OP
Do i really need a Dive Computer for first time in the ocean ?
- Thread starter namerg
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Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
Your logic is sound. However, if one gets into liveaboards, and technical diving with deco stops and multiple gases, and other expensive endeavors, the cost of those things will make the cost of an SMB or even the most expensive computer seem trivial in comparison.
The commonly heard advice to "buy gear you can grow into" sounds like a good idea, but it might also be a good idea to keep the "savings" in perspective. There are two facts that apply to most of us: (1) diving is an expensive endeavor, and (2) if you keep diving for some number of years, you WILL inevitably find yourself replacing much of your gear for one reason or another, no matter how much thought you put into the previous purchase.
And if you were trained with tables. If you were trained with a computer - you should really be diving with a computer. Tables are not simple to pick up if you didn't get trained on them.
The dives you will be doing in South Florida will include a lot of square profiles, and tables will do the job pretty well for you.
We have already chatted about this a bit, so I will ask one more question: where will you be renting your gear?
As you know from our previous chats, I do most of my south Florida diving only a few miles north of that, in Pompano Beach. Last year I had some friends come and stay with me for a while and get their AOW certification with me. They did not yet own their own gear. I called around in advance to find the best places to rent. Every one of the shops I contacted included computers with their regulator sets at no extra charge. It is therefore quite possible that you will have a computer with you when you dive no matter what.
We have already chatted about this a bit, so I will ask one more question: where will you be renting your gear?
As you know from our previous chats, I do most of my south Florida diving only a few miles north of that, in Pompano Beach. Last year I had some friends come and stay with me for a while and get their AOW certification with me. They did not yet own their own gear. I called around in advance to find the best places to rent. Every one of the shops I contacted included computers with their regulator sets at no extra charge. It is therefore quite possible that you will have a computer with you when you dive no matter what.
OP
namerg
Contributor
I was just thinking of you. I did check the website, awesome and called this morning. They rent gear over there, they do Sunday diving trips. $120 aprox for everything. And the Dive Master will dive with us. In other words, he will be the tour guide underwater 
. I like that. I just need to call one more time to get more details and make the reservation. THANK YOU so much,
. I like that. I just need to call one more time to get more details and make the reservation. THANK YOU so much,
One more thing. Some people have said that if you took your course with a computer, you will not know how to use a table. The opposite is also true. If you took the course with tables, as you said you did, you do not know how to use a computer. The computer version of the course teaches you in a generic sense important computer functions that will not be readily apparent to you. When you rent your gear, it will come with a computer. Ask for a quick explanation of how you can use it to plan your dives, deal with emergency decompression, etc.
Here is the reality, though. Since you now have access to the schedule and know where you will be diving, you can do a heck of a lot of planning right now without even leaving your home. You know from the schedule the maximum depth for the first dive--get out your tables and see the limits. You probably won't go to the maximum, because the best viewing is well above that. If you choose to dive with an AL 80 cylinder, which is what I expect you will do, you almost certainly will not get to the maximum time for that planned depth before having to ascend as your air supply dwindles. Make an estimate for practice, then give yourself the 50-60 minute surface interval you will have on that dive. Now plan for a second dive to about 45-50 feet. You can go deeper by heading east as you drift, but there is no reason to. The reef is most interesting at its shallow edge, and that is where the DM will most likely stay. My guess is that you will last about 40 minutes maximum on that dive. That exercise will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect when you actually do the dives.
Here is the reality, though. Since you now have access to the schedule and know where you will be diving, you can do a heck of a lot of planning right now without even leaving your home. You know from the schedule the maximum depth for the first dive--get out your tables and see the limits. You probably won't go to the maximum, because the best viewing is well above that. If you choose to dive with an AL 80 cylinder, which is what I expect you will do, you almost certainly will not get to the maximum time for that planned depth before having to ascend as your air supply dwindles. Make an estimate for practice, then give yourself the 50-60 minute surface interval you will have on that dive. Now plan for a second dive to about 45-50 feet. You can go deeper by heading east as you drift, but there is no reason to. The reef is most interesting at its shallow edge, and that is where the DM will most likely stay. My guess is that you will last about 40 minutes maximum on that dive. That exercise will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect when you actually do the dives.
AfterDark
Contributor
I haven't read the whole thread so sorry if this is repeat but IMO you should learn and use the tables until you have them down pat and then use a computer. I use 2 of the same kind on some dives, other dives I leave both computers home. Computers fails tables do not. Know how to use both.
jcaplins
Contributor
A new diver on first open water dive... Will run out of air before reaching NDL. Table or computer won't matter; plan your dive, dive your plan. And most importantly: Have fun!
My guess is that those who have responded here are trying to encourage the OP to not do what so many new divers do, which is to forget all about "dive planning" as soon as they finish the OW course and are out in the "real world" of dive boats with divemaster-led dives. Yes, we all know that in that world the diver can get by without doing any planning with tables or computer. But it would be irresponsible of us here to encourage the new diver to fall into that kind of complacency and/or let those newly acquired dive planning skills get rusty.
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