100ft

[Wyno]

I have seen a lot of talk about going beyond your training. So as a newly certified diver I wanted to know what you consider to be qualified to go to 100ft. I want to go on some dive trips and what I have been hearing is that most take you below the 60ft mark. So I want to have the training and experience to do that kind of dive. So besides being AOW certified what else would you consider.

 

[voidware]

The most important limit is personal. If you do not feel comfortable going below 60ft, don't do it. Uncomfortable divers are unsafe divers. The truth is, there is no magical distinction at 60 ft, 100ft, or even 130ft. The 60ft limit was chosen as a function of NDLs and the time to use an AL80. 100ft and 130ft are arbitrary. The training that you would qualify for is not really useful (PADI deep diver or AOW). Experience is what you need.

The environment is also a consideration. While many divers are not mature enough to deal with narcosis at 100ft, if you asked this question, you probably are. If you are going on a dive trip in the caribbean, it will probably be supervised and relatively safe for you to go deeper. If you want to increase your limits, this is the place to do it. However, if you plan on diving a NJ or NC wreck, things can get rather hardcore. I wouldn't advise doing those type of dives without more experience.

BTW, how many dives do you have?

brandon

 

[Wyno]

I am newly certified so I only have the 5 to get certified. So I know that I am not ready for the 100ft mark but wanted some advice from some experienced divers.

 

[jeffsterinsf]

Not only are there problems with "deep" (e.g., narcosis), but there are problems with being "not shallow." While at 30' you can probably swim comfortably to the surface without ill effect without any air, things are different at 60' -- by the time you get down to 80-100' you need to really understand how to plan a dive (including gas consumption) and have enough practice with "emergencies" so that you don't have to waste time thinking about what to do. You may take time intentionally, but that is in your plan.

Nothing substitutes for competent instruction and lots of experience as one slowly expands their limits, without ever crossing them.

 

[Spectre]

voidware once bubbled...
If you are going on a dive trip in the caribbean, it will probably be supervised and relatively safe for you to go deeper

I've always felt that caribbean deep is actually a bit more dangerous for novice divers than the harsher NE/NY diving.

Why? Because of the false sense of security. When your diving in cold murky water, you know it... you've got that same alertness as you get when talking to a cop after a few beers... thinking everything out slowly, being very conscious of your actions. When things go awry, you notice sooner and you're more prepared for it. e.g. so your mask floods. Your vis goes from 5 ft to zero... big deal, you dove in zero vis last week

Now you get down to those bright clear warm waters, and your down deep... your just as deep as you are in new england, and it's just as unforgiving to mistakes. However this time you're nice and calm and relaxed. Something goes awry, you breathe a little deeper, the narcosis kicks in, and all of the sudden the s**t really hits the fan 'cause the swing from normal to bad is so severe.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

What he said!

Take all the classes you can with an instructor you respect and trust. Doesn't really matter what the classes are, you want to get time in underwater and honing your skills/learning new ones under supervision is a good thing. Diving with more experienced divers just for pleasure will accomplish the same goal as long as they aren't cocky know-it-alls. There are many good divers on the board and elsewhere, see if you can hook up with some of them and pick up some pointers.

The only way to get comfortable with your skills is to dive as often as possible. If it's been a while since you've been in the water take a refresher course.

Happy diving to you!
Ber

 

[redacted]

If you are not comfortable with the idea of 100 ft, then you should seek more shallower experience. If places like Coz and Caymen want to put more water over your head than you think you are ready for, there are other options. Cancun has plenty of good 30 to 60 ft dives. It's not in the same class as cozumel, but if you are new at this, it will amaze you anyway. And there are plenty of other good times to be had. Another alternative that is pretty much all diving is Honduras. While they may offer a few deeper dives, you should be able opt out of them and stay above 60 ft. The first trip my wife and I went on after certification was cancun. She wasn't even interested in 60 ft, so we had a great trip at less than 40 ft.

 

[caymaniac]

I've been diving since 81', I would say that when I first started diving, in the cold murk it seems like 100 would be stupid and dangerous, but when you get to the Carribean and you can see the boat easily from 100ft.,you feel much more comfortable at deeper depths. Diving in lakes and rivers with low viz, when in one second you can lose sight of your buddy, you can tangle in fishing line, your octo gets caught in the rocks, and when the scariest of all is when you have these big fish seen as shadows that come racing at you and then disappear again, is alot different when viz is litterally hundreds of feet

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[King Kong Matt]

If there is one big downside to the excellent visibility that you typically find in the Caribbean, it is that being able to see the surface is not always a good thing.

I have seen more divers experience problems in 30-50 feet of water...look up through the gin clear water to a surface of warm air waiting...and shoot to the surface so that they can fix whatever was wrong.

It's been said by lots of people before me, but problems that occur under water need to be solved under water.

If, for whatever reason, you are not confident in your training to solve a particular problem at a particular depth...that's too deep for you.

 

[scubababe]

What strikes me about deeper dives is not only the slower reflexes, possible narcosis, quicker air consumption and longer ascent, but that you have a lot more to consider/think about.

On a shallower dive, you generally end a dive based on air considerations and don't need to put a lot of thought into looking at your nitrogen load. But on a deeper dive you more often have to end a dive as you get close to your ndl.

It doesn't sound like much but I found it to be a real crossover in thinking.