Questions about my first boat dive

[rddvet]

Along the lines of Finnmom, be self sufficient. Get your gear ready yourself. Make sure you're all set yourself and that your air is on yourself. DO NOT let the crew screw with your gear. They may offer to set up your next tank for you. Do it yourself. They will very likely turn your valve to confirm your air is on before you stride of. DO NOT LET THEM. Either verbally tell them you've checked and are good or if you don't want to be confrontational put your ref in your mouth and sag in your hand and take several breaths showing them that you're able to do your own checks. I can not tell you after 20 years of diving how many times I've been on a boat and the mate checking people's valves actually shut them off. On top of that you need to be self reliant. There's nothing wrong with asking for help but every diver should be self aware and self sufficient.

 

[CassieNYC]

Air in BCD before giant stride or back roll.

 

[TMHeimer]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but try to never forget where the anchor line is/ what it's near, etc. -- or you will have to do an ascent away from it and may be further from the boat when surfacing. Also, safety stop is easier on the line.

 

[Gary_D]

Where in the Gulf are you going to be diving? I have dived off boats in the Gulf a few times. I have mainly gone out of the PCB area and most of the boats in that area are bigger "cattle" boats. On these boats you pick a spot and put your gear together. Once all your gear is together get your wetsuit on up to your waist. At this point get anything that is not going in the water with you picked up and put away. On the way out you will end up chatting with the DM/Instructor/Captain a few times. They like to chat with people and they like tips. Once you reach the site the DM/Instructor/Captain will do a bounce dive to hook into the wreck and while he/she does this you go ahead and get your suit on the rest of the way. DM/Instructor/Captain will get back on the boat and start the briefing with conditions first and then the expectations of the boat. When the briefing is done you will sit back in your spot and get all your gear on and checked with your buddy. Air on, regs breath, air in BCD, computer on and mix correct, everything securely attached as it should be. Then walk over to DM/Instructor/Captain that is at the launch side of the boat, hand him/her your fins and then lift a foot backwards. DM/Instructor/Captain installs first fin and slaps bottom of your foot, you raise other foot back and the process is repeated. At this point you are ready to splash, you are given the go ahead and you splash, give the OK potato on your head signal and move on so the next one can come on in.

Couple things, first, this has been my experience with charters out of PCB and they have been great experiences, not ALL boats will do that exact process but the majority should be close. Secondly, you saw how I would say DM/Instructor/Captain. I did that because the charters I have been on the members of the crew had numerous positions regardless of what they actually did on the boat. One trip, the boat had two Captains and three instructors on, there was not a single DM working on that boat. One of the captains was actually the bounce diver that tied us into the wreck and the usual DM position helping with fins and getting people off the side was an instructor. So do not assume what someone is based off of what they are doing and be respectful to all.

In closing, relax and enjoy yourself. A good crew will naturally put you at ease and have you a boat diving pro in no time.

Thanks doby45, I'll be in PCB have not picked a charter yet, will be with one of the top 3 there. You answered a question i had but did not ask, exactly who was in charge the captain, DM or both.

 

[Gary_D]

Along the lines of Finnmom, be self sufficient. Get your gear ready yourself. Make sure you're all set yourself and that your air is on yourself. DO NOT let the crew screw with your gear. They may offer to set up your next tank for you. Do it yourself. They will very likely turn your valve to confirm your air is on before you stride of. DO NOT LET THEM. Either verbally tell them you've checked and are good or if you don't want to be confrontational put your ref in your mouth and sag in your hand and take several breaths showing them that you're able to do your own checks. I can not tell you after 20 years of diving how many times I've been on a boat and the mate checking people's valves actually shut them off. On top of that you need to be self reliant. There's nothing wrong with asking for help but every diver should be self aware and self sufficient.

I like your thinking, i am solely responsible for my own safety, would be less lawsuits in this world if more people would think like that.

 

[Neilwood]

Look carefully to make sure everyone in the water is clear before you stride off the boat. You don't want to be the person got someone else hurt.
-And make sure you yourself get out of the danger zone is more people are jumping right behind you.

Quoted these points as I have seen a number of boats (which would have normally had people doing giant stride entries) where people were taking selfies of themselves while going of the back of the boat - a number of them were doing spins of the back to make things more dramatic. Out of a boat of 15-20 I reckon 2 actually looked where they were about to hit the water. Most of them actually entered the water backwards.

Out of those 15-20 divers, I reckon I saw about 8 near misses each time where the previous diver (still videoing) only just got clear of the next diver.

 

[Doby45]

Thanks doby45, I'll be in PCB have not picked a charter yet, will be with one of the top 3 there. You answered a question i had but did not ask, exactly who was in charge the captain, DM or both.

The "Captain" is always in charge of the boat.. The kicker is that with the abundance of skilled people in the PCB area you will have an "overskilled" boat. As I said once when I went out there were two licensed captains onboard and they rotated through out the day. I can not recommend Panama City Dive Center more highly.. Diver's Den is also a good charter.. If this is your first "salty dive" I would recommend hitting the Red Sea tugboat. It is like 70ft to the sand and the majority of the boat is at the 55ft range. Great wreck to cut your teeth on..

 

[Jackie W]

Keep in mind I'm a relatively new diver with only 15 dives. I just got back from a trip with boat diving. My advice: don't overthink it. Entry from a boat dive is a piece of cake. FAR easier than shore entry in my opinion . Pack your stuff small and there will be people on the boat there to help more than likely. They will tell you where to drop in. Just one giant stride in and then they'll probably have you all swim away from the boat a few meters to a meeting point before you drop down. It's that easy. That's coming from someone who had a severe anxiety attack and almost quit diving after my first open ocean water dive. You'll be fine, trust me!

 

[Marie13]

The weather is looking good enough for Saturday to give a second try at Lake Michigan (we were blown out two weekends ago), just hope the winds are light. My concern is more getting back on the boat, but it's a fin on ladder which helps. May just need a "boost" from someone pulling up on my tank valve.

 

[george_austin]

Different regions have different styles. Boat diving in North Carolina is a little different than Southern California and I have absolutely no idea what @Francesca terms as "manspreading" and why whatever it is is practiced by "American" men only? - or what it has to do with skin diving.
On the West Coast of manspreadingland, nobody is going to hold your hand. You're a certified diver and will be expected to carry out your dives in a safe manner from getting there in time to getting back on the boat without pitching over onto anyone else.
Most experienced people here just "blow and go" - hit the water, exhale, kick with your head pointed down and see you later.