What's your style?

[TSandM]

In my thread about solo diving, a number of people made comments about enjoying being alone because they can putter around in a very small area, or just hang and watch what's going on around them. On another board, I read a lot about people doing dives with scooters and covering a lot of ground. And in the dives I've done with a guide, the guide usually moves right along, most of the time faster than I would ideally like to go. Yet, when I led a group dive while we were in the Caribbean, everybody thanked me for the very slow pace I set.

So clearly, there are different styles, and they may be related sometimes to the purpose of the dive -- photographers go slow, hunters go fast, people doing surveys need to cover ground.

What's your style, and is it related to a secondary activity?

 

[H2Andy]

in caves, i like to make steady but paced progress into the system (assuming
a spring, not a syphon), and then relax and enjoy the scenery on the way out.

in the reef, i very much prefer to find a particular spot and circle it at various
depths, looking around, seeing what's around. slow does it. i bring a camera along,
and take pics of all the interesting stuff i see.


(spring means the water is flowing out of the cave. you fight the current on
the way in and ride it on the way out. syphon means the water is flowing into
the cave. you ride the current on the way in, fight the current on the way out.
these are much more difficult dives to plan and execute).

 

[Footslogger]

I do photo on every dive and don't dive deep or swim very far. Most of what I want to see/photograph is often within site of the mooring line.

So ...I guess my style tends to be shallow, slow and long.

'Slogger

 

[wheelietaco]

cover alot of ground but in a slow but progressive way, when I get to a a place ( boat , plane , bus,etc....) i will stay a while. Also it depends on my mood.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I sometimes cover a lot of ground if there are several different sites I want to photograph on the same dive. Other times I just plod along looking for neat stuff under overhangs and in the coral. That's also one of the reasons I solo, I can set my own pace and have my own plan.

 

[Cacia]

I am sorta a Wide Angle girl. I tend to dive faster than most unless doing macro (which is a big effort for me).

Typically, if on a wreck, I drop in first if possible (to see more before the sharks and rays take off), then I tend to descend like a rock, to buy more time ahead of the group. I scurry around to get anything there. Then, I go to 120 or so because i like to shoot the wreck from this deep vantage point. I try not to stay this deep except for a couple minutes or I will end up in deco, etc. So, now I hustle up to the main deck and shoot different angles or go inside for the beautiful lighting.

On drifts, I want to make tracks because I am hoping to get to a cavern or ledge and crawl in there to spot sleeping sharks, I like being alone and see how close I can get to their noses! By now, everybody in the group is long gone, in the current, so this last 15 minutes i shoot my marker so the captain has a grip. I am always looking into the blue, waiting for the day something big shows up. When it does, a whale, a monk seal, etc, this is my big payday. My dream dive would be with somebody like Chris Bangs, and come up on some whale and her calf, that would be the ultimate. I like diving with people who know where to find stuff in twosomes!

Macro is only fun for me once I go into the zone of zen and my favorite way is alone, pretty close to the boat at about 40 ft because the natural light is so great. camera of course. macro, I slow down. If I am a teeny bit narc'd (I feel it as a continuim) tiniest bit, then I am euphoric so I stay shallow. I love playing with my breath and macro demands that. It makes me high.

In general, I am very active down there. I hate having a buddy complaining for me to slow down when I have a wide angle lense and big plans. My best dives are like Blue Corner where the current sets a rippin' pace and all the control freaks are just trying to keep their masks and pants on and have to stop scrawling orders on their slates.

 

[Fun Diver]

If I'm diving for marine life, the pace is quite slow and the area covered may be small. Depends on the activity I see, and sometimes I'll swim out to a particular spot (i.e. reef) & spend all my time there. For the most part I prefer a dive that is relaxed as I'm looking at details.. even on wrecks I focus on a specific goal or area of the ship for exploration while some may just want to swim around the structure.

 

[tstormdiver]

I prefer to take it slow and easy. I like to soak up the scenery. I do move around some & explore different areas, but I like to take in all I can. I try not to be in too much of a hurry, that way I can relax & enjoy my dive (which is what I dive for), not try to do the Grand Prix.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I am sorta a Wide Angle girl. I tend to dive faster than most unless doing macro (which is a big effort for me).

Typically, if on a wreck, I drop in first if possible (to see more before the sharks and rays take off), then I tend to descend like a rock, to buy more time ahead of the group. I scurry around to get anything there. Then, I go to 120 or so because i like to shoot the wreck from this deep vantage point. I try not to stay this deep except for a couple minutes or I will end up in deco, etc. So, now I hustle up to the main deck and shoot different angles or go inside for the beautiful lighting.

On drifts, I want to make tracks because I am hoping to get to a cavern or ledge and get in there to spot sleeping sharks. I am always looking into the blue, waiting for the day something big shows up.

Macro is only fun for me once I go into the zone of zen and my favorite way is alone, pretty close to the boat at about 40 ft because the natural light is so great. camera of course. macro, I slow down.

In general, I am very active down there. I hate having a buddy complaining for me to slow down when I have a wide angle lense and big plans. My best dives are like Blue Corner where the current sets a rippin' pace and all the control freaks are just trying to keep their masks and pants on and have to stop scrawling orders on their slates.

At Blue Corner I do solo dives, hook in and just let the sharks come in on me.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

I tend to be slow and deliberate, working on my form and soaking everything in. I notice lots of other divers finning madly, darting from place to place, burning lots of air, and rushing their ascent. I try to influence my buddies to slow down, especially on ascent. I do agree with Catherine, that it is best to splash first to see the sharks: Sit near the exit on the boat and get your gear ready first!