Preventing boredom

[Wheatondiver]

When I am not helping out with my local shop as a DM, I enjoy diving with my son in the local quarries. We have been diving these spots since my son was 10 years old. He is now 16 and still says he likes to dive with his dad. He is AOW. Today as we are planning our next dive in a week or two, he said the dives get a bit boring as we have seen the attractions that have been sunk. Our dives usually go like this - dive one on an attraction and possible swim to another. The second dive is usually on one of the platforms where we just hang out and practice a few basis skills and blow bubbles. The quarries don't have the best vis, which averages about 10 - 12 feet. I am thinking about exploring the other end where there are no attractions.

What can we do to prevent boredom?

[Doc]

Dive someplace else?



Okay, how about this- lay out a Geo Caching course for everyone to enjoy. It might take you five or six well planned dives to attach the monuments and ascertain directions on the compass, depths and such- but it would be a good tool for teaching and refreshing compass and navigational skills.

BTW- Have you really located and seen all of the life that there is to see? Really?

[MaxBottomtime]

Road trip to Jersey.
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: New Jersey, USA East

[spectrum]

Stop using the quarry as a theme park and just go diving. Take a heading as soon as you find an attraction make an exploration and see if you can return to the same attraction. Based on the dives you have been making I would certainly start to diversify this way before even going to the ocean. Your 16 year old has been diving for 6 years, he should be every bit the diver you are and needs to be challenged.

As for the second dive on the platform, give it a rest. Drills and practice a wonderful thing. Do them near the exit at the end of the dive when you come back with a little extra air.

Act fast before he scraps diving or finds peer buddies to go with. You are well into that age where they chart their own course, he has fired a warning shot.

Next step.... mid Atlantic open water, shore then boat.

Pete

BTW, Congratulations on having offspring joining you in diving, that's one gift I don't think I will have the chance to enjoy.

[TSandM]

Well, for me, learning something new always works. Have you guys tried challenging yourselves with stuff like doing your skills and drills in midwater, off the platform? Have you tried maintaining buoyancy control on your back? Do you know all the alternate kicks, including the back kick? Can you shoot a bag?

Try stuff like taking a three or four pound weight down with you, in a bag or something you can hand back and forth. Try to pass it back and forth without changing depth. (It's fun!)

Get a camera that has some video capability, and video each other. That's fun, too, and instructive. In fact, doing photography underwater is something that I think can keep somebody engaged and challenged forever. And if you don't think you can get great photographs, diving in a quarry, take a look at some of Dun's pictures from Canada!

[Kryssa]

Can you take a 1-week dive trip to somewhere new each year? I know someone suggest New Jersey, but for something different, you could road trip to the Florida Keys or fly and stay somewhere inexpensive on Cozumel.

[DandyDon]

Eggs are fun. We played volleyball with some yokes at 80 ft down.

Other games possible...

[PfcAJ]

youve gotta get out of that quarry and go on some real life ocean dives. Doing the same thing over and over (to include 'skills and drills') are a sure fire way to burn yourself out. What are you drilling for exactly if every dive is a practice dive?