Diving Guideless

[Mouthbreather]

How do you know when you and your buddy are ready to dive without a dive master or guide? We were certified four years ago, but dive off the coast of California and have only maybe 25 dives max. We'd like to just walk in at Point Lobos, and I honestly don't know if I should feel uncomfortable with that or not.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Only you will know but if and when you think you are ready, just make sure you are both very competent navigators because you never know what can happen. Make sure you stay within an area that you know and recognize physical markers so navigation is almost fool proof. Keep your dives simple (even if they are boring at first).....straight out, straight back (assuming little to no current).....then add in a 90 degree turn (only one) at a physical marker so that you can easily navigate back. Keep the dives simple until you build more confidence. Again, only you will know when you are ready but do not try anything until you both are comfortable.

 

[captndale]

A certified Open Water Diver is supposed to be able to dive with a buddy unsupervised. If that is not the case, there was something wrong with your training.

 

[katdiver]

As Steve said, keep it simple. If you're off to a new site get some advice or an orientation so nothing unexpected jumps up. Work on your navigation but don't get hung up on the compass, take the time to look around and take notice of everything so you can start developing your natural navigation skills. Your world will start to open up.

 

[neil]

How do you know when you and your buddy are ready to dive without a dive master or guide? We were certified four years ago, but dive off the coast of California and have only maybe 25 dives max. We'd like to just walk in at Point Lobos, and I honestly don't know if I should feel uncomfortable with that or not.

If you are planning to enter at Fisherman's Cove, that's a fairly easy entry off the little concrete boat ramp. The area is well protected from swell, and there's tons to see without going more that a few yards in any direction. Add Steve's advice on navigation and you should have a great time. It's been few years since I was there, but I don't recall the area in front of the boat launch area to be very deep.

 

[vladimir]

A certified Open Water Diver is supposed to be able to dive with a buddy unsupervised. If that is not the case, there was something wrong with your training.

In the conditions they were trained in. If all your training and dives were in quarries, unsupervised surf entries might not be the best idea.

 

[spectrum]

All things being equal immediately after OW you and a peer should have been making unsupervised dives within your skill set.

At 6 dives per year and no prior critical mass your skills are probably stagnant or in retrograde so it's getting harder to make the transition. You need to look in the mirror and decide if you are hesitating due to preparedness or simply being in the habit of having a guide.

If the answer is skill then hire a DM /instructor to conduct a shore diving orientation with you and your buddy. It's not rocket science but if you have always been in a quarry or on a boat there are things you want to know and do.

Pete

 

[Sas]

A certified Open Water Diver is supposed to be able to dive with a buddy unsupervised. If that is not the case, there was something wrong with your training.

Yes that is true, ideally a diver who is certified should be then able to do dives without a guide but I have noticed you have failed to give any advice about what to do about the inadequate training...? I have dived with about four people straight out of OW (not a huge sample size for sure I admit) in the last two or so months and none of them would have been ok to dive without an experienced diver at <10 dives, so yes training is often inadequate but that just means divers have to take it easy when they first dive guideless.

Mouthbreather, if you are having to ask a question like this, then you probably don't feel 100% comfortable on your own even though you have said you don't know if you should feel uncomfortable. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do the dive, but I would be thinking real hard about whether I was up for it, and making detailed plans and sticking to them when I was doing the dive. I'd also be looking up information on the site, possible things that might make the site challenging, and also talking to other divers. If you are still uncomfortable, start with an easier site (I do not know what the site in question is like so not sure if it is difficult) or pay for a DM to take you around. Then perhaps try it on your own after you've been shown the site.

Anyway, good luck with it!

 

[diver 85]

A certified Open Water Diver is supposed to be able to dive with a buddy unsupervised. If that is not the case, there was something wrong with your training.

Have to agree.........To the OP, take baby steps ie go a 'liitle ways' out--come back in--then go back a little further....Sooner or later you'll have to go on your own, nothing should 'get you' out in the deep blue abyss..............

 

[diveandclimb]

As an open water diver you can dive in open water but if you don't have any guided experience with this kind of entry and condition you may want a quick lesson on surf entries. You should really dive more often so your skills don't stagnate and because it's fun.