Divemaster Needed for Olympus Wreck Dive?

[bkyaffe]

Hey All-

I'm going on my first wreck dive in a few weeks on a long weekend trip to North Carolina. I've got about 20 dives under my belt, NAUI OW, all dives in California. They're evenly split around boat/shore, Monterey, Catalina, San Miguel Is. I've managed rough shore entries. I've dealt with 5' surge at 30 fsw, etc. I own my gear, know how it works and I understand the theory and science behind the class work. I'm comfortable in the water and have been the group leader for friends in Monterey Bay on dives I'm comfortable with. (ie, I'm not a "dependent" diver.) Never been on any wreck, east coast or warm dives before.

The big question is, do I want a DM diving with us when we go off the Olympus boat for the day? They've left the decision up to us. Buddy is AOW, has done a few wreck dives in NC.

Pros... DM will show us around the wreck? Safety? Special tricks for wreck dives?

Cons... Cost?

Thoughts from the experienced appreciated.

-Ben

 

[Jaydubya]

Have you done anything over 100 ft? Since your buddy has done some of the wrecks what does s/he think? Main advantage of hiring a DM is help navigating the wrecks. Some are easy and some are not so easy.

 

[bkyaffe]

@joe, nope. i've done about 80' at Casino Point on Catalina with no issues (other than the bone-chilling cold through my 7mm...). what's the concern for the increased depth? looking out for getting narc'd, decreased ndl's, faster air consumption, planning for a longer ascent?

ben

 

[Jaydubya]

@joe, nope. i've done about 80' at Casino Point on Catalina with no issues (other than the bone-chilling cold through my 7mm...). what's the concern for the increased depth? looking out for getting narc'd, decreased ndl's, faster air consumption, planning for a longer ascent?

ben

You got some concerns right... narcosis, increased gas consumption, having to reserve more gas for the ascent. I would add reduce NDL times. But it sounds like you are the thinking type of diver who will do just fine. Your main concerns then are navigation and NDL times. If you don't want to hire a DM be very concerned with where the anchor line is, especially if there is any current or seas. Do you have an SMB and know how to inflate it? If you have to ascend off the wreck (not on the anchor line) in current, swim into the current as you ascend and skip the safety stop. Be ready to inflate your SMB at the surface if you are not within haling distance of the dive boat. You have a whistle don't you? If you find yourself in mandatory deco and ascending off the wreck in current you will have to make a tough decision. Best solution is not to get into deco. If you cannot find the anchor line, do not go into deco searching for it, make your ascent at 30 ft per minute, pause at 15 ft to slow your ascent, but skip the safety stop. Hpefully you will be close to the boat. If not, remain calm, inflate your SMB and wait to be picked up. Do not swim. They will search for you down current. I suggest carrying a light even in daylight hours. This will help the coast guard find you at night in the very unlikely event you get yourself lost.

 

[bkyaffe]

Joe- Thanks for all the advice! Some great thought points in there to help me get my head around the concerns. I'll talk about it with my buddy and see what she thinks. I don't generally dive with a whistle or SMB as I'm generally shore diving in coves, but I can see the importance wrt current and boat diving.
-Ben

 

[TylerSC]

It's usually only $30-40 more to dive with the divemaster. If you are at all concerned, why take a chance? Dive with the DM.

 

[bkyaffe]

Point taken, the cost delta isn't terribly large in the context of the whole day. However, if I'm not concerned about a dive, I'm probably not evaluating risks conservatively enough, so just because an option is there doesn't mean it's necessarily necessary, right? Put another way, if I'm concerned, it'd cost way less to stay on shore.

-Ben

 

[yenna128]

In my opinion, a DM isn't necessary for our dives. We're well versed in the potential risks and it's likely I'll be nearly deep certified by then. Nav entails paying attention to the anchor line and its location, but we've had harder navigation dives in California. There's sand surrounding the wreck (as opposed to kelp to get lost in) and we will have short enough NDLs to not venture away from the wreck. Personally, I think following a dive master would detract from my learning experience to practice skills because I'd be in follower mode. I feel comfortable leading you through the ship, but we will only go in big rooms with obvious exits. I'm also happy to pick the staff's brains about the wreck while on the boat ride out. Diving the warm summer waters of the Atlantic is easier than the chilly Pacific so I don't really buy into the fact that just because you haven't been out here, you should have a guide, and that really was their only reason for getting one. We can brush up on the deep diving manual the night before. We do need to be conscious of all the risks mentioned in previous posts (thanks Joe), particularly with current because neither of us have great experience in it. I think as long as we're careful divers and continue to be conservative with NDLs, we'll be fine.

That being said, it's not a lot of extra money and if you feel safer with a DM, then of course I'm not opposed.

Yay diving! Can we talk about the sharks instead?

 

[yenna128]

P.S. Have you gotten your DAN insurance yet?

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

Nitrox Cert is a Plus!! I dove there for a few days and had a great time the wrecks and sharks were awesome. 30% is their usual mix for the wrecks, didn't need a divemaster as a guide the wrecks are pretty finite, not really a chance to get lost, just my opinion. Trip Report