Questions about my first boat dive

[Steve_C]

Last thing I do before stepping off the boat is take a couple of deep inhales on my reg while looking at my pressure gauge. If the needle moves i need to stop and get my tank all the way open. You can breath easy off a partially open tank but not at depth. Doing this saved my tail on a hot drop in mexico where a new crew member had messed with my tank.

 

[Gary_D]

Get ready early for a couple of reasons. After you get ready you can relax and get your heartrate down and visualize a good relaxed dive. Think through all your gear because remembering your fins or your computer at the last minute will stress you just before entry. Calm Calm Calm

Thanks Ray for the advice calm is my middle name, I'm getting a better mental picture of how this works, dont wont to be the last one in, nor being suited up, mask on and reg in mouth and still tied to the dock

 

[outofofficebrb]

Last thing I do before stepping off the boat is take a couple of deep inhales on my reg while looking at my pressure gauge. If the needle moves i need to stop and get my tank all the way open. You can breath easy off a partially open tank but not at depth. Doing this saved my tail on a hot drop in mexico where a new crew member had messed with my tank.

I had the same thing happen to me. I learned this one from reading DAN dive accident reports. I have made it a habit to check every time and it happened recently. It only needs to be one time for something to go wrong!

 

[Gary_D]

Last thing I do before stepping off the boat is take a couple of deep inhales on my reg while looking at my pressure gauge. If the needle moves i need to stop and get my tank all the way open. You can breath easy off a partially open tank but not at depth. Doing this saved my tail on a hot drop in mexico where a new crew member had messed with my tank.

I was thinking about that, once i set my gear i dont want anybody touching it, very good point about watching your guage with a couple of deep breaths.

 

[KevinNM]

Getting back on - I would strongly suggest not giving anyone your fins until you are back on the boat. Swimming without fins back to the boat when you fall off the ladder sucks. I usually have my hands through the straps so I can stand on the ladder and hold on with both hands, but if I lose the ladder I can put my fins back on and get back to the ladder.

Second, don't crowd the ladder. People do fall off ladders. And if they and their tank lands on your head it stings.

 

[Bubblesong]

0) Dramamine the night before, morning of .
1)Better a bit early to the boat, and then hang out with coffee, than late and rushed.
2)Most boats told us no flip flops, close toed sneakers for stability, and protection against "tank-toe-troubles"
3)no "man-spreading" on tiny boats!
4)Towel in ziplock bag due to sea spray hosing you and your stuff as boat zooms along
5)an unusual entry we only did once, was all of us ready to go, not in a line, but as array, so four jumped, then four more, then four more. That was a night dive, so I got behind my kid so no one landed on top of her by accident.
6) have a few small weights near boat exit in case you are ambitiously underweighted, as I was once.
Have fun!

 

[Gary_D]

Getting back on - I would strongly suggest not giving anyone your fins until you are back on the boat. Swimming without fins back to the boat when you fall off the ladder sucks. I usually have my hands through the straps so I can stand on the ladder and hold on with both hands, but if I lose the ladder I can put my fins back on and get back to the ladder.

Second, don't crowd the ladder. People do fall off ladders. And if they and their tank lands on your head it stings.

Keeping your fins makes sense! Staying away from the ladder i saw coming, their tank to a persons head could actually knock a someone out, wonder if that has happened.

 

[TMHeimer]

The fin removal thing....Most charters I've been on (not that I have been on tons of them), you are on the trail ("current") line awaiting your turn up the ladder. You grab the ladder, remove fins one at a time and hand them up to crew one at a time. I have seen variations where you use a rope to string them on and loop it, and one boat with a special ladder that allows climbing it with fins on. Main thing is don't drop one, and I've seen that happen.

 

[GJC]

All good advice above.

Make sure you remove and stow sunglasses before heading to the back of the boat.

Make certain your tank valve is fully open sometime before entry. On some boats a crew member will check your valve before your jump.

If you are not certain your weight is spot on. Add a little air to bcd before entry.

After entry, give crew the OK sign on the surface.

Everything else will probably be mentioned in the briefing.

Have fun and relax.

 

[Boglefish]

If jumping off(stride entry) no big deal. Depending on the boat size and wave action, make sure you hold on and steady yourself. Last trip, one dude lost his footing and almost went crashing down all loaded up. Fins are the last thing to wear just before entry.

Rollback entry: Never done this and actually nervous to try it. Just don't like the idea of falling backwards & not seeing where I'm going...... like jumping in blind. Does anyone know if the Blue Angel resort (Cozumel) boats require rollback entry?