night dive tips

[boulderjohn]

One tip: watch where you are going! Explanation: once I was gliding along on my side, just above the sandy bottom, my light and my attention focused on the nooks and crannies in the coral beside me. I don't know what made me turn my head at the last second, but I was about to ram the biggest lobster I have ever seen, and he was not at all pleased with me. I almost jumped out of my BCD.

Second tip: Depending on the kind of a dive you are doing, if you and your buddy can get a lttle away from others, turn your lights off. (Make sure you arrange this ahead of time and have a signal, though.) Now, just stay still and watch for a while. You will be amazed at what you will be able to see after a while. There are lots of little biological lights going on and off that we never see as we flood the area with the light of our reef burners.

 

[emtdan]

Almost everything has already been said, but I have one thing to add.

I have found it to be helpful on boat dives to put a strobe light on the ascent/ decent line, anchor line, or on 15 ft of line from the boat. If in an emergency, you need to surface, it is easier to find the boat.

The same for shore diving. Keep one above and below your float, also put a weight on a 2 ft line at your entrance point with a strobe, it makes it all easier.

 

[farfromwater]

:night time is the right time for these >> ctopus:

That reminds me... a way to make noise would be beneficial. Some frown on the hammerheads and duck calls, but if you have problems or see something really impressive, a short 'quack' gets attention quick. I spotted an octopus the last night dive I was on, but nobody else saw my light signals it in time to come see it (I was the trailing diver, slightly behind my buddy). It was a drift dive with moderate current, so wasn't worth the effort to come back 'upstream' once I got their attention.
Yes, good buddy practices reduce the need for things like these, but it is so easy to get focused on what is in the light beam, divers don't notice swinging lights as quick as they should. Especially on a drift dive, you don't have much time to show everybody the 16' shark you found before it or you drift away. I bought a scub-duck shortly after that trip, makes noise both underwater and above (up to a mile if you believe the manufacturer).

Just an opinion.

 

[Scubakevdm]

That reminds me... a way to make noise would be beneficial. Some frown on the hammerheads and duck calls, but if you have problems or see something really impressive, a short 'quack' gets attention quick. I spotted an octopus the last night dive I was on, but nobody else saw my light signals it in time to come see it (I was the trailing diver, slightly behind my buddy). It was a drift dive with moderate current, so wasn't worth the effort to come back 'upstream' once I got their attention.
Yes, good buddy practices reduce the need for things like these, but it is so easy to get focused on what is in the light beam, divers don't notice swinging lights as quick as they should. Especially on a drift dive, you don't have much time to show everybody the 16' shark you found before it or you drift away. I bought a scub-duck shortly after that trip, makes noise both underwater and above (up to a mile if you believe the manufacturer).

Just an opinion.

I can't believe you didn't point out that octopus.

 

[Aquawookie]

My tips,

Make a mental note of the equipment the other divers in your group are using and fix one or two distinctive features of their gear in your head. A distinctive hood, bright pink fins on the DM, a happy face on Joes tank, something.

If you cross paths with other dive groups underwater at night it's easy to confuse which group you should be with. Its a great way to meet other divers but the acute embarassement may be hard to live down. :10: If you can see the distinctive feature after the groups seperate again your probably still with your group.

If you feel comfy during the dive and the vis is good, drop back about 50 feet behind the group and cover your light. You can sometimes see the night life parting around the divers ahead of you and swiming round them. I do this one all the time, very cool.

If your going to be in one place and there is a sandy spot with good vis try this one. Stick a powerfull dive light in the sand with the light on and pointing up. Then swim about 30 feet away and circle the light. After a short while (5 maybe 10 mins) there will be lots of critters circling the light and as they are between you and the light you can see them but they can't see you.

My last tip, stay in one place and let the critters come to you. You will see more concentrating on a small area than zooming all over the place. Best night dive I ever did had I stayed in an area about 30 feet across. I moved around just that area for over 90 mins and saw more than anyone else on the boat (except my buddy that is ) that night.

Have fun and safe diving.
Paul.

 

[farfromwater]

I can't believe you didn't point out that octopus.

I tried, I tried! Like you haven't seen hundreds, oh master of the seas!
You probably spotted a half-dozen on that dive alone. Shoot, I was so happy to bare-hand that lobster I'm suprised I saw anything! Nice dives (except for the chumming).

Headed back your way Kevin hopefully in late Feb.... Little bro is moving away from there, so need one last trip before my free lodging is gone. Rats. Will holler when we nail down a date. At least there won't be a hurricane come through a few days before these dives?

Jeff

 

[SubMariner]

But it's best to dive a site that you have already done during at least one day dive.

Also, buoyancy skills are even more important at night, when you can't see anything except where your beam shines.

 

[mdsd]

My tips,
If your going to be in one place and there is a sandy spot with good vis try this one. Stick a powerfull dive light in the sand with the light on and pointing up. Then swim about 30 feet away and circle the light. After a short while (5 maybe 10 mins) there will be lots of critters circling the light and as they are between you and the light you can see them but they can't see you.
Paul.

That reminds me. In Kona, we did a night manta ray dive. They put a light at the bottom (approx 40 ft) shining up. We then sat on the bottom in a big ring. Not only did you see fish swimming better but the bottom came alive as well. Eels swimming, eels hunting and one eel in my buddy's lap. :11: Yahoo!!

 

[Knight1989]

As a few other people mentioned bouancy is going to be crucial. Because you wont have as many visual referances to go by, unsure you pay close attention to your depth gauge. If you are doing a shore dive, place a light at your entry and exit point so that if you surface you will be able to find your way back to your car. Navigation skills can be very important, expessially if youve never dove the spot before. If you get totaly lost just surface and look for that light you put on the shore and now you can find your way back in. Same theroy applies to a bot dive as well. The idea of putting a light on your asscent line is good. If you do that though, put it at whatever depth you plan to be conducting your deco stops, gives you a nice visual referance.
The key to any night dive is redundancy. Make sure everyone in your groups knows your underwater signals, many of them will have to be differant than during a day dive. Have plenty of light sources available. You cant be to visable at night. Me, I carry a primary dive light, a secondary dive light in my BCD pocket, a strobe on my BCDs shoulder, 2 glowsticks in my BCDs pocket, and my tank becon. I like to be prepared.

 

[Charlie99]

Something that was probably obvious to everyone else, but that it took me until about my 5th night dive before realizing: the easiest way to read your SPG is to hold your dive light against it for a couple seconds. This charges up the phosphorescent material, then it will glow bright enough for you to read it while not ruining your night vision.

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I like to take an tiny 2AAA light and use just it for a portion of the dive. It's amazing how much you can see without your light once your eyes have night adapted.

The best days for night dives are near the 1st quarter moon. It will be high in the sky at sunset.

Often there is a dead period where the day fish have gone into their holes, but the octopus, crustaceans, and other night creatures aren't active yet. It varies from location to location, but the dead period seems to most often be from right after sunset to about 45 minutes after sunset. Has anybody else noticed this also??