Best Dive you've thumbed before doing

[in_cavediver]

Looking through many of the threads, talking about risk management and how never to get yourself into a bad situation either with buddies or your own skills, how many of us actually do what we preach?

Post your best dive/trip you turned down due to your risk assessment

------------------------------------------------------------------
Mine is a weekend trip up to Presque Isle area of lake Huron for a semi-private charter to dive deep wrecks. Most were in the 180'-215' range. I turned it down because I would have had to do it on air. I did not have enough notice to get mix (1.5 days) and I am not comfortable personally going below 150'-160' on air.

Looking back, I only really regret I couldn't get the mix lined up to go. Maybe this summer.

 

[rawls]

I have never cancelled a dive trip. I have had them cancelled because of weather. If I didn't feel a dive was safe either because of conditions or my feeling the dive was beyond my limits then I would cancel it. Diving is supposed to be fun. Anxiety on a dive isn't fun and could be very dangerous.

 

[Peter Guy]

A couple of months ago four of us were in a wreck penetration workshop -- day two was to go out to some local wrecks and practice. In preparation for the dives two of the class had gotten helium fills (depth around 100'). The day dawned pretty windy and we wondered if the class would be called -- it wasn't. So onto the boat we climbed, suited up and got ready.

When we got to the site the waves were bigger than normal for our area and we weren't at all sure about visibility either. The instructors said they'd bounce the site just to make sure it was worth going down (we'd had a lot of rain and the water was muddy) because doing line laying exercises at 100' with 5' of viz wasn't exactly what any of us had in mind.

Anyway, I looked at the waves, looked at the ladder, looked at the viz and remembered "Anyone can call a dive for any reason." I did, we packed up and returned to shore where three of us did more shallow water practice (one using his 30/30 mix in 30 feet of water!).

While the instructors said they would have dived, they also said we made the right decision -- and I think they meant it!

BTW, it was pretty hard for me to call it because no one wanted to be a "chicken" and not get the experience -- not to mention two had gotten the helium fills and so were out a fair amount of bucks (and we had paid for the boat). But I looked at how hard it was going to be to get back on the boat (not only for me) with it rocking as much as it was and decided it just wasn't worth it. I wouldn't go -- period.

Interestingly, I think my "buddy" was the only one on the boat who wanted to go but he was also the one with the most restricted time table for diving and if he didn't do this dive, he wouldn't be able to dive for quite some time.

 

[el ridgeo]

I've declined a couple night dives on liveaboards because I was tired from earlier dives.

 

[Clearwater]

I'm not sure if it really qualifies for what your asking for, but last month I thumbed a dive in Cozumel (arranged through the cruise ship since we had an insanely short time in port) because my wife had ear pain that had persisted after the previous day's second dive in Costa Maya.

It was definitely a prudent decision on her part since we didn't want to aggravate the situation. On my part it was a judgement call based somewhat on the uncertainty of a last-minute "instabuddy" (which I've never had) but more on the marital harmony thing. I'm sure the married amongst us can appreciate that wasn't a very easy decision to make, since it was a beautiful day with calm seas, warm water and visibility that seemed to go forever. And it's not like theres that much to do in Cozumel if you're not diving. Oh, well...

 

[Quarrior]

I have thumbed a few dives. Usually it's a second or third dive for the day and I've thumbed it because I am to tired.

I had one dive I thumbed that I really wanted to do. We were at Mermet and were going to help out the staff by reattaching a bouy to Rock Hopper in the deep end 115FFW. We found the hopper and marked it the night before using a magnet and had everything set up for the next morning. I woke up with a case of the trots and they just wouldn't go away. Pissed me off. Fortunately my buddy was able to find someone to help him get the job done. I ended up losing the entire day of diving.

My rule is simple. Thumb a dive today and live to dive tomorrow.

 

[theskull]

I was anchored on the Andrea Doria for 3 days. The middle day had wicked currents running all day. Things finally slowed down a bit late in the afternoon, and it was detemined that it was diveable, with an unknown window of opportunity. I was low on the food chain and wouldn't be entering the water for at least another hour. I called that dive, not wanting to be on the line with a deco obligation when currents might pick up again, also aware that to get blown off the line would entail a night-time search (it was already late in the afternoon and foggy). Most went ahead with the dive and there were no negative consequences, but I was comfortable with my decision to settle with 2 dives (first and third days) that I felt sure I could do safely.

It was a hard call to make.

theskull

 

[jim T.]

theSkull,
I admire your strength to have made what must have been an extremely disappointing decision. Glad you'd gotten the other dive in first to soften the blow.
Night and Fog in the shipping lanes? Doesn't sound like any fun at all.
Cool that you got to dive again before going home to soften the blow!

 

[Goatfish face]

I lead dives each weekend for my shop and I get to call off dives or relocate them on a regular basis. Doing club dives we dive to the abilities of the least able diver so it doesn't always take much to rule out a dive site.

Its hard to do sometimes especially when I really want to dive that site. I also cop the flak from the other divers in the group and have to defend my decision without making one newbee feel bad.

I use the Tec diving bail out rule "anyone can call any dive at any time for any reason".

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Drove out to the Olympic Peninsula last year to dive at a place called Salt Creek ... about 120 miles and a ferry ride from home. Got there, looked at the rollers hitting the rocks, decided that getting in was doable ... but getting out would be problematic. Turned around and headed back ... dived the underwater park 35 miles from home instead.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)