Silt out diving?

[2airishuman]

I dived the Cannon River a week or two ago and found the viz to be about 1-2' at best, dark at the bottom of the channel (10'), current strong, not much fun. There are some spots where it's a little more peaceful and interesting but it's never a great dive.

 

[IDS_Bill]

I dive in no/low vis quite regularly. It's peaceful. It also helps you prepare for when the unexpected no vis happens --- and it will happen. It's just another challenge -- I won't call a dive just because there is no vis. You don't need to see in order to have a good dive.

I totally agree. It's good to dive low viz for when you get silted out in a wreck. That way you don't freak out.

 

[northernone]

Many Many times. Most of my dives, I cant see my gauges at all when pressed against my mask.

With your location in Florida I have to ask why you keep finding dive sites like that.

I may enjoy no viz, but I'm heading into gin clear if the opportunity presents itself every time!

Edit: Visited your profile. Understood.

 

[Subcooled]

I'm heading into gin clear if the opportunity presents itself every time!

Isn't it boring to see everything at once? Where's the mystery?
(I'm not jealous)

 

[Akimbo]

... Anyone else intentionally diving environmentally blind? I'd recommend it (with safety precautions) for tuning awareness...

I concur. You might find the second post, and a number that follow, useful on this thread:

Wreck Penetration

 

[dberry]

Black-out mask drills during a recent course were actually relaxing and fun. This was a TDI DP/adv wreck course, but I'm curious what other courses require black-out mask work? What's the "lowest" level course that requires students to confront zero-vis? (as required by the agency, not as an instructor's option.)

FWIW, watching my fellow student do the lost-diver drill in a blackout mask was probably scarier for me than for him because of the amount of silt stirred up. Shining a torch into that was like turning on your bright headlights in heavy fog. That by itself was a valuable lesson. Silt happens!

 

[northernone]

Off hand I suggest it may be padi cavern shortly after dive #9.

" Practice all cavern diving skills until their proper execution is
second nature.
• Place special emphasis on the practice of emergency
procedures, such as loss of visibility or interruption of air supply. "


18 years old and advanced certified being the prerequisites.

Anyone else?

 

[northernone]

I concur. You might find the second post, and a number that follow, useful on this thread:

Wreck Penetration

I'll return to my mud hole with added appreciation for my opportunity. Thank you for referencing the thread. Excellent learning material.

 

[pasley]

The Handicapped SCUBA Association International offers dive buddy and dive master/instructor training which includes diving as a blind diver in preparation for training blind or vision impaired divers. All that I know of who have taken the training have reported it being a very relaxing dive. We assemble our gear blind (trash bag in the mask) and then dive it in the pool and in the ocean. Great fun.

 

[Akimbo]

The Handicapped SCUBA Association International offers dive buddy and dive master/instructor training which includes diving as a blind diver in preparation for training blind or vision impaired divers. All that I know of who have taken the training have reported it being a very relaxing dive. We assemble our gear blind (trash bag in the mask) and then dive it in the pool and in the ocean. Great fun.

I imagine it is relaxing when you have a trusted buddy and you know you are diving in water clear enough for them to monitor you. Diving in truly black water is disconcerting for every sighted diver I have encountered until they get used to it. That is an interesting analogy that I never thought of before, thanks.

Question: Is training blind divers about the same for those born blind versus those who have lost their vision? How about divers who have some vision but are legally blind?