Avoiding "new diver" mistakes: from training, to gear, to edict, to... everything

[yle]

Number one mistake new divers make, from my observations:

Assuming that pre-dive planning and gear safety check with their buddy is just something they had to do during OW class, but now that they're done with class they don't have to do those things.

Whenever the opportunity presents, I have my OW students watch newly certified divers and use them as an example of why the dive planning and safety checks are so important.

 

[yle]

I just did my AOW and there were 2 other divers who had JUST come out of their OW training. They were pretty terrible- awful buoyancy control, burned through air, one even had a panic attack during the initial descent and rocketed to the surface (he was only about 8 ft down, but still)! But they still got their AOW certs! I was so glad that I had done 20 some odd dives between OW and AOW... my husband and I had actually DONE some of the skills we were being tested on. We are by no means experts, but I learned the value of the real experiences when I saw how UN-experienced some of my fellow classmates were. It also kinda freaked me out a bit because I didn't think those guys should have passed... but that might be an institutional issue?

Institutional issue? Yes and no. Ultimately it's the instructor's responsibility to determine whether or not a student meets the performance requirements of the course. And there is a lot of variation in the interpretation of "mastery" of skills from one instructor to another.

That said, some agencies encourage instructors to push their students directly into an AOW course right after they finish their OW course. Very few OW students have the skills and comfort level to benefit from a proper AOW course, but the lure of "you get to dive deeper! we'll go see a wreck! we'll do a night dive!" etc etc is too exciting to resist.

So I agree with you: if you're looking to really benefit from an AOW course, it makes sense to get some diving experience between OW and AOW. On the other hand, if a new OW diver just wants to be able to tell everyone that they're an "advanced diver" and they dove to 100 feet, and they have the card to prove it (and yes, we get these kind of people in the store occasionally... an "advanced diver" with nine dives completed), then AOW immediately following OW is exactly what you need.

 

[fmerkel]

People with very little actual dive skill who have completed 'Advanced' and now trot it out as though they actually know something are a real detriment to the sport, and themselves, a point that group seldom realizes. They are way worse than OW1 that admit they honestly know nothing.

 

[Bric Martin]

My advice is more of an observation. It is a little different from other posts, it is more about safety.

In the last 10 years or so, most of the PNW accidents that I have heard about fall into 2 main categories. The first is something that happens very early in the dive and could have been prevented with a better pre dive check. Usually the small mistake cascades into a panic situation and becomes much bigger than it should have been. So my advice is to become very regimented with your predive set up and safety check.

In my opinion the second category is gas management. There are exceptions, but there are a bunch of PNW accidents in which new divers poorly manage their air. Learn proper gas management. Many instructors say, go swim around and get back on the boat with 500 psi. They really don't teach you how to do that. There are some really good local gas management classes, find one. That class should be be a staple for new PNW divers.

Lastly, at some point find a mentor. Dive with new divers, but find a mentor that can help you with the nuances of diving.

 

[yle]

People with very little actual dive skill who have completed 'Advanced' and now trot it out as though they actually know something are a real detriment to the sport, and themselves, a point that group seldom realizes. They are way worse than OW1 that admit they honestly know nothing.

Very true.