chachita
Contributor
I don't recall seeing a section or a comprehensive list of additional safety gear you should always have with you in the basic OW and AOW manuals, like all the items you mention. Some of these items may be mentioned here and there, but there isn't a great deal of emphasis on them or a section that shows why you should never dive without them.
I learned how to dive in Curacao, where the diving is about as easy as it gets - warm water, little current, great visibility, shore diving mostly, so navigation isn't challenging. Consequently, you rarely see anyone there using these items, locals or tourists. It wasn't until a recent trip to Key Largo, where I had to buy a safety sausage to be let on the dive boat and then experienced strong currents, that I realized the importance of a] diving with a full set of safety accessories and b] educating myself thoroughly on all safety issues, like many of the topics being discussed on this thread.
I am conscientious and safety minded and I took the studying portion of my diving courses seriously: I read the manuals thoroughly and have since reread several portions. As well, I had about 70 logged dives when I went to Key Largo, but this was my first real exposure to the importance and need for additional safety equipment. I don't think my experience is unique, which is why you still have most divers out there without signalling devices.
Someone else on this thread suggested a rating system for dive ops that is centrally compiled and available - which I think is an excellent idea. I did thorough research into dive ops before going to Key Largo, but it took many hours of plowing through scubaboard threads and posts asking for recommendations. Having everything in one place would be ideal.
I also think there should be a centrally available, comprehensive list that explains diving conditions in general and for specific locations in clear language any newbie can understand, so you can self assess whether you should be doing the dive based on your experience. For Key Largo wreck dives, dive ops suggest having a minimum number of logged dives and a minimun number of dives at 80-90-100 feet, which I had. Because I was doing the PADI wreck diving course and would do all dives with an instructor, I decided I could do it, but, having read about the currents, I began a special work out regimen 6 weeks prior to the trip. Aerobics, interval and strength training made a huge difference and made it much easier for me to swim comfortably, not guzzle my tank, and be able to lift myself easily out off the boat in very choppy seas [I'm 5'1" and weigh 120]. Also, prior to the trip I bought a full 3mm wetsuit to manage the lower temperatures but I didn't buy the safety sausage or any other accessories because I didn't see a recommendation anywhere. I bought my sausage at the Key Largo dive shop. Since then, I have bought a flag, mirror, horn and a strobe and I'm thinking of buying a GPS locator, as I am now planning much more adventurous trips to far-flung locales.
I learned how to dive in Curacao, where the diving is about as easy as it gets - warm water, little current, great visibility, shore diving mostly, so navigation isn't challenging. Consequently, you rarely see anyone there using these items, locals or tourists. It wasn't until a recent trip to Key Largo, where I had to buy a safety sausage to be let on the dive boat and then experienced strong currents, that I realized the importance of a] diving with a full set of safety accessories and b] educating myself thoroughly on all safety issues, like many of the topics being discussed on this thread.
I am conscientious and safety minded and I took the studying portion of my diving courses seriously: I read the manuals thoroughly and have since reread several portions. As well, I had about 70 logged dives when I went to Key Largo, but this was my first real exposure to the importance and need for additional safety equipment. I don't think my experience is unique, which is why you still have most divers out there without signalling devices.
Someone else on this thread suggested a rating system for dive ops that is centrally compiled and available - which I think is an excellent idea. I did thorough research into dive ops before going to Key Largo, but it took many hours of plowing through scubaboard threads and posts asking for recommendations. Having everything in one place would be ideal.
I also think there should be a centrally available, comprehensive list that explains diving conditions in general and for specific locations in clear language any newbie can understand, so you can self assess whether you should be doing the dive based on your experience. For Key Largo wreck dives, dive ops suggest having a minimum number of logged dives and a minimun number of dives at 80-90-100 feet, which I had. Because I was doing the PADI wreck diving course and would do all dives with an instructor, I decided I could do it, but, having read about the currents, I began a special work out regimen 6 weeks prior to the trip. Aerobics, interval and strength training made a huge difference and made it much easier for me to swim comfortably, not guzzle my tank, and be able to lift myself easily out off the boat in very choppy seas [I'm 5'1" and weigh 120]. Also, prior to the trip I bought a full 3mm wetsuit to manage the lower temperatures but I didn't buy the safety sausage or any other accessories because I didn't see a recommendation anywhere. I bought my sausage at the Key Largo dive shop. Since then, I have bought a flag, mirror, horn and a strobe and I'm thinking of buying a GPS locator, as I am now planning much more adventurous trips to far-flung locales.
