beach sounds like a better choice for a younger, less experienced diver.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think it is a good teaching tool. If you don't teach him to evaluate a situation, a dive, emergency management, etc, he will never learn it.

It is better for him to learn your approach to dive planning: Evaluate the buddy system, evaluate the DM (boy scout leader), evaluate the visibility, current, surface condition, surface hazard, risks, etc. Consider his inability to descend rapidly due to inexperience, poor buoyancy control, or simply a small and dysfuncional eustachian tube to his ear.

Walk through each step at a time, explain the hazard of losing a buddy in murky water, explain the hazard of hovering too long in current, how to maintain position over the main group in current as you descend slowly, etc..

And let him make the final decision on whether or not to dive. If he is smart, he would say, this is a bad situation, and I should avoid it. It sounds like an intermediate to advance dive to me.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I'd have to agree that this sounds out of his comfort zone and current abilities. He needs to first want to do this, and understand better the risks. He needs more experience. More time in water apppropriate for his ability will allow him to express his desire for more diving. If you get the experience together it will make for a great opportunity for you and he to bond. Those teeth will still be around in a few years. Help your son to focus on healthy eating and regular exercise.

 

[fishb0y]

While I have a little less than 50 dives on the Cooper and have taught OW classes there (mainly at Strawberry Landing and 7 year ago); it is one of those dives where some limited vis, high current experience is needed. I will not tell you one way or another. Depending on the tidal conditions the Dive Op should be able to find spots with lower currents. With that being said, I have seen the currents kick up quite quickly also. Again... you are the best judge of your son, ultimately it is your decision.

 

[GDI]

Ask yourself this?
Do you have faith in the training your son recieved? Many OW divers make dives in similar conditions without problem.
Do you have confidence in your son and his ability to make the right choices?
Do you feel that you are willing to let you son experience life and the risks it has? (the parental delima when do we let go?)
Bottom line is only you truley know your son and if you are not comfortable letting him go on such a trip be honest with him and yourself when you make the choice of going or no go.

 

[LI Diver]

Do you know what the ratio will be of scouts to dive leaders, and the qualifications of the leaders?

I don't know exactly but if I remember correctly about 2 kids to one adult as far as the qualifications just certified divers(parents) and possibly one instructor. This is something I will definitely look into before deciding.

 

[LI Diver]

Thanks for all your input everyone, as far as taking off of work to dive with him is still not the definitive answer. While the philosophy is correct and I treasure all time spent with my children, I am not a dive professional but merely a noob myself. I would do this dive myself but would consider it a solo dive because what good is a buddy you can't see. If doing the dive with my son I would be simply be a safety or support diver for him while he searches for teeth. I would be holding onto to his bc with one hand and dug in with the other. Ok what hand do I use to ck my spg or use my inflater ?
I have to get more specifics but I have the feeling that unless these are all eagle scouts with loads of dives that they must be diving a spot that is a little milder than the typical cooper river dive per say. (as someone suggested) Venice Beach is looking like a good alternative however!

 

[nymbus]

Perhaps your son already gave you an answer. I would be STOKED to go on a dive at Cooper River. His seeming disinterest might be a teenage way of saying: nah... I'm not there yet, so I'll just seem uninterested instead. (Just an idea...)
There is time. Ask him what he wants to do and if it becomes a goal for him, get the training, safety and other dives under his belt for experience. There are dark, low vis dives with no current and current dives with great vis to add to his experience first. I'd see what he wants to do and move from there... 14 is old enough to talk with your dad about what you want to do as well as what your limits are.

Have fun!