Mentoring approach to diving

[ckharlan66]

Pug has a good point about a meal being a good place to offer advice after a dive. We always go to Cracker Barrell after a day of diving. We fill out our logs, discuss what was good and bad and begin to plan for the next trip. It provides a confortable and relaxed situation to decompress and go over the dives.

Chad

 

[detroit diver]

I was invited by my OW instructor to join he and his friends on weekly dives. I have been diving with him ever since-warm water, cold water, ponds, lakes, wrecks.

I think it's hugely important to have a good mentor in diving. Someone that is more knowledgeable than you that you can bounce questions and ideas off of. Someone that, as a newbie, you can count on them to make sure that you're not going to do something really stupid. As a newbie, it's hard to remember everything at first that you've learned. It's nice having someone watch your back.

I've since taken a newbie under my wing, and try to do the same things that made my diving comfortable.

 

[mddolson]

Jersey bubbled: you would have to bring down some good Canadian beer.

Hey that works!
You like Labats or Molsens? LOL

The Great Lakes area is great for diving.
The zebra mussels have cleaned up the waters so we see 50 - 80 feet vis on good days.

That little spat between the United Empire Loyalists and US (what did they call that... oh ya War of 1812) left a whole bunch of sunken wrecks to dive on. Not to mention the storms sinking a good share of vessels and piss poor navigators running aground from time to time.

And you don't have to soak the salt out of your gear after the dive.

best regards

Mike D

 

[DiverBuoy]

I think we need a food and diving/diving and food thread spun from this <lol>

 

[wetman]

Food and diving are a great mix. There are few things i look more forward to than a huge meal at the end of a diving day. And if you're lucky enough to do it near an ocean, the extra benefit of fresh fish is a huge bonus.

But as mike says, the great lakes diving is quite fantastic now - we were out on saturday in rockport and must have had about 100' visibility. (a bit chilly mind you - 46 degrees) but still, the vis is worth the chill.

steve

 

[Jersey]

MikeD & Wetman, may have to add Great Lakes trip. 46 degrees is a little cool, though not out of the realm, espec for 100 ft viz. What are temps at end of summer - Aug/Sept? I would miss the salt water though - it is a natural preservative, my hair and skin thank me for extended immersions. lol

DiverB - I think a diving & food thread would be great!
(I've also noticed I can eat just about anything I want when diving and not have to worry about the scale - anyone know the avg caloric burn/hr diving?)

But back to mentoring, last trip I got to do some and it was a great feeling. One guy had never done boat or salt water diving. As the only female onboard, I guess I was the most non-threatening person to approach (or the most talkative!) One couple was 2 days past certification, these were their first dives. Steve & I adopted the pair for the day.

To anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of being mentored - accept those invites to dive, ask questions, take group trips. I can't imagine taking the time & expense to obtain c-card, then never using it. While I joke about 'bribing' w/ food & beverage, to me it is common courtesy to take care of those who help me out.

To all the professionals who have served as mentors to myself & others, your efforts truly are appreciated.

 

[mddolson]

Jersey,

The surface temp is about 75°F in Aug ans Sept.
It's about 50° at the (60-70 ft) thermocline and about 40 ish at 100 ft in the Great Lakes.

The St Lawrence River has no thermocline. It's all surface water from Lake Ontario.


MIke D

 

[tinman]

Quite right UP: Wit and sagacity are always better uttered and received on a full stomach.

Many a new and not so new diver suffers the slings and arrows of outrageous diving dogma from well intentioned diving buddies and diving busybodies. Sorting the gems from the chaff is no less a challenge in diving as in other pursuits.

Motivation to improve & stick with the sport prompts most to either join a club, find divers of like ability & interest, or take further courses to stay fresh, wet and alive. No easy answer on this one Wetman although your intentions are noble. Maybe someone out there has the golden bullet (Have I mixed enough metaphors for you - I have a head cold, what can I say!)

 

[Big-t-2538]

ckharlan66 once bubbled...
Pug has a good point about a meal being a good place to offer advice after a dive. We always go to Cracker Barrell after a day of diving. We fill out our logs, discuss what was good and bad and begin to plan for the next trip. It provides a confortable and relaxed situation to decompress and go over the dives.

Chad

Why not Hooters....or...well Hooters is just a great place I can't see the advantage of cracker barrell over Hooters.

 

[wetman]

Jersey once bubbled...
MikeD & Wetman, may have to add Great Lakes trip. 46 degrees is a little cool, though not out of the realm, espec for 100 ft viz. What are temps at end of summer - Aug/Sept? I would miss the salt water though - it is a natural preservative, my hair and skin thank me for extended immersions. lol

I think there'd be a lot of reason for some of the Mid Atlantic divers and northward to come up for some diving in the great lakes - the summer temps are fantastic in the St. Lawrence especially and there are no shortage of decent wrecks to do - there are 100s. (and if you come to the candian side, your bux are worth a lot more than ours). Only downfall is the lack of fancy life to see. There is certainly some, but not nearly what you guys in the atlantic have.

And the 46 degree thing is a recent addition - up til about a month ago it was quite warmish. Most of the wrecks for the better part of july through end of sept are in waters above 70 degrees. Had some days of 76-78 this year - love that.

I'm kind of happy i took up diving when i did - the vis is absolutely fantastic here now and i heard that as recently as the early 90s (before the zebras) things were 10ish or so feet. Invading species aint all bad. (of course things were much tougher all around back then - i think the great lakes were permanently frozen and you had to breathe air straight off a tank while not using fins and mask or any type of thermal suit - isn't that what you told us mike?)

steve