Kian
Registered
This last weekend my GF and I went to Break Water. Our inital plan was to just dive together to practice everything we learned in our OW class from last month. Our instructor ended up having the time to do our AOW so it turned into our cert dives. saturday we arrived bright and early (6:30am) to see the waves and tides crashing up on the stairs. We decided not to dive and watch to see how the conditions progressed throughout the morning.
Saturday was the day that we learned many lessons the hard way, but I have to say its given me experince that a classroom or a pool just can't give.
We decided to do a late morning dive as the seas have calmed down and reports from other classes let us know that it was doable. The first dive went well though viz was between 5-10 along the wall but 10-15' in the kelp. After working on some search and recovery we went on our own to explore a little. When I was low on air we turned and started coming to shallower water to end the dive. We ascended in 6' deep water. I was very excited to have a decent dive when I thought the day was lost. Before I could help my GF with her fins or take care of my own we were both in 1' of water sitting on our butts! I couldn't belive how fast we had drifted in. Dealing with a frustrated GF and trying to get her to scoot out to deeper water proved difficult. With the waves rocking us both I could help but just laugh. Being a bigger guy and new to this i found it difficult to remove my fins to roll over and stand. I knew that if i swam out to get into deeper water and left my GF i'd have hell to pay later
Thank you to the couple of divers that came to help two newbies rolling in the surf!
The second dive started out well but when we ascended the waves had gotten outta control. We all started to swim back and many groups were struggling against the waves as we were. Many students in the vairous groups started to need assistance. My instrictor took two students in tow and I stayed with my GF to guide us in. I striggles to stay away from the wall. I knew this would be a bad place to be in if we got too close. getting tired and frustrated my GF found herself on the rocks and me trying to calm her down, reassure her and above all else leave her Reg in her mouth! She has plenty of air in her cycnder and I began to try to get us off the rocks. now in shollower water and on rocks my fins were getting in the way. Dealing with a distressed parnter and knowing that if I didn't get us off the rocks soon we would be hurt or worse. I noticed many divers were now safe and I signaled to my instructor that we needed help.
That night we did the smart thing and didn't do our night dive and we went over all the things that went well and wrong with the dives for the day.
The follwoing two days were perfect for diving. Sunday she decided not to dive and my instructor and I did my Nav and deep dives. having delt with the conditions on Saturday it had really cemented so much of the classroom work into my mind. Having spent Saturday night evaluating my skills and confidence level I realized that I also had to better understand the limitations of my dive parnter. My GF and i stayed to dive on monday and it went great. Alot of trust had been built between us and she trusted my judgement.
here are some Lessons i learned:
never dive beyond the capability and comfort of your parnter
Just because other people are diving doesn't me that I can or should too
Stay away from the wall at Break Water. in the kelp vis is way better, less surge and overall better dive conditions
Always trust your compass
Never undersestimate dive conditions. Whatever a diver tells you i.e vis is 20', it is really 10'
No matter what happens reevaluate, learn and KEEP DIVING!
Over all I had a great weekend and can't wait until the next dive!
Saturday was the day that we learned many lessons the hard way, but I have to say its given me experince that a classroom or a pool just can't give.
We decided to do a late morning dive as the seas have calmed down and reports from other classes let us know that it was doable. The first dive went well though viz was between 5-10 along the wall but 10-15' in the kelp. After working on some search and recovery we went on our own to explore a little. When I was low on air we turned and started coming to shallower water to end the dive. We ascended in 6' deep water. I was very excited to have a decent dive when I thought the day was lost. Before I could help my GF with her fins or take care of my own we were both in 1' of water sitting on our butts! I couldn't belive how fast we had drifted in. Dealing with a frustrated GF and trying to get her to scoot out to deeper water proved difficult. With the waves rocking us both I could help but just laugh. Being a bigger guy and new to this i found it difficult to remove my fins to roll over and stand. I knew that if i swam out to get into deeper water and left my GF i'd have hell to pay later
Thank you to the couple of divers that came to help two newbies rolling in the surf!The second dive started out well but when we ascended the waves had gotten outta control. We all started to swim back and many groups were struggling against the waves as we were. Many students in the vairous groups started to need assistance. My instrictor took two students in tow and I stayed with my GF to guide us in. I striggles to stay away from the wall. I knew this would be a bad place to be in if we got too close. getting tired and frustrated my GF found herself on the rocks and me trying to calm her down, reassure her and above all else leave her Reg in her mouth! She has plenty of air in her cycnder and I began to try to get us off the rocks. now in shollower water and on rocks my fins were getting in the way. Dealing with a distressed parnter and knowing that if I didn't get us off the rocks soon we would be hurt or worse. I noticed many divers were now safe and I signaled to my instructor that we needed help.
That night we did the smart thing and didn't do our night dive and we went over all the things that went well and wrong with the dives for the day.
The follwoing two days were perfect for diving. Sunday she decided not to dive and my instructor and I did my Nav and deep dives. having delt with the conditions on Saturday it had really cemented so much of the classroom work into my mind. Having spent Saturday night evaluating my skills and confidence level I realized that I also had to better understand the limitations of my dive parnter. My GF and i stayed to dive on monday and it went great. Alot of trust had been built between us and she trusted my judgement.
here are some Lessons i learned:
never dive beyond the capability and comfort of your parnter
Just because other people are diving doesn't me that I can or should too
Stay away from the wall at Break Water. in the kelp vis is way better, less surge and overall better dive conditions
Always trust your compass
Never undersestimate dive conditions. Whatever a diver tells you i.e vis is 20', it is really 10'
No matter what happens reevaluate, learn and KEEP DIVING!
Over all I had a great weekend and can't wait until the next dive!
