I have a blog post here on scubaboard that I put up quite a while ago, and it remains among the most popular. Here it is:
[h=4]So now you are doing your open water dives
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by
DivemasterDennis
, July 7th, 2011 at 03:08 PM (1973 Views)
This weekend I will be part of team leading 24 new divers through their open water dives to certification as new divers, and as I know we have a lot of new divers in training who read scubaboard, I'd like to share a few suggestions with you to make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.
1.Check all you gear a day or two before the dive, to be sure you have everything, everything is working properly and everything fits properly. Put stuff on, especially rented exposure gear. If anything is too tight, too loose, looks damaged, or doesn't work, go to your local dive center and get it switched.
2. Before you leave the dive location after day 1, check to make sure you have everything in your dive bag, and that what you have is yours. In big groups, people sometime get the wrong stuff. While it can usually get straightened out the next day, it is a pain and an anxiety maker. Do the same on day 2.
3. Be on time. This can be a problem. And it will stress you and others. Punctual divers are calmer divers. Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be.
4. Don't schedule stuff for later the same day as you open water dives. You won't want to rush off, because you may well forget a piece of gear, or miss out on meeting new people, or conversations that would be helpful to you. Getting certified is a big deal, and also involves some physical exertion. Try and schedule yourself so you can be fully focused on the dives, not be rushed, and fully enjoy the experience and the achievement of open water diving.
5. Ask questions. If you have a question ask your instructor or divemaster. There are no stupid questions. If you want a "private moment" asks for one. We will accommodate you.
6. Report problems. If you don't feel well, a piece of gear doesn't fit right,
or you have some other issue, please tell one of us. We need to know, and we can help.
7. Be patient. Sometime you have to wait your turn. Sometimes we have weather delays, or other things that delay a planned schedule. Stay calm, stay relaxed, we will get everything done. We promise.
8. Bring you paperwork ( including photo, written work not yet turned in,etc.) and log book and a pen. The job isn't over till the paperwork's done. Bring everything in your student kit. It's a great feeling to not only have done your dives successfully, but to have all the paperwork ready to go, your dives logged, and be a totally legitimate certified diver.
9. Ok, as the co-author of "The Scuba Snobs' Guide to Diving Etiquette" I can't close without saying this: "Don't Bitch." If you have a complaint, state it to your instructor or divemaster. We can't control the weather or water conditions, but we will do all we can to meet your needs while guiding you to becoming a certified diver. That means we won't be doing things for you, but will guide you through it. You can minimize problems by having all your work in before the open water weekend, checking your gear a day or two before, and following the other suggestions here.
Diver's bond with other divers in a hurry. You are about to join one of the coolest clubs that has ever existed- the brother- and sister-hood of certified divers. Let's have a fun, positive and memorable(in a good way) experience under the water!
DivemasterDennis
