What makes you an experienced diver?

[befee]

I was recently updating my profile and under "Dive Classification" you are able to choose what kind of diver you claim yourself to be. This got me wondering what makes someone an experienced diver?

I have over 100 dives, spanning the last 2 years in warm water (tropics), cold water (ice), boat, shore, drift, wreck, etc. As such, I still consider myself a new diver because there are many places that I have not yet dove, and an equal amount of skills that I have not yet mastered. Meanwhile, I have also met divers with more years of dive experience but with less dives as well as divers with more dives and years but only in a limited variety of diving who consider themselves experienced divers.

What is SB's take on qualifying yourself as an experienced diver?

B

 

[DevonDiver]

It's all relative to the peer group that you dive amongst.

Logged dives and certification cards don't count for much in the big picture. When you meet a diver who is absolutely comfortable and familiar with the underwater environment and can perform all of the skills they need instinctively/unconsciously, then I think you can count them as experienced.

 

[befee]

So are you saying the vacation diver who only does those dives but if comfortable and proficient with "all the skills they need" for that environment counts as experienced?

To put it in perspective, when I'm warm water diving I feel great. Everything is relaxed and I am definitely able to task load better than when I'm diving off the coast of Long Island or New Jersey. So, am I experienced in warm water and not so much in the NE?

Would your self-classification be situation based experience(depending on location/ type of dive/ etc.) or general experience(all diving included)?

 

[ajduplessis]

Experience comes from loads of diving in different conditions, teams, gear configurations and instructors. You will always learn/experience something new.

 

[mikecotrone]

Easy!!! When your "Dives: 1000+" on your Scubaboard profile

 

[50Fathom]

In my case, (and the following is totally MY opinion), I felt that I was "experienced", not when I could hold a set depth with no variance or breaking trim. It wasn't when I could perform any number of drills or "tricks" to a level of near perfection. It isn't being 100% comfortable at all times, even when task-loaded.

No, I felt "experienced" when I finally realized how little I REALLY know about diving, how little I've REALLY experienced with diving and that the true edge of my diving abilities was far closer than I thought it was.

To quote Harry Callahan, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Now, I'm working incrementally and constructively to expand those limitations.

 

[davetowz]

Experience is that bit of knowledge you gain 2 minutes after you needed it

 

[DMDavid]

instinctively/unconsciously, then I think you can count them as experienced.

That would definitely be one heck of a diver. ; )



---
- Worst day out on the water is better than the best day at work.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... I'm still working on it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Cave Diver]

This got me wondering what makes someone an experienced diver?

Experience!