DPV ban location

[Chidiver1]

I've been wanting to try one of these for awhile now ...

 

[Jon Nellis]

...I think for most people, what they enjoy about diving is a little peace and quiet, which a circling DPV pretty much destroys.

It depends on your definition of "peace and quiet". A dozen or so divers drop in from a boat on a dive site, regulators billowing bubbles (poorly maintained ones whistling), banging on their tanks, inexperienced divers kicking the reef and generally flailing, flashing strobes, traumatizing the little critters with their camera because they have to take 20 pictures of each one, holding onto the reef because they cannot maintain buoyancy and operate their camera simultaneously. I've even seen divers pin a turtle down, so another diver could physically give it a hug in the picture. That is EXACTLY why most people choose to dive DPVs, to get the hell away from that for some peace and quiet.

The experience of cruising through the ocean in solitude on a DPV, far away from humans, weightless and barely breathing (since you're not kicking), is something people just don't "get" until they experience it first hand. I'm not there to take pictures or video, only absorb the experience with my senses, enjoy the surprise of whatever crosses my path and meditate.


-J

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I am a rec diver/photographer and recently got a scooter with a camera mount. I am new to it, only about 10 dives, but am finding it incredibly useful, as most of my diving is reef and wreck diving in strong currents. I can get around to places I could not otherwise reach (i.e. the length of a wreck against a strong current), I can position myself with regard to big animals so they can approach me, my gas consumption is way down, and the dives are incredibly enjoyable. The captains I dive with have no issue with my scooter. Other divers say they hear it, but the noise is not intrusive. Just last night, took it on a deep wreck with a group of 8 finicky dives and photographers for some goliath grouper watching. The fish were not annoyed in the slightest and approached me closely even when I had the scooter running, although I would stop it so I could use the camera. I could also get parallel and follow alongside swimming grouper for some really nice, stable video with none of the pulsing you get from kicking. No complaints from my fellow divers.

I have an exceptionally compact model (DiveX P1) so it does not take up any more space on a boat than a camera would. Also, the darn thing is so strong I hardly ever use it past 25%, and even had to tune down the slowest gear to allow for really nicely paced moving video. It is travel-legal anywhere in the world and I look forward to taking it places, including liveaboards.

If the boat is using an anchor instead of a hot drop, I can stay away from the kicking crowd on the line all at the same safety stop, and just stay off to the side, holding my position in the current. Mucho nice--no more kicked off masks!

I am in my early 60s--all in all, I think this is an excellent long term investment for diving well into my 70s.

 

[Mo2vation]

Nearly every dive I do is with my scoot. In my experience, nearly every dive is improved when I have the scoot. I don't cave. I dive from the shore and from boats. There are many, many targets that I can reach with a scoot I just don't want to waste the gas or the time kicking to.

My Scoot extends my dive, adds tons of fun, adds peace of mind (nearly eliminating all but the strongest current) and my buddy and I take them everywhere. The ocean belongs to all of us. Its a better place when I'm not diving like a pedestrian.

Oil Rigs diving without a scooter? Absolutely unthinkable. Its like a big ol jungle gym just waiting for me and my buddy to zip and zoom, huge smiles as we barrel roll and blast in the structure.

I've become a Netflix diver.... I use the scoot to (very) fast forward over acres of sand and get to the stuff I want to see.

Scooters are empowering, scooters are time savers and for me, they're just as essential as my can light and my wetnotes. I take it everywhere I can.

Are there scooter hooligans? Sure. I guess. I've never seen one. All of the scooter pilots I know are experienced, respectful, talented, skilled divers who hit the gate first and land on the swimstep at the appointed time. Never in probably close to a thousand scooter dives have I personally seen a boat have to chase down an errant and disrespectful scooter diver. Never.

If a boat says no to scooters, that's okay. I'll get another boat. There are plenty.

- K

 

[_Ralph]

+infinity

Red slave is fun on scootz, especially when you head around the lighthouse and hit a few different currents...

Also, wouldn’t have got this footage of 10 or so eagle rays within reach... as soon as we hit the rest of the group, they bolted. Didn’t mind us one bit on ‘noisy’ DPV’s

(3:45 mark)

_R

Being a DPV manufacturer, I rarely go on a dive without a DPV. That said, I also have superhuman navigation skills and can execute a dive so that I'm back at the boat at precisely whatever time limit they set. I usually drop in first, before the other divers are ready or wait until they are all in and down before dropping in. I back roll or giant stride in WITH the scooter, so the crew doesn't have to deal with it. I then avoid the group like the plague, and go into the current or opposite direction from the group, along the reef. Once the DM sees that you are not a nuisance or idiot, they generally let you do what ever you want. If you are a nuisance or idiot, they simply don't let you use it again. You really just need to check with each dive operator to see if they allow them. I've had a few dive ops say no, but call down the street to another and they'll say OK. Most will require you and a buddy to stay together. In my opinion, anyone diving a DPV should be qualified AND 100% comfortable diving solo.

I did a 10 day live aboard last year in Palau with scooters. We went to the blue corner a few times and while everyone else was hooking into the reef, destroying the coral and scaring the sharks away from the spot they normally cruise, I went to the other side of the reef and slowly eased my way into large schools of fish, until completely surrounded. When the group unhooked and drifted over to the side I was on, I powered over to the top of the wall they just left. By that time, the sharks had returned and I again slowly worked my way between the sharks at the top of the wall and then precisely adjust my speed to just hold position in the current with sharks 4-6' off each shoulder, also holding position in the current. They did not care a bit that I was there with the DPV motor running, but they wanted absolutely nothing to do with the gaggle of divers, when they were there, and I never had to touch the reef.

If you are looking for sea horses and other small stuff, the DPV is the wrong tool for the job. If you want to find larger things, they are the best tool for the job. In Bonnaire I did a dive off the southern point (Red Slave). The current was ripping, a small family of 4 dolphins swam up next to me, so I dropped the hammer and took off at full speed doing barrel rolls (which is painfully fast on a Genesis with only a thin wetsuit and single tank). The dolphins where swimming right in front of me, crossing back and forth across my path, playing and having a good ol' time, because I could move like a fish, not flail around like a diver.

The key to interacting with most large fish (or large groups of fish) on a DPV is smooth, slow, predictable movements and slow breathing. It really helps to have full variable speed, as sudden speed changes and arm movements spook them. I've even had fish form up a school around me for protection, as I was cruising down a reef. Usually small jacks. When playing with dolphins, go upside down at least once, as it shows you are not a threat. Sea lions don't care, they will play with you, if you can move fast enough to make it amusing for them.

Cheers,
Jon

 

[Mo2vation]

Bonaire is such a hoot with a scoot. I've done that dive at Red Slave... with a scoot. I love most of the southern sites with a scoot down there in the forbidden zone.

Good times!