Shore dive with new diver: Do you mind short and shallow?

[Katamuki]

Its nice that there are those of you that do those dives with new divers

I cant stand it! Finning is overrated, all I want to do is hook up the Cuda and zoom off to find cool stuff. Our average dives are generally between 80 to 110 minutes and we almost always hit 100ft on our shore dives.

 

[sydney-diver]

I did one last year with a newbie that lasted 17 minutes on an AL80 before they hit 500 psi in 25' of water. Most of my dive was spent hoovering, and working on back kicks to stay facing them as they floundered around. *shrug*

Crikey, that must be a record :shocked2:

 

[bamamedic]

I really do enjoy diving with new divers....especially new divers who want to become better divers

I'll set the (fairly conservative) parameters for the dive ahead of time, and I won't go beyond the novice diver's limits...in return, I expect the new diver to stay within 10-15 feet of me, to follow the gas management rules we set beforehand, and to let me know if he/she feels uncomfortable and wants to turn the dive.

I honestly don't mind a shorter/shallower dive than what I might do if solo diving, or diving with more experienced divers...the shorter dive times mean that I don't freeze my poor butt off, and it's downright fun to see new divers who are just thrilled to be underwater (even in quarry water!)

 

[RJP]

I did a lovely dive with a somewhat novice diver tonight. Max depth was 60 feet, and the dive was 30 minutes long (and I knew those parameters ahead of time). We found all kinds of cool stuff, and best of all, I wasn't cold when I got out of the water!

Sounds like a fun dive. I'd do a dive like that with anyone - novice or experienced.

 

[Ann Marie]

I love diving with new divers. Their enthusiasm over the littlest things reminds me about one of the reasons I love diving so much!

 

[dkktsunami]

I enjoy seeing the smiles on the faces of new divers and sharing their enthusiasm. I am always willing and happy to dive with the new guys.

 

[Sas]

No I don't mind doing short shore dives with new divers. Though it is a struggle to get more than 10m on a shore dive locally so most people can last a fair while (there are deeper shore diving sites, but not for novices) but even if they didn't, I would be totally cool with it.

I'm not super excited about diving with new divers (new to diving or new to me) to be honest though, not one of those nice people , as I have a few people I dive with regularly that I really enjoy diving with instead, but figure I won't meet anyone new just sticking to them.

I absolutely hate being paired with a new diver and/or an air hog on a boat though, given the cost, so I tend to only dive with people I know on boats. Sometimes I relent out of politeness and it hasn't gone well in a while... The last time the guy (who said he was experienced but I should have know after watching his descent that it was just talk) burned up a steel 12L tank in 10mins at 18m. On a shore dive no stress, but not on a boat dive I've paid $60 for, plus paid for nitrox fills and various other extra things I have to do for boat dives.

I try to be non pushy with more experienced divers than me too, when I have asked if I can come along for a dive, told them I understand if they prefer to dive with regular buddies and I won't be offended if they would prefer not to dive with me. I wish others would do the same as lately I've had a few people invite themselves along to more advanced dives I want to do, I've hinted really strongly that I would prefer not to dive with them, and if they don't get it I feel like such a horrible person when I have to knock them back more forcefully!

 

[herman]

I do it all the time and love doing so. It is well worth it to see the smiles on a new divers face....heck the smiles are the reason I DM, it's sure for the pay or "free" diving.

 

[Kingpatzer]

I absolutely love a dive with new divers as well. And given the nearest lakes here rarely exceed 60' and the best stuff is usually in the weed-line around 20' anyway, shallow is really better.

My problem is one TSandM shares, though I suspect for different reasons, in that it's hard to get new divers to want to do the dives in the first place. For me, I suspect it's the new diver feeling that there's no good reason to dive in the local lakes in the first place because it's cold and the common fallacy of "there's nothing to see."

 

[Rick Inman]

I have a buddy who does not like diving with new divers on short or shallow. I think he feels that he's paid his dues here and has invested a lot of time and money into getting his skill level to where it is, and has a limited number of dives in his lifetime and wants to spend them where he will get the biggest return. I got no problem with that.

I still enjoy just about any dive with anyone. Each has it's own rewards for me. And even if I'm not in the mood to make the same old ring-around-the shallow old wreck I've done a thousand times, I owe it to the many gracious people who were kind enough to make those types of dives with me while I was still dry behind the ears.

A few years back while on vacation in FL., HowardE was kind enough to tour me through the Spiegel Grove, take some pics of me, that kind of thing. Earlier in the week I had done some deep tech dives below 200', and at the time my cert level was beyond Howard's. Yet in this situation, on these dives, he was the expert and I was the nOOb. I know he'd done that dive countless times. Still, he paid for his own trip to play host and helper to the dude from out of town.

Kindness and generosity can be it's own reward.

So yes, I'll still happily do a 20 min tour of same ol' mud hole with a brand new diver. And sometimes I end up having more fun than my new diving friend.

Thank you to all those who took the time and made those dives with me when I was a nOOb - Uncle Pug, NWGratefulDiver, MarkL, and the rest.