Newbie Diver Mistakes-Don't do what I did

[TracyN]

Hey guys I am a recently certified advanced open water diver and I have some information to share with you so that hopefully you don't repeat the same mistakes I did. This weeked I went on my first real open water ocean dive with a dive group I found on meetup.com. I thought I was fully prepared for what I was about to experience but I was not. Once I saw the reef I was overcome by it's beauty and made some potenitally serious poor decisions. I didn't realize how easily it was to become overtasked when you have pretty fish darting here, there, and everywhere and and seeing animals you have never seen before for the first time. The group I dove with had pretty experienced divers and an instructor who was the one who set the dive up. There were only a couple of us newbies there and two of them were husband and wife so they were a buddy team. I had no buddy and was told to stick around with whoever I could find and I was also told that the reef goes in a straight line and as long as you follow the reef you will be able to find your way back to the boat or find someone on their way back. Basically I was flying solo. Most likely my instructors would not be please if they heard about this.

Mistake #1

Newbie Diver with brand new $300 underwater camera. I was so excited to be seeing all the wonderful sites on the reef that I wasn't really paying attention to my buyoancy or where the other group of divers were. I was looking for the next photo opportunity. I found this very colorful fish that was eating some coral so I tried to take a picture of it not paying attention to where I was floating. I had to grab onto a piece of non living coral in order not to fall into living coral. In the process I lost my camera that was strapped to my wrist. It floated away never to be seen again. Of course I was mad and started frantically looking for it which consumed a good amount of air. Then I look at my pressure gauge and see that I had just under 1000 left. I couldn't find any other divers. I finally saw the instructor and tried to play charades to let him know that I had lost my camera. He thought that I wanted my picture taken which I did not but the lady with the camera took it anyway. Then I show him my pressure gauge and he takes me over to the anchor line to make sure I can make it without running out of air. I get on the boat and the divemaster told me I should have surfaced when I lost it and he might have been able to find it. That thought never crossed my mind because I figured an unplanned ascent would make the other divers think I had an emergency. Moral of the story: Please get more dives under your belt before even considering underwater photography. Buoyancy control is most important. Also PAY ATTENTION TO THE DIVE GROUP if you don't have your own personal buddy.

Mistake #2

Newbie diver somehow loses right sided weight pocket without knowing it. This was the second dive at a different location and once again I got caught up in looking at all the fish and other strange creatures. I thought I was swimming a little sideways but figured that it was just my tank slipping sideways so I adjusted my tank position. Buyoancy was easy to control when I got myself neutral but if I went up I had a hard time getting down. I"m swimming around the reef with the others when I spot a cool looking starfish. I pick up the starfish to look at it and then I let it float down into the sand. It landed by some kind of shell creature and I got caught up in watching this shell creature back away from the star fish every time it moved. It was entertaining. Meanwhile the dive group once again left me and when I looked up I saw no one and visibility was only 10 feet at the most. Mild panic set in but I knew that if I had to surface that I was in the general vicinity of the boat and that I just might have a long surface swim. I decided that if I swam back in the same direction I came that I would run into the other divers. However because of my irregular breathing patterns trying to maintain my buoyancy I was starting to feel strange. My vision became very bright and I felt mildy lightheaded and giddy. I knew something strange was going on and I had no dive buddy around me to help. I decided to swim a couple more minutes to look for someone and if I didn't find anyone that I would surface. I finally caught up with the group but they were doing their own thing and it was imperative that I surface so I ascended alone. It didn't occur to me until I got to the safety stop when I found out I couldn't maintain it that I had lost my weight pocket. I had a moderate surface swim but it wasn't too bad. I made it back to the boat and told the dive master my symptoms and he said that it wasn't nitrogen narcosis but that he didn't have an answer for me. Fortunately I posted on the boards and people told me it was probably CO2 build up from not properly inhaling and exhaling. Moral of this story...STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOUR BUDDIES OR GROUP and always perform a buddy check before you get into the water to make sure all of your equipment is tightly attatched. That simple step would have prevented me from losing my weight belt and adverting a potential bad outcome from the co2 buidup and by not being able to maintain the safety stop. Fortunately we were only in about 40 feet of water.

Hard lessons learned never to be repeated again. I had a few guardian angels looking over me that day I believe

 

[Scubasw]

Hey guys I am a recently certified advanced open water diver and I have some information to share with you so that hopefully you don't repeat the same mistakes I did. This weeked I went on my first real open water ocean dive with a dive group I found on meetup.com

First of all, I am thankful you made it back OK. Next thought is "an accident looking to happen" I hope you don't take offense, but you broke maybe every rule for new divers there is, "Advanced certification or not". This is one of the reasons I've decided to give up teaching scuba after 10 years. How can anyone be considered an Advanced Open Water diver who has never been in the ocean before? Diving solo on your first ocean dive and task loading yourself with taking pictures also. No plan to start the dive other than just jump in and see what happens.

Yes I know PADI and SSI both have no requirement for Ocean Dives right up through Instructor, but really how do we keep saying people are "Advanced Divers" with such minimal standards. Somedays I wonder how we keep scuba deaths so low every year.

 

[TracyN]

No offense taken but I break many rules unintentionally sometimes and I knew I was breaking them but it was as if no one cared what I was doing. They didn't want to be bothered with a newbie it seemed. The plan was to dive into the water, follow the reef and return in an hour or sooner if your air ran out. Fortunately I had enough wits about me not to panic when things started to not go as planned. Actually all my dives prior to this one have been in the rainbow river or in the clear water springs. Very low chance of getting lost or losing dive buddies.

 

[buddhasummer]

I think maybe more than 2 mistakes Yes all good lessons for you to learn and thankfully only at the cost of a $300 camera. Re reading both your OW and AOW manuals carefully should help. You should never dive without a buddy, diving with "whoever" is not a buddy. You should always discuss before the dive and with your buddy things like what to do if you get separated, low air, at what gas to turn the dive, signals etc. Maybe for the next few dives make them easy ones with a good buddy the more experienced the better. And totally agree with you until your are more experienced and comfortable in the water its a good idea to leave the camera at home, oops you don't have one anymore, and just concentrate on one thing. I think its great that you have reflected on this experience and given it some thought and taken the time to write about. Thank you for sharing. Good luck.

PS and assuming the Instructor and DM present new you were a new diver I think he/she could have been more mindful...and being told to buddy "with whoever" is a little irresponsible.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Learn from every dive, and you will become an advanced diver. I think TracyN has pointed out very well how certification level and competence levels are NOT the same. I am all for continuing education, but first and foremost I am for getting experience diving. No matter if you have a basic open water certification, or have carried a professional credential for years, NEVER think you know it all. Prepare for every dive with the detail and completeness you did when you were learning. Even "advanced" divers need to properly secure their weight pockets, properly weight themselves, and trim their buoyancy regularly. Every diver needs to pay attention to where they are and where their buddy is. We should all keep hands off the wildlife. I am a scuba snob. A scuba snob is an avid and active diver who has worked hard to acquire good diving skills, demonstrates them on every dive, and expects others to do the same. I think TracyN learned more on his one ocean dive then in all his other training combined, and in another 30 or 50 dives, will certainly qualify as a scuba snob. Keep diving, learn from every dive, and know your limitations. There is no substitute for careful dive planning, and following the dive planned. Add to that experience in the company of competent divers on real dives, and you will become a scuba diver, not just a guy who goes diving now and then.
DivemasterDennis scubasnobs.com

 

[buddhasummer]

Learn from every dive, and you will become an advanced diver. I think TracyN has pointed out very well how certification level and competence levels are NOT the same. I am all for continuing education, but first and foremost I am for getting experience diving. No matter if you have a basic open water certification, or have carried a professional credential for years, NEVER think you know it all. Prepare for every dive with the detail and completeness you did when you were learning. Even "advanced" divers need to properly secure their weight pockets, properly weight themselves, and trim their buoyancy regularly. Every diver needs to pay attention to where they are and where they buddy is. We should all keep hands off the wildlife. I am a scuba snob. A scuba snob is an avid and active diver who has worked hard to acquire good diving skills, demonstrates them on every dive, and expects others to do the same. I think TracyN learned more on his one ocean dive then in all his other training combined, and in another 30 or 50 dives, will certainly qualify as a scuba snob. Keep diving, learn from every dive, and know your limitations. There is no substitute for careful dive planning, and following the dive planned. Add to that experience in the company of competent divers on real dives, and you will become a scuba diver, not just a guy who goes diving now and then.
DivemasterDennis scubasnobs.com

TracyN is female...

 

[knotical]

Hi Tracy,

Bravo for having the guts to candidly share your experience with us – errors and all. Thank you. Since you came away apparently unscathed, you have gained invaluable experience. That's one way to learn (and I've done my fair share, too). Now that you've had time to reflect on your experiences, I suspect you'll focus more on prevention of issues in the future.
Everyone makes mistakes. What we do about them is what's important.

And be thankful it was only a $300 camera. I'd hate to tell you how much my wife's cost.

k

 

[Reef_Haven]

Thanks for posting your experience Tracy. I know you have been actively looking for a local dive buddy. Being a third wheel doesn't work too well. Since Ed knew this was your first ocean dive and he hosted this event; he should have done a better job seeing that you got a decent buddy. Ultimately though it is your responsibility to find someone in the group who is willing to accept the responsibility to buddy with you or hire a guide. It's very understandable for someone who has just paid for this trip to not want to spend their time looking after a Newbie.
Try the Buddy Finder link in the toolbar at the top of this forum and also go back to the Tampa forum and contact some of those divers who have expressed interest in finding a buddy in the Dive Buds thread.


Report you lost camera, was this your Go Pro?; here. Lost, Found and Stolen
and on the Tampa forum here. The Greater Tampa Bay Area
There have been some amazing recovery stories.

 

[TracyN]

Thanks everyone for not ripping me a new one. I was debating about even posting it but I figured that if even one diver reads about my experience and doesn't make these same mistakes then any criticisim will be well worth it. I chastised myself so much for my actions and I understand that I was responsible for my own safety. I saw that the others were having fun and being the newbie I didn't want to be "that person" so I decided to keep the group in my site but to back off and give them their space. Which was my biggest mistake. Plus I"m the type of person who likes to solve their own problems and won't ask for help unless there is absolutely no other alternative. Fortunately my instructors ingrained in my mind not to panic in any situation and I know that because I remained calm and was able to think clearly potential disaster was averted.

Reef_Haven, no it wasn't my GO PRO. That was tucked away safely in my BC pocket. After losing one camera that thing was not going to come out of that pocket! It was a camera that I bought just last week after I got done with the Devil's Den dive and went to the Rainbow River night dive. I was so happy to have that camera too, LoL! Do you know where I can get a replacement weight pocket for an Ocean Pro BC? I want to dive again this weekend but I know ordering it online would take a while. I guess I could go buy a regular weight belt. It would be a good back up for situations such as the one I'm currently in. I will definitely check out that forum. Thanks.

 

[Mark Derail]

Ocean diving off a boat - I like weight belts - easier I find to remain vertical. Easier back into the boat - you take it off, hand it to someone on the boat, along with your fins. Easier climb back in.

On my 3rd ocean dive, off the boat, was using my snorkel on the surface waiting for everyone. Not to waste precious tank air, and not be the first diver below 1000 psi and forced back to the surface.

Smart eh? Not so smart, when the guide gives the Go Below thumbs down signal, we all clear our BCD's of air, and my next mouthful of air is salt water...how embarrassing.

One good reason not to wear too much weight, you can swim up and maintain surface while you do your PADI trained Air Retrieval maneuver in 20 foot swells, and your heartbeat is now doubled.

That was my no-no moment. Seems like a long time ago, some 30 dives ago. Yet it was just six months ago I became certified!

Dive often! Dive safe...