When do YOU call a dive???

[ScubaSteve]

When do I call a dive? I call a dive when something does not feel right. Sometimes it is just a voice in the back of my head nagging at me and nothing really tangible, but if it does not feel right, then my dive gets called.

I tend to be a pretty cautious diver. Some people might think I'm a wimp, but that's OK ... I'm at that point in life when my continued good health takes a priority over something as transitory as a dive. I stay within my comfort zone, and if that bothers someone or makes them think less of me, that's a clue that perhaps we're not compatible dive buddies anyway.

This describes a lot of people I dive with as well as myself. I am far from a Maverick diver although I believe everybody has had lapses in better judgement once or twice. Mine was diving in Bonaire during TS Omar. After a 2 day break from diving thanks to Omar, my buddy and I looked at the conditions and they seemed to have improved enough to dive......but they changed drastically during our dive. Getting out was not the most fun I have had. Looking back, we should not have dived.

 

[DCBC]

I agree NetDoc, when people are diving for enjoyment, it should be enjoyable. The priority should be on safety, but there are ample reasons to call a dive even if safety isn't an issue i.e. my back's sore and I'd rather not... Historically because I've worked underwater, the only thing that keeps me out of the water is a matter of safety: an inability to equalize and sickness would qualify, but usually it's high current in a situation where fixed location is required. At other times its poor water conditions for students. Everyone needs time to learn and get use to the underwater environment. Higher waves, current and poor visibility shouldn't be a factor during this time. That said, we dive the North Atlantic and ideal conditions are seldom available. It's a level of comfort thing. People need to use good common sense and not be afraid to call the dive at any time. Unfortunately too often, they let things slide, become more uncomfortable and when a problem occurs they sometimes panic. What fun is there in that?

 

[fjpatrum]

When it doesn't feel right or isn't fun. The only dive I've truly called (as in didn't do at all) was a shore dive in Florida this spring with my brother after we'd "rescued" another newbie who freaked out. I've called a dive short for being too cold once also. Cold isn't fun, especially in a quarry with not much to look at.

 

[TSandM]

I absolutely call a dive when the viz is so low that I either won't enjoy myself or I think it's unsafe. I called an OW dive a couple of months back, because when I descended with the student I was escorting, we encountered literally about 18 inches of visibility. I did not think it safe to do OW dive 1 in those conditions (no way my instructor husband would be in direct supervision of us!) so I called it. I would have called that dive, anyway, even if I had been diving with friends. That kind of viz is called, "Let's have lunch."

I call a dive if I think I can't get out of the water safely. Anybody can fall off a boat; getting back on is different. I find surf exits challenging, too -- the water has to be pretty tame for me to try them.

I'll call a dive if I don't like the way the current feels when I get in. Current predictions aren't perfect, and I have had a couple of very uncomfortable experiences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and don't care to repeat them.

Like Bob, I tend to be a cautious diver, and as I said to a buddy the other day, I can analyze myself out of almost any dive beyond my familiar mudholes. So from time to time, I go for it -- but it has to be on a day when everything feels right, and I've stacked as many things my way as I can. If the conditions are chancy, the site has to be familiar and my buddy has to be solid; if the buddy is iffy, the site has to be familiar and the conditions have to be solid

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Good thread IMHO. Severe gear failure is a no brainer. The dive is called. The question at hand took me back over 10 years ago. I was still a fairly new AOW diver as well as my buddy. We went through the classes together and since we were stationed at the same base (MCAS Futenma, Okinawa) we started diving together. He was due to rotate back to the states and that day would be his last chance to to dive prior to departing. Seas were very rough and most of the island was blown out. We continued our search. We finally found an area that, "looked do-able but we had never dived there before." (For those that know the island...Onna point just south of horseshoe). Well as we were trying to figuse out just how we were going to get out and back in, a van with several dive stickers pulled up. An older diver asked, "You planning on diving here?" We said yes and he asked. "Have you ever dove here before?" Which we both replied no. (Who is this old man questioning the abilities of two younger Marines). I still remember his last words that day. He said, in a very clear but low voice, "You will love the ride out but getting back in will be hell." He added, "If you have to think too long about if you should do the dive or not then it's not worth it, have a nice day." He drove off and I never saw him again the rest of my tour on the island but I think he was from Tori Station Scuba. He more than likely save our lives that day as we packed up and went south and had a great dive. So, where is all of this going? From that day I always remember his words, "If you have think too long about if you should do the dive or not then it's not worth it." I never try to reason myself into doing a dive, peer pressure or not.

 

[N2DeepInAz]

For me, it's about being in the right mental state of mind. I go through my checklists and make sure that I'm mentally ready to handle what I'm about to embark on. If something isn't right and I can't correct it immediately, then I'll cancel it.

Last weekend we went to take the boat out, once at the ramp we 3-5ft swells and occassional whitecaps on the lake. We sat it out for a couple hours and noticed the winds were gusting pretty heavily every now and then. We thumbed it and went to do a shore dive that lasted about 30 mins cause the viz was 3-5ft on average. We scrubbed the plan for dive 2 and went to breakfast instead. The wind continued throughout the day and we had rain by night fall.

For me, my head really has to be in it, which it is for 99% of the time. This is for fun and nothing is worth getting hurt over.

 

[rhwestfall]

Waterspouts..... truly a sign it isn't right to be diving.....

---------- Post Merged at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 02:12 PM ----------

but seriously, I've become less tolerant of "less than ideal" conditions, and other outside influences impacting my diving. If it doesn't feel right, its NO GO.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I will call the dive if I am tired, sick, cold or dehydrated. Not because I can't dive but because I know my judgement may be impaired and mental impairment is the #1 danger for me.

If I am diving off a commercial boat, I place a lot of trust in the captain. They usually know what the limits of what their boat is (and re-boarding) better than I do.

Lightning is one of the few things that scares the crap out of me, it's so unpredictable and deadly.

 

[TheMic]

Lightining is probably the first thing, and second thing would be a broken gear, or gear not functioning to 100% capabilities.

 

[The Chairman]

I will call the dive if I am tired, sick, cold or dehydrated.

How about just plain ol' grumpy???

These have all been great answers so far, but let's up the ante a bit. Have you ever felt coerced into making a dive that you feel you should have called? If so, did you feel bullied or just subject to a bit of peer pressure? What was your final decision? Were you right or wrong about the dive?

While we're on it, is it ever permissible to apply peer pressure to a reluctant diver? Here's an example, when I guide peeps on the reefs here in Key Largo, one or two will get sick even in vicious 6 inch seas. I always encourage them to get in, almost to the point of giving them a gentle shove. I know that if they get off the boat, they are going to feel a lot better, but who am I to make such a demand? So, I stop prodding them but when I am underwater, I make sure we all stick around to see the show! That kind of chum always brings in the yellowtail snapper!