Checkout Dive Etiquette/Protocol

[Craig McCoy]

My wife and I just got back from a trip to Playa del Carmen. Made friends with the dive shop manager and a regular diver that frequents that shop. This shop didn't require a checkout dive, but through conversation with the people we met, I found out that they had been asked to do checkout dives prior to diving with a shop they hadn't been on a dive with before. This has never happened to us before and we have been to a few places in Mexico and a place in Roatan.

I guess my question is: When should we expect a checkout dive requirement. Does it cost us one of our dives that we purchase? Is it bad etiquette not to offer to do one? We are really starting to do a lot more dives and want to make sure we respect the dive shops and the other divers.

Background info: Before we go on dive trips, if we haven't been on a dive within the last year we always do a local dive in a little lake (lake is a stretch, it's more of a little and very cold pond) just to keep up on skills.

Thanks!

 

[Damselfish]

You might expect a checkout dive if they list it as part of their routine, or if their rules say they require it after whatever length gap in diving. Or if they just, through meeting you, get the sense it would be a good idea. No need whatsoever to offer.

I think it is more common to see this places that have an on site shore dive, where you are not using a paid dive. Usually its not a big deal. Otherwise, on a boat dive figure that they are just keeping an eye on you, seeing how you handle everything on the boat, your gear, and will watch you closer on the first dive. Maybe go to an easier site, especially if there are a lot of people arriving same day. A casual checkout dive that isn’t called one.

 

[flyboy08]

This is very objective and varies from area to area...most shops I've dove with will require a checkout if no dives have been logged in the past12 months. But they don't ask how many?

So I always say its up to the diver to decide whether they should do a shakedown dive or not...its our lives, not the DM's

 

[jonhall]

Great reply from @Damselfish Sometimes instead of being asked when a last dive was, the question is how many dives do you have?

 

[Centrals]

Some operators will insist on check out dive especially on LoB.
Some divers really dislike the idea especially on land based operator. Because they believe it is a cheap way to rip you off! But I have no problem with that.

 

[TMHeimer]

This is one of the many items you may want to ask about by e mail before making a commitment to a place-- though there are far more important things. I found a couple of odd things I wasn't expecting on my one tropical dive trip.

 

[Rickk]

Most place I have dove with will do some sort of check out on your first dive. It may be as simple as having a DM keep an eye on you or it may be formal one on one and you do some drills. If they suggest a simple dive to get started, go long with it, no big deal, often a good idea especially if yo9u are jet lagged or stressed from traveling.

What they want you to do will vary depending on how many dives you have, what training you have, how long since your last dive and from a simple conservation with you to see if you can at least talk the talk.

Show up with your own gear, stuff with some wear on it and you obviously know how to set it up will get a easy check out, rent some gear, call it by the wrong name, show that you do not know how to set it up and you may have a dedicated DM looking at you on your first dive.

A common practice is that the more difficult or challenging dives are restricted for someone on their first dive with that shop. A busy shop will group divers by ability so the air hogs can all come up at the same time while those who conserve their gas can stay longer.

Remember that you are checking out the dive shop as well. A shop that shows concern for diver safety and comfort and enjoyment is one you want to dive with, one that says give me money get wet now is not one that inspires confidence.

 

[divinh]

If I haven't gone diving for over a year, I'll do a refresher, but then I dive with large blocks, so one dive for refreshing isn't a big deal. I do this because I've dove with people short on time and haven't gone diving in a long time and I see what potentially dangerous stuff they've done... can't set up gear correctly, can't maintain buoyancy and float up, confused by the gauges, etc...

 

[Edward3c]

You’ve started a hot topic. It’s only the experts who object because they don’t know they don’t know it all.

For me the checkout dive is a two way thing. It allows me to check how the operator performs. I’ve walked away from one before now. I’m wary of operators who don’t do them, some just make the first dive nice and shallow, but don’t call it a checkout.

Going back to an operator I’ve used before, I still expect to do a checkout dive.

When I get new divers turn up I pair them with one of my trusted buddies. We don’t tell them it a checkout dive, but it is.

And to answer you last question. Yes the checkout dive is one of the package you buy.

 

[elmo]

When I worked as a divemaster I would always be watching closely any divers I hadn't dived with previously. Sometimes they were "local orientation" or even formally "checkout" dives, but often not. In any case I was evaluating their ability and comfort in the water, and this would affect the decision as to what site to dive next, how deep to take them, and/or how close I'd keep them. As a tourist in other parts of the world I've noticed guides checking me and others I'm diving with too. Any responsoble operator should do the same thing, whether they call it a checkout dive or not.