Diving the Deep Depths

[Amadeus023]

Hello Everyone - thanks for all of your input. I know that diving in clear water is so much easier than this murky stuff we have around here in Chicago. I am so excited about Roatan. According to my dive buddy, up until now I have been on dives that are like a "1" on a scale of 1-10. So, if I have been happy with these then I am going to be thrilled in Roatan. This is my first ever vacation where there will be so many people with "diving" interests. I hope to make lots of new friends and to tell them about SB!

 

[Matty]

May be its part of the Aow but I have had many divers coming to me with OW certs having sometimes dived to 40metres with their freinds or another dive company!!! It is very important to stay in your own personal comfort zone but also important that the dive centre regulates every diver that comes through the centre. Accidents do happen and this is why!!!

Matty
IDC Staff/Technical Instrutor
www.personal-scuba.com

 

[CJ Waid]

80 feet isn't really that deep. I'd say 90-100 feet or so would be a good experience for ya. It was for me, I dove that deep within weeks of being certified, I wanted to do it the second I got certified, but my buddy was caught up on the 60 feet thing too, which isn't a bad thing, being careful and safe is good, just don't let it worry you, it is no different at 80 feet than it is at 20 feet, except, it is usually colder.

 

[PerroneFord]

80' really isn't that deep.

Oh yea?

Tell you what. Go to 80ft, hold your breath and swim up. Or go to 80ft, and do an OOA with a stranger.

80ft is VERY deep to someone with 10 dives, in an unfamiliar location, with an unknown buddy.

Amadeus023, go to a depth where YOU feel comfortable. I completely agree with Doc Intrepid. If you are nervous, the dive is gonna suck. I've had some of my most fun dives above 20ft, just following turtles.

 

[Diveral]

Oh yea?

Tell you what. Go to 80ft, hold your breath and swim up. Or go to 80ft, and do an OOA with a stranger.

80ft is VERY deep to someone with 10 dives, in an unfamiliar location, with an unknown buddy.

Amadeus023, go to a depth where YOU feel comfortable. I completely agree with Doc Intrepid. If you are nervous, the dive is gonna suck. I've had some of my most fun dives above 20ft, just following turtles.

PF, I've got too much respect for you than to argue with you but if you hold your breath and ascend from 15' you will have the same lung expansion injury that you will get from 80 ft. A minor change in depth will cause your lungs to expand more with a decrease in depth while shallow than the same depth change will while deep.

An OOA at 60' is not very different than a OOA at 80' in the situation you describe. The best thing to do is to avoid them.

When you are diving tropical waters like Roatan, the Bahamas, Keys, Caymans, Cozumel, Belize, etc. there is not a whole lot of difference between 60 and 80 feet. He just has to keep a closer watch on his air and plan and extra 2 minutes for ascent. There is no bogey man at 60 feet. It seems that we spend more time scaring new divers about not diving below 60 feet than we spend teaching them to dive. That's why I suggested he see if they can start the first day at shallower depths and discuss his anxiety with the DM and his buddy. I'll bet by the third days diving that 60' anxiety barrier will dissolve like a puff of smoke.

I totally agree with your last paragraph he should dive at a comfortable depth for all of his dives. Most of us gradually expanded our comfort levels and skills. I'll bet by the third day he is very comfortable diving where he's going. Wish I could go too.

 

[DandyDon]

He did NOT mean this! Don't do it...!

Oh yea?

Tell you what. Go to 80ft, hold your breath and swim up. Or go to 80ft, and do an OOA with a stranger.

80ft is VERY deep to someone with 10 dives, in an unfamiliar location, with an unknown buddy.

Amadeus023, go to a depth where YOU feel comfortable. I completely agree with Doc Intrepid. If you are nervous, the dive is gonna suck. I've had some of my most fun dives above 20ft, just following turtles.

He's an excellent diver, and was just being a little sarcastic.

 

[Diveral]

He did NOT mean this! Don't do it...!


He's an excellent diver, and was just being a little sarcastic.

Don, Yeah I know. This 60 ft. thing is one of my hot buttons and this issue appeared while I was on a break from diving. It didn't exist when I stopped diving and when I came back there was this 60 ft. bogey man and all new divers were scared of it. When I took open water they were teaching people how to dive and a deep dive was one of our check-out dives. I hit 92 feet on my second open water check-out dive. We were doing ESA's from 30 and 60 feet in training and I did one from 98 feet my first year of diving. Dives to 120 feet were just a part of diving and it was covered in the OW class.

I believe that this 60 foot thing is way over the top. They need to teach the newbs to be cautious but damn they are terrorized at 61 feet. That is just wrong.

 

[halocline]

Dont forget to understand how much cover your insurance gives you. From what i understand, if your certified to do 60' and no more, your looking at $$$$$ if something goes wrong at 80'.

I'm wondering what you're talking about here....health insurance, DAN insurance, what. And do you have anything written from the insurance agency that explains this? BTW, when you get PADI certification you're not breaking any rule by diving deeper than 60 ft. Otherwise, every dive op that takes any OW diver deeper than 60ft could be liable for damages, what a mess that would be!

 

[PerroneFord]

I believe that this 60 foot thing is way over the top. They need to teach the newbs to be cautious but damn they are terrorized at 61 feet. That is just wrong.

The training these days is not as rigorous as it once was, so I don't feel as comfortable recommending the same depth of dives to a newly certified diver of today. Frankly, after seeing modern OW classes, I am amazed we don't have more accidents.

I don't necessarily agree with the arbitrary 60ft thing, but if the diver is going to feel uncomfortable with the depth, then I think that diver should excercise caution.

 

[k4man]

80' really isn't that deep. Take your time and keep a close watch on your air it will go faster there. Talk to the DM and your buddy before that first dive so they can be aware of your anxiety and not descend faster than you are ready for.

It might help if they can schedule dives no deeper than 65-70 feet for your first day,

AL

Difficult or deep--or not--is not the question. As several others indicated, YOU have to be comfortable. If you are new to diving and have not experienced these depths and/or environment, there's no shame in deciding to go more conservative. In fact, many will congratulate you on knowing your limits and diving safely.

That's not to bash the member's comments above, but if you check out diveral's profile, there are a significant number of dives there to allow for a comfort zone different than yours.

Play it safe!