I called a dive out of sheer boredom in Oaxaca last summer. Vis was nil and the only way I could locate my buddy was the sound of his reg. It was a good learning experience for 15 minutes or so and then it just sucked.
When to call a dive... a question of limits.
- Thread starter The Chairman
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It's funny how many in this thread claim bad vis as their reason for calling a dive.
While nobody should ever question your buddy's reason to call a dive (the thumb is a command, not a request, we'll discuss the issue when we have solid ground under our feet), it's interesting to me that while I've never called a dive due to vis, I've called dives due to surface conditions. Granted, I've never been in really crappy vis (my worst dive ever had some 1-2m vis), I've always found that that hasn't been a serious concern to me. Getting into and out of the water without being uncomfortably thrown around, on the other hand...
While nobody should ever question your buddy's reason to call a dive (the thumb is a command, not a request, we'll discuss the issue when we have solid ground under our feet), it's interesting to me that while I've never called a dive due to vis, I've called dives due to surface conditions. Granted, I've never been in really crappy vis (my worst dive ever had some 1-2m vis), I've always found that that hasn't been a serious concern to me. Getting into and out of the water without being uncomfortably thrown around, on the other hand...
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Good enough reason. If it isn't fun, why do it?
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Derepmet visibility: when you're only able to read "Tempered" backwards in your mask. Been there and called that. My first dive off Venice Beach, Fl was just such a dive. In fact, my buddy suggested that we use a Jon Line to tether us together. On my descent I ran into the bottom. Boink. I was so surprised I let go of the tether. I was only in 12 feet of water, so I surfaced, found his bubbles and tried to swim down to him. I tried to find him over and over for the next 90 minutes where he finally emerged. "Wow, you're a great buddy! I never felt you tug on the Jon Line even once!". Yeah, if only I had that Jon Line to pull!
AfterDark
Contributor
Mostly weather, I call dives sitting in front of my desk top looking at the marine weather forecast. Bad vis is a regular dive partner here in RI, we celebrate 10' vis, 0-5' is the norm at some sites.
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The only time I've used a buddy line was when the surface vis was estimated to be around 1m/3'. We were lucky, it cleared up below 5-8m depth, but damn, it was murky. Good thing I always bring a light.Derepmet visibility: when you're only able to read "Tempered" backwards in your mask. Been there and called that. My first dive off Venice Beach, Fl was just such a dive. In fact, my buddy suggested that we use a Jon Line to tether us together. On my descent I ran into the bottom. Boink. I was so surprised I let go of the tether. I was only in 12 feet of water, so I surfaced, found his bubbles and tried to swim down to him. I tried to find him over and over for the next 90 minutes where he finally emerged. "Wow, you're a great buddy! I never felt you tug on the Jon Line even once!". Yeah, if only I had that Jon Line to pull!
The time before when we had that kind of vis, I lost sight of my buddy just as we got under water. I was pretty happy to find him again (good thing he, too, carried a light) - by sheer luck, there was more than a 50/50 chance we'd have to call the dive - and we continued our descent clasping each others' forearms.
Then there was that time I more or less did a whole dive holding my buddy's hand. Because if I let go, I'd lose him. There were other reasons for that dive than having fun and seeing things.
An easy, no pressure, procedure for thumbing a dive:
1 - Shake hand
2 - Point to ear
3 - Shrug (optional)
1 - Shake hand
2 - Point to ear
3 - Shrug (optional)
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Given that your buddy doesn't respect that there's no required reason for giving your buddy the thumb.
A thumb is a thumb. The dive is over. When we have our feet on solid ground (or deck), we can discuss reasons. Never before.
Mine was last summer on Lake Michigan. Waves turned into 5 footers (a lot for the Great Lakes since waves distance is much shorter compared with the ocean) as we headed for the dive site. I was halfway into my drysuit, looked at the waves, and went “nope!”
The 5 others, all guys, did the first dive, but only 2 did the second dive and said they should have sat it out. We got tossed around a lot on the way back to the marina. Roughest ride I’ve ever had.
The 5 others, all guys, did the first dive, but only 2 did the second dive and said they should have sat it out. We got tossed around a lot on the way back to the marina. Roughest ride I’ve ever had.
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