Eventually want to get into Wreck Diving - what are the pre-requisites?
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Ack, yes. I should have been more explicit about train like you fight. What I meant was the quarry is a great place to get a handle on the types of skills that should be second nature once you hit the ocean (ie total bouyancy, hanging on a line, shooting an SMB). The hazards of a wreck itself (sharp objects, overheads falling on you, dark penetrations and the like) would be the same + or - IMHO. For sure, nothing compares to the ocean/boat for its unique set of risks that compound the above mentioned skills.
I was rethinking my PADI comment though. If you have noone to ask to understand the risks of wreck diving, then the course would be useful in that you'd get all (I would hope) of the book knowledge you would need in one fell-swoop. And there is a led diving portion of it as well.
RAD Diver
Contributor
Will agree with that.
My wife brought up the same point about the PADI course along with having an instructor to do couple of dives with.
I just hooked up with one of the top wreck diving op in our area and dove a lot listened to as much advice as I could and tried not to piss the Captain off too much.
My wife brought up the same point about the PADI course along with having an instructor to do couple of dives with.
I just hooked up with one of the top wreck diving op in our area and dove a lot listened to as much advice as I could and tried not to piss the Captain off too much.
Paulmal
Contributor
For me the PADI course can have value for new divers to teach reel skills, fine tune buoyancy, teach alternative propulsion methods, ect. The key to it being a great course is the instructor, get with an instructor that teaches and regularly dives at the tec wreck level and talk about your long term goals, penetration?, Deco?, Trimix?. He/ she will then be able to construct a course that will help you achieve your goals.
Now to have a supper bad course get an instructor that self certified by doing 25 dives on a wreck and is now offering the course.
Cave training will help you stay calm in the water, teach you to deal with overhead, ect. If you are looking to be a wreck diver, I would recommend Cavern, and adv or tec wreck. Full cave could not hurt but there are massively different threats in a natural wreck and a cave.
When I move to where I can no longer cave dive on a regular basis, and there are amazing wrecks, like the ones up north, I fully plan to take a tec wreck course because there are different considerations when diving a wreck and a cave.
Safe Diving
Now to have a supper bad course get an instructor that self certified by doing 25 dives on a wreck and is now offering the course.
Cave training will help you stay calm in the water, teach you to deal with overhead, ect. If you are looking to be a wreck diver, I would recommend Cavern, and adv or tec wreck. Full cave could not hurt but there are massively different threats in a natural wreck and a cave.
When I move to where I can no longer cave dive on a regular basis, and there are amazing wrecks, like the ones up north, I fully plan to take a tec wreck course because there are different considerations when diving a wreck and a cave.
Safe Diving
beester
Contributor
I realise that my previous comment didn't really answer the OP 's question but it did touch the heart of it. From time to time I take new divers on their first North Sea wreck dive(s). The scope of these "beginners wreck dives" is limited (no penetration, NDL bottom times on eanx32, max depth 100 feet, Penetration as stated by others is a different ballgame and requires in my honest opinion good formal overhead training.
). Just to get their feet wet and see if it's something they like to do in the future.
Even so I ask the following prerequisits which are based on local conditions which might match yours.
- Some experience with the typical depth range of our intermediate wrecks (100-120 feet)
- Some experience with low vis, current and low temperature (drysuit) diving.
- Being able to handle ascends without visual reference (typical ascends on the North Sea wrecks in my neighborhood are drifting ascends deploying a SMB).
- Being able to deploy a bag/smb
- Being able to do the above alone in case of lost buddy/team.
Luckily we have a local estuary where you can mimick some of the above criteria and before going on actual wreck dives. (low vis, temp, current, etc).
When you meet these criteria I would take you out on a typical dive which means, getting up very very early (not alot of sleep) drive a couple of hours, get to the boat when it's still dark and put all your gear onboard. Typical days out means a sea state between 2-5 and waves of 2 feet up till 7 feet (depending on wind direction and strenght), sailing out for 30-50 seamiles (2-4 hours), wait for crank tide, while coping with both the rolling and stamping motions of the vessel, diesel fumes while setting up your gear, getting in your dry-suit. Drop in and dive, wait another 5-6 hours for a 2nd dive, get back to port, unload everything and drive home. All in all a 18h-24h day. This is not including all the preparation, the fact that you have scheduled such an outing which can be blown out at a last minute, the cost of the trip, etc.
Some do it only once, others really are bitten by the bug for various reasons (fauna, history of the wreck, the feeling of adventure, etc). Most can cope with all of the above, but sea-sickness is the final and biggest limiter. Some are not influenced or only during very bad conditions, some easily but try to stomach it because they love the wrecks. Even if this means feeling miserable for a big part of the day. Most don't bother.
See below youtube link (from 1 min onwards)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89QXgDcyzDc (nobody I know but I know the boat).
All of the above courses and experience mentioned is very valid (rescue, buyancy, deco-procedures, trimix, drysuit diving, doubles, overhead training) but first see if you can "stomach" the waves before setting out on a path which might bring alot of pleasure but also requires alot of investment in skills, training, etc.
). Just to get their feet wet and see if it's something they like to do in the future.
Even so I ask the following prerequisits which are based on local conditions which might match yours.
- Some experience with the typical depth range of our intermediate wrecks (100-120 feet)
- Some experience with low vis, current and low temperature (drysuit) diving.
- Being able to handle ascends without visual reference (typical ascends on the North Sea wrecks in my neighborhood are drifting ascends deploying a SMB).
- Being able to deploy a bag/smb
- Being able to do the above alone in case of lost buddy/team.
Luckily we have a local estuary where you can mimick some of the above criteria and before going on actual wreck dives. (low vis, temp, current, etc).
When you meet these criteria I would take you out on a typical dive which means, getting up very very early (not alot of sleep) drive a couple of hours, get to the boat when it's still dark and put all your gear onboard. Typical days out means a sea state between 2-5 and waves of 2 feet up till 7 feet (depending on wind direction and strenght), sailing out for 30-50 seamiles (2-4 hours), wait for crank tide, while coping with both the rolling and stamping motions of the vessel, diesel fumes while setting up your gear, getting in your dry-suit. Drop in and dive, wait another 5-6 hours for a 2nd dive, get back to port, unload everything and drive home. All in all a 18h-24h day. This is not including all the preparation, the fact that you have scheduled such an outing which can be blown out at a last minute, the cost of the trip, etc.
Some do it only once, others really are bitten by the bug for various reasons (fauna, history of the wreck, the feeling of adventure, etc). Most can cope with all of the above, but sea-sickness is the final and biggest limiter. Some are not influenced or only during very bad conditions, some easily but try to stomach it because they love the wrecks. Even if this means feeling miserable for a big part of the day. Most don't bother.
See below youtube link (from 1 min onwards)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89QXgDcyzDc (nobody I know but I know the boat).
All of the above courses and experience mentioned is very valid (rescue, buyancy, deco-procedures, trimix, drysuit diving, doubles, overhead training) but first see if you can "stomach" the waves before setting out on a path which might bring alot of pleasure but also requires alot of investment in skills, training, etc.
RAD Diver
Contributor
Nice video would love to see underwater footage though.
And from what I have heard and seen that day would be considered tranquil by North Sea standards.
And from what I have heard and seen that day would be considered tranquil by North Sea standards.
Diver Dave 69
Contributor
Alex, I live on Long Island and have been certified for about 10 years. i never really got to do as much diving as I wanted until last year. i joined a dive club and made a lot of Dive buddies and naturally did more diving last year than in any other year I was certified. This year a few of us have progressed onto local wreck diving,, ususally jumping on a charter once a month as it tends to get expensive.
I have made more friends on the dive boats and have also met a few local legends of diving. Everyone in the wreck community loves to see new divers and help you succeed.
Start with a club do a bunch of shore dives. Have FUN!!!
I have made more friends on the dive boats and have also met a few local legends of diving. Everyone in the wreck community loves to see new divers and help you succeed.
Start with a club do a bunch of shore dives. Have FUN!!!
Not sure where you are exactly, but if you are in Manhattan or the boroughs, you might want to stop by to say hi at one of our club meetings, the NYC Sea Gypsies... We actually just had our annual "Introduction to Northeast Diving" at Dutch Springs last Saturday, too bad you missed that. But there are a ton of great wrecks at recreational depth in our area. So if you have been bitten by the wreck diving bug, then NYC is the place to be!
Here are some shots from two weeks ago on the Stolt Dagali, a good multi-level wreck off the NJ shore that rises up to around 60 feet. Feel free to PM me if you want more info.
Mike
Awesome, will do when I have a bit more time! Thanks so much for the outreach guys, I really appreciate it.
How difficult of a dive is the USS Mohawk? It's in Florida and ~90ft, I feel like it'd be perfect on Nitrox. I'm getting ahead of myself but that seems like a really cool wreck to dive.
How difficult of a dive is the USS Mohawk? It's in Florida and ~90ft, I feel like it'd be perfect on Nitrox. I'm getting ahead of myself but that seems like a really cool wreck to dive.
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