First Dive Of The Year Question

[scarefaceDM]

there are no dive season...not in my neck of the woods anyways..we dive year round.

Hit the pool before you hit open water. Rather find out something does not work right in a controlled environment than in and open water situation where your deeper, and farther away from shore. Or worse case far from help.

However...

I tune up in the pool...skills are second nature when you dive regularly, But practice is always a must regardless of skill level. Occaisonal divers..the ones whom wait for warmer waters..tend to get cocky and feel BULLET proof on there first dives out. Then reality sets in. From what I have seen, this is all too common. This is where many divers should just hit the pool and tune there skills...then hit open water and dive...get a few dives under there belt...then retune there skills in open water...as they dive. Basic skills. like finning, mask clearing, air share and mastering bouyancy.

Get in the pool before you hit the open water to tune up your skills.

Stephen

 

[HateCheese]

I am at a very similar level - starting on a second year of diving. Logged about the same number of dives, etc. Dive buddy and I had a 'gear tune up' dive in his pool as our first dive. went over mask removal, lost reg, breathing off of octo in 4ft of water. First 'real' dive of the year we went to the springs instead of the ocean. Went down to the platform and were doing drills along with a class of OW. Easing back into it is something we both wanted to do, and try to do well. Might dive this weekend, but our first saltwater dive will be without spearguns. If everything goes well, then we will bring down one gun on the second dive.

Overall, there are some in sport that need to be macho. I'd rather be sure i am able to dive again next week. Take it slow, no task loading, and allow time to enjoy when the skills are practised and you know you can perform them if needed. Add something after everything goes well on a more 'simple' dive.

 

[diverdan214]

I'm at a similar point in diving, and as you said I try to be as aware of it as I can. As said I try to practice some skill every dive, I try to dive year round but if I've been out for a while I ease back in with shallow inland then work deeper and into the ocean. Even taking it slow I find there's kinks that need to be worked out at each step so I'm glad I do it rather than have all the kinks at once.

I was on a charter this weekend with a group of people, there was one person who hadn't dove in a year and a few that were just out of OW and they wanted to do a 90ft wreck on the first dive. Funny thing is, yeah they did it fine, but couldnt have been down there more more than about 5/10 minutes and they're running low on air. If that's what they want to do, it's up to them, they weren't my buddies. If it were me I would have waited a bit and worked up to that depth so I could get my sac down and stay longer at that depth and get a bit more of my money's worth out of it.

So yeah I don't think there's anything wrong with easing back into things, not only is it safer, but the more confident (not overconfident) you are on your skills the better for a number of reasons.

 

[Ice9]

You can bet I'll be on the platform with my buddy doing skills practice first dive of the day. I'm kinda religious about this. I even do it in the pool over the winter.

 

[TSandM]

First off, good for you that you recognize the need for renewing your skills before you go on to more serious diving.

Second, if you are worried that you will be there alone, sounds like you need to look for some dive buddies with a different frame of reference. I don't know where you are in Texas, but you might consider posting in the Texas Swamp Divers forum to ask if anybody is interested in joining you for some skills practice. People who are willing to do that are probably good people to dive with in general!

 

[DNV]

First off, good for you that you recognize the need for renewing your skills before you go on to more serious diving.

Second, if you are worried that you will be there alone, sounds like you need to look for some dive buddies with a different frame of reference. I don't know where you are in Texas, but you might consider posting in the Texas Swamp Divers forum to ask if anybody is interested in joining you for some skills practice. People who are willing to do that are probably good people to dive with in general!

Wiser words could not have been written!
And I'll be doing exactly the same thing this month with my OW/AOW instructor.

 

[Tortuga James]

I took 90 days off this winter, my first dive of the year was New Years Day in the quarry. On March 23rd, I dove a wreck off NC, 65 fsw at the sand. I was absolutely amazed at how rusty I got. We were hunting, but ended up spending my entire first dive just practicing and getting comfortable in the water. The second dive (with 4 extra pounds) was much better, I was able to hunt and made my tank last an extra 8 minutes over the first dive. I knew I needed some practice, as I was booked on an offshore trip on April 10th at 120' that got blown out. I haven't been back since, but I would have hated for that to be my first dive of the season.

 

[Guba]

TSandM, you just about took the words out of my mouth. The Swamp Divers is a good place to look, and a quick check there will usually find numerous Texan divers offering to buddy up with interested parties.
In fact, I met up with a couple of SB'ers this past weekend for a local dive. There are usually offers from around the state, so location shouldn't be an issue.
Blindref757, my group and I (along with a lot of others) post regularly before we head out diving. You are more than welcome, and we do, indeed, practice safety skills routinely. Hope to see you underwater!

 

[Turtle Diver]

I know that I'll be on the platform...but just wondering if I'll have to be there alone, or will others join me?

What platform? Are you referring to an oil rig?

 

[nereas]

I'm now entering my second full year of diving. In my first year, I logged 25 dives--and completed OW, AOW, and Nitrox courses. I have dove to 65 ffw in a dark cold quarry, and to 100 fsw in Florida and Cozumel. So I consider myself to be in that "dangerous stage", like a teenager...a good amount of emerging knowledge and bullet-proof! However, I'm smart enough to realize it!

So here is my question. Do all seasoned divers swallow their pride and head to the platform on the first dive of each year to rehearse and practice some basic skills like mask flooding, regulator replacement, fin-pivots, octo breathing, etc? Or is it more common to just get in and go to your favorite part of the pond and do what you did last year?

I know that I'll be on the platform...but just wondering if I'll have to be there alone, or will others join me?

It is more common to start each new season with an easy dive. Then progress from there. But whatever floats your own boat is fine. In scuba it is critical to relax, and whatever helps you to relax is good.

If you have any buddies who are instructors or divemasters, talk to them, and they will probably be glad to buddy up with you for a day.

Be careful about other dives who give lots of advice but who themselves are below the divemaster level. That is the danger zone.