Spiny Lobster Diving Tips/suggestions

[ScubaWanderer]

I'm relatively new to diving (15 dives in Cozumel, and an upcoming liveaboard in Australia in May where I'll get my PADI AOW). I'm Enriched Air certified. I am contemplating going on a 2 or 3 day trip to dive for spiny lobsters when the season opens in October.

Would love to hear from you. Any general tips? Is this too complicated for someone with my experience level? Advice on gear? Dive operators?

Thank you in advance!

 

[merxlin]

Unless you get a lot of dives in between now and then- I don't suggest it. Diving warm clear water is not the same as our colder sometimes green Pacific. An AOW does not make you an advanced diver. Every year there are fatalities in the first few days of the season due to inexperienced divers or divers who have not been in the water for a while. It is not as easy as you might think, and the added activity typically means you burn through your gas very quickly. Unless there is a compelling reason to hunt- wait until you have more local diving experience.

 

[ScubaWanderer]

Thank you. I've done a lot of searching and noticed the amount of accidents. It does also seem like there is a lot of recklessness going on (guys diving solo, drinking, diving without enough rest, etc). This said, I appreciate your advice. I'm going to try to schedule a few trips out to Monterey this year so I can experience diving cold water. Maybe best for me to skip this year.

 

[Rhone Man]

I'd also advocate a bit of caution. There is a lot of task loading involved with hunting lobster - there are plenty of people who leap into it without much experience, but I am not sure how smart that is.

I do a lot of spiny lobster hunting (admittedly in the Caribbean) and it is amazing how much it escalates your work rate and gas consumption. And don't even get me started on how easy it is to lose a buddy when you are both hunting. It is not dangerous per se, but it definitely ratchets up the normal scuba risk factors by several multiples.

 

[ScubaWanderer]

Posts like these are exactly the perspectives I've been hoping to get. Thank you guys. I'll probably sit this year out until (or unless) I can get more experience, probably with at least a few trips to the coast and at least a few night dives. I don't take safety lightly.

From looking into it, my dive shop Dolphin Scuba in Sacramento seems to offer a few spiny lobster trips. I'll also call them to see if I can get some trips out with them to the coast this year to get some practice diving colder water.

 

[jensfisc]

You seem pretty reasonable, don't let the added task loading of hunting deter you as long as you recognize it and don't push your limits. Be happy to do the dive and be even more stoked if you get bugs but dive first hunt second. I would start with a couple shore dives for lobster before doing an overnighter.

Also I am not an expert hunter or expert diver so my opinion should carry less weight, but if you feel that your diving is safe and comfortable don't hold back.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Another point to consider is that most of the deaths around opening weekend the past couple of years have been experienced divers. It is so easy to make a mistake when you are concentrating on lobsters. Divers have become entangled but mostly have run out of air. As others have mentioned, your breathing becomes elevated while grabbing, measuring and bagging bugs. Checking your spg more often is mandatory but many fail to do so.

 

[Rhone Man]

You seem pretty reasonable, don't let the added task loading of hunting deter you as long as you recognize it and don't push your limits. Be happy to do the dive and be even more stoked if you get bugs but dive first hunt second. I would start with a couple shore dives for lobster before doing an overnighter.

Good suggestions. Another good suggestion is to see if you can go for a "ride along". Watch some lobster hunting in action, but you are just a spectator. One thing you will not pretty quickly is how even expert divers find themselves floundering around struggling with crustaceans.