O.W. In Monterey

[Captain Obvious]

I'm going for my Open water dives at san carlos beach aka the coast guard jetty saturday and sunday. How is it for Vis? Should i pick up the $30 camera at my LDS? its reloadable with 35mm 400 film and has a flash. Or would that be better spent on dinner after the day is done? BTW this seems like a helpful bunch of people on this board thanks in advance.

 

[mikemill]

Vis can be good or bad it just depends.

If you are doing your cert dives then leave the camera and just work on getting your training done. You'll probably see lots of sand and tube anemones and not much else. So save the camera stuff from later.

I would be surprised if a $30 camera did a decent job in Monterey conditions.

 

[fnfalman]

I haven't dived Monterey so I am not familiar with the local conditions. BUT, please, for the love of Triton and Poseidon, leave the camera be until you can at least have established decent buoyancy control and can more or less handle yourself underwater with some sort of competency.

I see way too many divers bringing cameras down, clicking their shutterbug hearts away while killing the reef with their fins, getting stuck in the hands with sea urchins because they flounder and flout about, kicking other divers in the faces, bumping into them, panic stricken because the camera cord wrapped around their second stage regulators pulling the mouthpieces away, ad nauseaum.

 

[Bonairetrip]

There is an important concept in diving called task loading. One aspect of that is to limit the number of new skills or new equipment to be used in any single dive.

Taking good photos requires good basic diving skills. You should build those skills first and then start with a camera. In other words, I wouldn't use a camera until you feel very comfortable in the water.

 

[RJP]

There's no need to listen to these guys about leaving the camera home...

...because there ain't no way your instructor is gonna let you bring a camera on the dives.

 

[fisheater]

Only caveat to what all have said.

Your instructor MIGHT, on the last dive, take your camera and take a picture of YOU. Mine did.

 

[meierdierck]

+1...just enjoy the class, and have an extra margarita down at El Torito's

 

[reefugee]

+1 with all the other poster. I don't know if I would have been ready to manage a camera on my OW certification dive.

 

[Peter_C]

I owned an underwater camera and did not even think to bring it on my OW check out dives. I then carried a camera for the next 40 or so dives, then reverted back to not carrying a camera in order to improve my diving. A couple hundred dives later, I am glad I took the time to focus on diving and not other tasks. Plus I have gotten to see so much more life.

 

[dhuskins]

Take a camera and give it to the instructor to photograph you on your last dive. I have a photo of me on my second dive and it is a great reminder of how bad I was back then. (Gear not stowed. Obviously not neutrally buoyant. Not a trim diver at all.) On the other hand, I was very excited and happy to have something to remind myself how happy I was on that dive.

Having said that: Are you sure you want a 35mm underwater camera? You are limited to the number of pictures you can take (a couple dozen unless you roll your own film) and opening a camera in the salty air environment is never good for the camera. Also, check the flash. If it is built into the camera, you will be very disappointed with the results. (read up on backscatter).

My best advice is: call your instructor and see if he has an underwater camera to take a picture of you after you finish your skills portion of your last dive. That is much cheaper and lets you concentrate on your skills. Then, take the leftover money and buy dinner at Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Room at 622 Lighthouse Ave. The food is great.

See you at Breakwater on Sunday. I plan to be diving in Monterey Sunday and Monday.