How Much is Too Much?

[diverrex]

I dive for fun. For me at least diving is purely recreational, not a sport. I don't mind challenging dives, and often times sub par conditions can still be great fun, but as soon as I don't think I'll have any fun because of rough seas, terrible viz, too challenging/dangerous conditions, etc. I skip the dive. And if I've already spent the money and can't get it back so what, just doing a lousy dive because I've paid for it doesn't make spending that money any better. I've said before I enjoy diving too much to make crappy dives.

 

[OldNSalty]

I have to agree with what many people have said. For me-at about +3 foot I find that I don't care for the re-enrty on the boat so I don't go out. There are too many good days to spend a miserable day fighting the waves.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would hope that an experienced captain would know the answer to this and not go out in unsafe conditions.

The more experience you get, the more comfortable you'll be diving in adverse conditions and the more likely you'll be to call the dive if you're not comfortable. Newer divers always seem to feel more pressure not to "wimp out" and miss a dive.

Trust your gut. If it says no, stay on the dock.

That's been my experience ... I'm quicker to call a dive now than I was as a new diver.

Also, don't expect the captain to call it ... lots of times their decisions are driven by economics, and they'll take you out in dicey conditions because if YOU call it they get paid, whereas if THEY call it they don't.

My rule of thumb is always ask yourself how you'll get back on the boat. Getting off is the easy part ... but you always have to get back on. If you're uncomfortable with the prospect of boarding the boat in the prevailing conditions, don't go.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

I totally agree with Bob. I've been out on a boat -- for a CLASS -- where I really didn't want to go, and when we got to the site, I looked at conditions and said, "I can get IN the water -- the dive is going to suck because the viz is horrible, and I'm not sure I can get back OUT of the water." So I called it, and paid for the charter anyway. (My three classmates, the minute I said I was out, also called it. I don't know if they were being nice, or if they had just been waiting for someone else to lead the way.)

When you're new, you worry about being a wuss, and also, I think you have the feeling that every dive is precious and you really WANT to go. At 900 dives, I know there is always tomorrow, but not if I get hurt, so I'm much faster to say, "Not today."

 

[mongodives]

Getting in usually isn't the problem, its the getting out where you're gonna most likely get hurt if conditions are "iffy" or BAD.

 

[Mike Boswell]

When I was young and strong and quick and tough, I would go out diving under just about any conditions.

That is how I learned not to.

 

[miketsp]

Seasickness goes away when you get in the water
..snip..

Don't always count on that if the dive is relatively shallow and you're still getting thrown around by the surge. And it depends what you had for your last meal.

I well remember at least one shore dive at about 15ft, looking for sea horses where I was heaving (in more than one sense ) during the whole dive.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Don't always count on that if the dive is relatively shallow and you're still getting thrown around by the surge. And it depends what you had for your last meal.

This is very true ... diving in surge can be really disorienting, especially when the bottom is covered with seaweed. Watching the "bottom" moving around unnaturally (it's really you that's moving, but it "feels" like the ground is waving) can do bad things to your equilibrium.

I well remember at least one shore dive at about 15ft, looking for sea horses where I was heaving (in more than one sense ) during the whole dive.

The good news is that it tends to make you very popular with the fish ... :shocked2:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

This is very true ... diving in surge can be really disorienting, especially when the bottom is covered with seaweed. Watching the "bottom" moving around unnaturally (it's really you that's moving, but it "feels" like the ground is waving) can do bad things to your equilibrium.

The bottom is stationary, but the seaweed is moving, but not moving with you, so it looks like the bottom is moving two different directions at once. If the bottom is sand, I find it helps to put my hand on the bottom.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The bottom is stationary, but the seaweed is moving, but not moving with you, so it looks like the bottom is moving two different directions at once.

Yup ... and your brain says "this is soooo not right" ... and then your stomach says "I'm soooo outta here" ... and then all the little fishes look at you and look at each other and say "food?"

... Bob (Grateful Diver)