How to ensure my safety when there is no guide dive with me?

[nelia1978]

Hey,

I am an OW diver, and I did a few dives last month after just completing my OW certificate. I was not looking around for a DM to tour me around at all. I just advised the Dive shop that i was new to diving and i was paired off with more experienced people. I actually had a great dive buddy (THANKS KEV) in Boynton Beach and I also had great dive buddies in Key Largo. We were basically close enough to each other but far enough to do our own exploring. Me as a new diver i know that ultimately the only person responsible for my own safety is myself.
IMHO I think if you keep getting a DM to tour you around, you never get the experience you need in order to be comfortable enough in the water. Take a dive flag, get a dive buddy and go out. And if you go up far from the boat.. inflate your sausage and they will go pick you up. All this is part of the diving experience and it makes you a better diver. Learn from others you are diving with..
Thats just my own 2cents..
Nelia

 

[Jim Lapenta]

By the way group, I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment and advice given in this thread. But I hope you can see how the tone (particulary of the removed responses) will prevent many people (newbies and veterans) from posting. There is no win win in that. We can have healthy debate and disagreement in a bit more civil manner. At least in the newbie threads. I keep hearing (in person) from different experienced divers that they avoid posting on SB because (well, how can I say this delicately) the peckers get pulled out and we have a pissing contest over everything. Now I always have a good chuckle over the various pissing contests but it is intimidating for some. Edu-ma-cate us please. We are trainable.

UGH . . . Why the heck am I in the 'play nice' mode today is beyond me. I'll go back to my "You've reached Dr. Phil, how can we help you" thread . . I obviously need it!!!

Let's get this thread somewhat back on track. But first, I always thought Betty Rubble was way hotter than Wilma Flintstone. Although Pebbles got smokin when she grew up! That's better. Had to get that in.

Now I did not go back thru to see the deleted posts but from what I saw there were none that really crossed the line. The problem is that many new divers have not had a real education and do not understand the very real seriousness of this sport. As a result they develop bad habits such as trusting someone else to keep them safe and allowing that other person to tell them what is interesting. They become like sheep and lose the ability to think, act, and decide what they like on their own. When this happens it is usually so ingrained that the only way to get thru to them is to wake em up. Sometimes a little nudge is enough, other times you need to yank the covers off and kick em out of bed after throwing a bucket of ice water on them. It seems like most of the posts fell into that range. DIfferent yet all trying to accomplish the same thing- Think for yourself, take responsibility for yourself, and decide what is interesting to you, not the DM or Guide.

 

[Jan Kruger]

Get more training ,get a dive buddy you can trust - go to Jimlap for proper training at a reasonable price- it seems he is still passionate about training people properly.

Please make sure you don't go for additional training to the ' Know it all ' NEGATIVE types that look down on you for not yet knowing too much about diving !
Thank God i wasn't trained by them !

 

[crispix]

Another option for the OP visiting San Diego: there are some very nice shore dives available, and you could easily find some local divers willing to go out with you. If a boat dive makes you uncomfortable, I'd recommend starting out at La Jolla Cove (if conditions permit), or La Jolla Shores. Keep in mind conditions here are slightly (lol) colder than Jamaica and the other places you listed. Renting gear for a shore dive will cost less, too. You can also hire a DM for a guided shore dive for a reasonable price.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

IMHO I think if you keep getting a DM to tour you around, you never get the experience you need in order to be comfortable enough in the water. Take a dive flag, get a dive buddy and go out. And if you go up far from the boat.. inflate your sausage and they will go pick you up. All this is part of the diving experience and it makes you a better diver. Learn from others you are diving with..
Thats just my own 2cents..
Nelia

There are places in the dive world where your advice might get somebody killed if they actually followed it! Here in Hawaii surfacing away from the boat has resulted in 6-8 hours floating in open ocean on rare occasions.

On a majority of the Florida and California charters that is an option, but thinking that a safety sausage recovery is going to be looked on as just an accepted part of diving experience is inconsiderate and rude to all those you so inflict your newbieness on.

If you are not able to navigate at your current level of certification consider further training and stay guided until you have the skills to do it right

 

[Cairns]

You just need more experience. Perhaps take an advanced open water course if you haven't yet. I took one about 6 months after open water and I felt that it helped me immensely.

The main thing you need to do I think is to learn how to navigate. Eventually you'll be good enough such that you'll always know where you are. This means a compass, and learning other nav techniques.

 

[D_B]

I'm not sure, but I didnt take the ... "And if you go up far from the boat .. inflate your sausage and they will go pick you up." ... as anything other than a good practice to do if you get off the dive site/up line for some reason, like poor viz, current, or even getting lost

 

[DOkie]

"Actually I'm a fish in the water. I grew up in it and love it. My anxiety comes from wanting to brain stamp all the 'rules' of diving. That takes time. When I am suiting up and getting in the water I am running through all my checklists. I am afraid I'll forget something. That is my anxiety. Once I have more experience I am confident this will go away. I am fortunate not to have had a panic moment, but have had a few things that got under my skin."

BettyRubble: That's not a bad thing to "run through your checklist". When I first started diving, I would go over "emergency situations" with my buddy prior to every dive. So before I even entered the water, I knew what I was going to do if something happened. I'd also run through my equipment checklist and everything else I could think of. Back then it took me a while to get in the water, but after time, it just came naturally. I've had a few "interesting" situations underwater and I credit the calm and efficient responses to all of the "what would I do if's..." I ran through my head.

You can never ask too many questions. Even if you think they're stupid I give you kudos for having the guts to ask. Hope you continue have safe and happy diving....

 

[NEWENGLANDCHARTERS]

There are specailty trained working dogs for Deaf & Blind People and now taking that concept into the realm of ridiculous are the newly DM Certified Dive Dogs.

They can be rented at most of the better dive shops and if they dont have one. Just call KayNine@wetdog.com she will send you to a certified dealer with real factory certified K9 Lab technicians.

 

[ScubaSteve]

:lol: ....oops....maybe I am on a DOG PILE again