First Sea Dive Advice...

[avfcmichael]

Hi all,

So I have completed 10 dives so far (OW & AOW), but all have been part as training and have been in cold water - in-land UK quarries.

I travel to Mexico (Playa Del Carmen) in a couple of days for a wedding and have 2 dives booked so far:

• 1st dive depth ~13m
• 2nd dive depth ~27m

The dives are on two different days - just to add, as I know about doing the deepest dive first.

I have chose to do the first one to 13m to get a feel for diving in the sea for the first time, but then the one to 27m to help expand on my AOW training where I dived to 24m. Do you think this is a wise move?

Additionally - are there any pointers for me first proper: certified dive, boat dive and sea dive?

 

[Jcp2]

A guide can be very helpful if you don’t already have a dive partner.

 

[mi000ke]

Do a weight check at the beginning of your first dive. Salt water is more buoyant so you will probably need to add to your weights (I add about 4 lbs. going from fresh to salt water, wearing 5mm full suit). Also with much warmer water, presumably you will need less exposure protection so that will reduce your weight requirement. You'll need to see where it all nets out. Enjoy the warm, clear water!

 

[TerryC]

If you do not have a regular buddy going with you then I would book a dive master or instructor for your first dive.
That way you will have help transitioning to ocean diving, especially useful if conditions are not ideal.
Other points:
The sea has no mercy, get your **** sorted BEFORE you jump off the boat.
You will need more weights, take the guides advice on this one.
Leave the camera in your bag for the first dive.
ENJOY.

 

[TerryC]

If you do not have a regular buddy going with you then I would book a dive master or instructor for your first dive.
That way you will have help transitioning to ocean diving, especially useful if conditions are not ideal.
Other points:
The sea has no mercy, get your **** sorted BEFORE you jump off the boat.
You will need more weights, take the guides advice on this one.
Leave the camera in your bag for the first dive.
ENJOY.

Sorry, just realised you are from the UK.
In warm water you will probably need less weight.
Also be prepared for Aluminum tanks (as they call them here) Aluminium Cylinders to us brits.

 

[Neilwood]

Hi all,

So I have completed 10 dives so far (OW & AOW), but all have been part as training and have been in cold water - in-land UK quarries.

I travel to Mexico (Playa Del Carmen) in a couple of days for a wedding and have 2 dives booked so far:

• 1st dive depth ~13m
• 2nd dive depth ~27m

The dives are on two different days - just to add, as I know about doing the deepest dive first.

I have chose to do the first one to 13m to get a feel for diving in the sea for the first time, but then the one to 27m to help expand on my AOW training where I dived to 24m. Do you think this is a wise move?

Additionally - are there any pointers for me first proper: certified dive, boat dive and sea dive?

In the most part - get out there and enjoy it.

You are doing the dives the right way round. Get used to salt water boat diving before going deeper.

Dive buddy or divemaster - your choice depending on how confident your feel.

A few notes:
1) Your weighting will be different given the different exposure suit and equipment - salt water will increase your buoyancy so allowing time for a proper weight check is worthwhile.
2) Be up front about your experience. If anyone has a problem with it, it is their problem. Everyone started diving at some point so having a new diver along shouldn't be a problem.
3) Don't worry about your breathing rate - just enjoy the dive.
4) Take your time. Allow plenty of time before gearing up and take it easy in the water. It is not a race so enjoy the scenery.
5) Think twice about taking a camera depending on how feel - adding a go-pro or stills camera can increase your task loading a lot which might mean you lose buoyancy control/trim
6) Listen closely to the briefing - it should cover the plan, expected currents and safety info.
7) If the boat has a ladder, pay attention to how they want you to do it. A lot of boat ladders are "fins on, mask on and reg in". There is good reason for this in that if you slip, you are still safe and can breathe.

 

[avfcmichael]

Some good sound advice here - I have spoken to the dive shop and they have confirmed Dive Masters go on all dives for the company I am using! Confirmed I am covered on my insurance and have bought my first dive computer to enjoy it.

No camera being taken down with me, I want to get ultimate positioning and trim in the water before I look at photography.

@TerryC - Whats the difference with the aluminium tanks then? Just the weighting of them?

Thanks for the advice:

@Neilwood
@TerryC
@mi000ke
@Jcp2

 

[Neilwood]

Some good sound advice here - I have spoken to the dive shop and they have confirmed Dive Masters go on all dives for the company I am using! Confirmed I am covered on my insurance and have bought my first dive computer to enjoy it.

No camera being taken down with me, I want to get ultimate positioning and trim in the water before I look at photography.

@TerryC - Whats the difference with the aluminium tanks then? Just the weighting of them?

Thanks for the advice:

@Neilwood
@TerryC
@mi000ke
@Jcp2

Sounds like you have your head screwed on pretty well - enjoy the dives. Have a good read of the manual for your dive computer before you go (or on the plane). Understand what the display should look like and what any strange displays will mean. Don't be the diver that goes in to deco without realising it and doesn't have enough gas to do the deco and get back to the surface safely.

A thought if you want some footage of your first "real dives" - ask the dive master if he can do a bit of filming for you (tip accordingly).

Aluminium tanks have a tendency to transition from negatively buoyant when filled to being slightly positive when empty (50bar/500psi) whereas steel tanks (as used here) tend to go remain negatively buoyant (but by varying degrees). You need to allow for that with your weighting

 

[avfcmichael]

Sounds like you have your head screwed on pretty well - enjoy the dives. Have a good read of the manual for your dive computer before you go (or on the plane). Understand what the display should look like and what any strange displays will mean. Don't be the diver that goes in to deco without realising it and doesn't have enough gas to do the deco and get back to the surface safely.

A thought if you want some footage of your first "real dives" - ask the dive master if he can do a bit of filming for you (tip accordingly).

Aluminium tanks have a tendency to transition from negatively buoyant when filled to being slightly positive when empty (50bar/500psi) whereas steel tanks (as used here) tend to go remain negatively buoyant (but by varying degrees). You need to allow for that with your weighting

Brilliant thanks for the help!

Going that side of the world the only thing that I am nervous about I think is they all use:

• ft instead of metres
• PSI instead of bar

Is the transition pretty straight forward? or do you just stick to metres and bar.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Some good sound advice here - I have spoken to the dive shop and they have confirmed Dive Masters go on all dives for the company I am using! Confirmed I am covered on my insurance and have bought my first dive computer to enjoy it.

No camera being taken down with me, I want to get ultimate positioning and trim in the water before I look at photography.

@TerryC - Whats the difference with the aluminium tanks then? Just the weighting of them?

Thanks for the advice:

@Neilwood
@TerryC
@mi000ke
@Jcp2

@Neilwood just beat me to it. A good example of knowing your computer, I was with a group in Grand Cayman and a woman diving with us went into deco. First off, she had no idea what it was telling her till she got to the boat and someone else told her what was happening, so back down she went. Asked about it later she said someone had told her it was a good computer to get so she bought it, never learned anything about it.

I like your decision not to take a camera, and your reasoning for it.

You’re going to have a great time!

Erik