After your ow course, were you able to dive without Dm/instr?

[The Chairman]

Of course there are bad buddies.

SOBs: Same Ocean Buddies. That's OK if you both are planning that before you splash.

 

[Storker]

SOBs: Same Ocean Buddies. That's OK if you both are planning that before you splash.

Agreed SOBs are ok. An SOB without a proper pre-dive chat and agreement on the terms is a crappy, useless buddy. I've had a couple of those. Never gonna dive with them again.

 

[scubadada]

This poll seems even more inaccurate for the general diving population than my poll on BCs How do you dive, part 2? This is a consequence of doing the poll on SB, not a criticism, just the truth

 

[TMHeimer]

This poll seems even more inaccurate for the general diving population than my poll on BCs How do you dive, part 2? This is a consequence of doing the poll on SB, not a criticism, just the truth

Agree. Logical that a majority of those whiling away hours on SB are probably pretty dedicated divers who were pretty good right after OW and continued to dive regularly. And we tend to take unwarranted shots at "vacation divers". I plead somewhat guilty. I have nothing against them, would just be uncomfortable diving so infrequently that I'd need a DM as a buddy.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I guess I was fortunate that my OW PADI Instructor insisted on taking us to progressively more challenging shore diving sites on our course. He even threw in dives that required us to work out safe Surface Intervals for two options involving road routes with significant changes in altitude returning to Sydney. He also exposed us to some tricky ocean conditions with entry/exit on rock platforms.

I think we gained confidence because he was so insistent we demonstrate skills so he would not have to worry about feeling responsible for one of us getting bent or injured. He made it clear that in his opinion not everyone could or should get certified. We knew it wasn't just lip service as he refused to pass everyone in our class and got considerable flack over it.

I believe that challenges build justifiable confidence. Instructors who make things too easy produce students who either lack confidence or just as dangerous have too much confidence.

I find it amusing how often people online make judgements about other divers based on where they learned to dive, do most of their diving or how often they dive. IMHO being a good diver is more about attitude than location, dive numbers or certification.

While this poll may not be a true representation of the general diving population I suspect it is worthwhile representation of SB divers. I believe SB divers tend to be more dedicated or perhaps "addicted to diving". The information provided also has the capacity to assist visitors to the site. Anything that encourages divers to expand their knowledge is a good thing...

 

[Bob DBF]

Down here, the dive op provided her with a steel tank and she wore a bikini. They asked about her amount of lead, but she told them she really needed that weight. She died in thirty foot of water with her 26 pounds of weight still on, a full tank and her reg out of her mouth.

I have no problem speaking ill of the dead. That was just plain stupid.

That’s really sad to hear, I am surprised she didn’t ditch her weights.

Considering a large number of fatalities are due to debilitating medical events, and other reasons, say CO poisoning, to paint panic and stupidity as the only causes for anyone dead at the bottom is ignoring facts.

I agree it is stupid not to make a weight check in unfarmiliar conditions and wearing different kit. Her arrogance is no reason to assume she had the ability to drop the belt.

The BSAC incident reports of the late 1990s and early 2000s showed increasing numbers of fatalities where the casualty may have survived if the weightbelt had been jettisoned.

That’s why we have students at all diving levels practice jettisoning their weights.

Has this resulted a large decrease in diving fatalities?


I'm not disagreeing with practicing dropping weights, I do it myself, but If the diver is dead or physically incapacited it is unfair to paint dropping the belt as a choice.

I have actually dropped my belt twice, I know that one time it saved my life.



Bob

 

[The Chairman]

Her arrogance

From what I understood, she was not an arrogant person. She failed to understand that her weights compensated for her exposure suit. Being wrong is not a clear indication of arrogance.

 

[Edward3c]

...
Has this resulted a large decrease in diving fatalities?

I'm not disagreeing with practicing dropping weights, I do it myself, but If the diver is dead or physically incapacited it is unfair to paint dropping the belt as a choice.

I have actually dropped my belt twice, I know that one time it saved my life.

Bob

Can’t comment on whether it’s reduced the total number of fatalities, but those surfacing then going back down has reduced.

 

[Chavodel8en]

I answered "Yes", but if there was an option "After OW, I felt more comfortable diving with more experienced divers" I would have chosen that.

After OW, my first couple of dives were with a dive club organized by the shop I certified with. I don't know that there was an instructor or DM anywhere near me, but I believe I was generally paired up with a more experienced diver.

If necessary, fresh from OW, I probably would have been fine (tho not necessarily a great diver) if I just went diving with your random buddy. And after a few "club" dives, I was "fine" doing so.

* caveat - in benign, relatively familiar conditions. Hell, I didn't have my first drift dive until 13 years, 100+ dives, incl. AOW, and I was glad that there was a DM there to show me the ropes re drift diving.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

I answered yes, but have to admit I was super scared. My dive after certification was on a So Cal boat. Imagine my surprise when I realized the DM was staying on board! But we spoke to her and the captain and told them this was our very first dive ever and they gave us simple directions "go to that rock, swim around it a few times them come back. Then go to that rock, stay on that side of the rock, explore and come back with no less than 500 PSI. We had a blast!!!