Would you dive with me?

[TSandM]

You don't have to calculate rock bottom for me. I'll do it for you, and we'll agree on what turn pressure is before we get in the water.

 

[DCBC]

ONE: Quarry dive, the visibility is 15 feet above the 'cline, 1 foot through the 'cline and 35 below it. Temperature is 76 at the surface and 68 below the 'cline. Would you dive as my buddy (or anybody else's for that matter).

TWO: Drift dive, warm water, 100+ foot vis (something I have absolutely no experience whatever with) in a group containing one DM of unknown quality.

THREE: Spiegel Grove, rough seas and strong current, average visibility. Dive plan calls for us not to exceed 90 feet or penetrate the ship.

I would dive with you. Obviously, after the first one I'd reassess the next.

As an instructor, I've been in the water with quite a few inexperienced people: inexperience with diving, night, ocean, depth, wrecks, cave, mixed gas, saturation, etc. Everyone has to learn at some point and I encourage learning (I'm still on the trail myself). I'm noy saying you're inexperienced, rather untried as far as I'm concerned.

The real question is (from my perspective) "Would I want you (or someone with your experience and training) to Buddy with any of my sons who are certified?" The honest answer is: "Not if a better trained Buddy was available." However recreationally we often dive with our friends, not just those that are the best trained, equipped and prepared for the dive.

PADI has always had the lowest standards in the industry. The fact that you learned to swim 3 weeks before your openwater dive highlights my point. At the time of receiving your PADI certification, you may not have been able to enroll in my openwater course because of your swimming skills.

Don't misunderstand me, PADI has contributed greatly to diving in general, but it has also had a great influence in changing diving training into its focus on money. Even the name "Diving Industry" implies commerce. The majority of the training given today (in my opinion) does not provide the student with what he needs to be safe. There are few divers that are certified by some shops that I would feel are adequately trained. The instructor is required to insure minimum standards. This problem is exasperated, as some instructors want to give the students more, but the shops want them punched-out; more students: more equipment sales, more charters, more $$$$. Hold to the minimums... These have been continually reduced over the years as safety has been supplemented by the increase in technology.

The certification card doesn't mean as much to me as it once did (Instructor cards included).

 

[Aigtbootbp]

I would like to meet you too. The earliest I could get back to the Dive-Stop is in October. There are a few more divers on this board that go there often too, all of them fine folk.
Hopefully soon.
Gary

 

[sabbath999]

My 2 cents, no for all 3, for a person to have to actually ask this is question , I can't see the desire to answer, which totally contradicts my response, but I digress

It is a rhetorical question... I am not actually searching for new dive buddies.

 

[sabbath999]

Is this like a trick question?

N

Every question is a trick question.

 

[gbray]

I would dive with you progressively from dive 1 on, evaluating each dive before going on to the next. This is a little unfair because I dive the same quarry as you and have observed your practices first hand. Based on what I have seen I have dove with a lot worse buddies. for me my main focus of each dive is two fold:1. self rescue skills are first priority because I have been abandoned by buddies while experiencing problems and 2. how well could I assist you if you have problems. If I am comfortable with these items I can enjoy the dive.

 

[gcbryan]

My 2 cents, no for all 3, for a person to have to actually ask this is question , I can't see the desire to answer, which totally contradicts my response, but I digress

It is a rhetorical question... I am not actually searching for new dive buddies.

I'd dive with you just for your ability to decipher some of these responses!

 

[gcbryan]

There are three methods of diving in current from an unanchored boat where you drift with the current. All three are commonly called "drift diving" although it is usually a misnomer.

Drift diving is rarely used. A weighted line, often the anchor line, is dropped to the desired dive depth. Divers descend along the line to the desired depth, holding on the line as the boat drifts along, they are always connected to the boat.

Live boating is common in Mexico, especially Cozumel. It is a fairly risky method. Divers descend and drift with the current. The boat “follows the bubbles.” Using this method, it is easy to lose divers or to accidentally strike a diver with the boat. Since safety sausages have become available, live boating has become safer.

The preferred method is float diving. It is similar to live boating, except one of the divers has a reel attached to a float, which the boat follows. Divers stay close to the diver with the reel and therefore do not get lost. Divers ascend next to the line and stay next to the float until acknowledged by the boat crew. They then swim away from the float for pickup. This ensures the boat does not strike divers.



That's a float dive.

What is your source for considering the first example to be the only correct usage of the term drift diving?

Also, what term would you use for a dive begun from the shore, drifting for a mile, and getting out on the shore...not using a float and not employing a boat in any manner?

Incorrect diving is too easy an answer so what term would be appropriate if not drift diving?

 

[StreetDoctor]

You don't have to calculate rock bottom for me. I'll do it for you, and we'll agree on what turn pressure is before we get in the water.

I like doing rock bottoms together with my buddy. The point was to see if he dives "be back on the boat with 500" or not.

 

[Web Monkey]

I like doing rock bottoms together with my buddy. The point was to see if he dives "be back on the boat with 500" or not.

There's nothing wrong with "be back with 500PSI", assuming he knows how to figure out how to calculate it. The necessary reserve decreases as the surface becomes closer.

500PSI on the boat might require turning the dive @ 1/2 a tank or more.

Terry