WHERE'S THE FIRE???

[Coztick]

Before you know it, you'll be recognizing others that may need that buddy check or words of encouragement to ease their stress.

 

[Raphus]

Its true what others told you. You get faster with experience and preparation.

But i dont like stuff like that, too.
I dont dive from a boat or with a dm, if i can avoid it.
If i dive local its with local buddys in a quarry.
And sometimes its the same rush.
Fast in long dive fast out. Swap tanks go fast in again(sometimes not even the recommended 1h). Second dive ends. Pack stuff good bye.

I dont like that. If i dive i want to enjoy my time. Have a chat. A long surface interval. Enjoy the time. Rushing is stress and why should i stress myself, when doing something that is supposed to make fun.

Some weeks ago we were 8h at a lake to do 2 short dives. It was very nice day.

 

[360GUY]

Well, yea, I might be diving with the wrong crowd... But, I've been with 3 separate dive shops in Puerto Vallarta, 4 separate shops in Cozumel, two in Playa del Carmen... And, nothing is different... Every experience is the same...

And yes, I do understand (and agree) the concept of self-sufficiency, but with a group, your expected to stay together, so I follow along.

I guess, I could hire a private dive master and charter a boat, but I'd like to dive more than once every two years...lol... If ya catch my drift...

 

[lexvil]

Well, yea, I might be diving with the wrong crowd... But, I've been with 3 separate dive shops in Puerto Vallarta, 4 separate shops in Cozumel, two in Playa del Carmen... And, nothing is different... Every experience is the same...

And yes, I do understand (and agree) the concept of self-sufficiency, but with a group, your expected to stay together, so I follow along.

I guess, I could hire a private dive master and charter a boat, but I'd like to dive more than once every two years...lol... If ya catch my drift...

Try diving locally, there are a lot of good dive sites in the L.A. area.

 

[360GUY]

Wow! Always great perspective and advice here... I'm convinced that I was moaning and groaning about things that will probably change as I garner more experience...

My AOW instructor absolutely pounded it into my head that I, and I alone, are responsible for my dive; my safety, my enjoyment, etc.

I do have all my own gear and I don't allow anyone to set it up. I connect the regulators, I confirm my gas, and I ensure my regulators are following properly.

The weight thing has been tricky. I usually dive without a wetsuit. But now, that's changed. And that has affected my weights, both amount and distribution... And regrettably, I've been the cause of a couple delays as weights were added and subtracted from my BC (Ranger)...

Maybe I will get SOLO certified, but I do like the group dynamic... I enjoy practicing hand signals and especially the sharing of the amazing sights with others...

Ok... I get the picture... Shut up and jump in... LoL... Thanks all, for the wonderful dialogue.

I'll let myself out.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Well, yea, I might be diving with the wrong crowd... But, I've been with 3 separate dive shops in Puerto Vallarta, 4 separate shops in Cozumel, two in Playa del Carmen... And, nothing is different... Every experience is the same...

And yes, I do understand (and agree) the concept of self-sufficiency, but with a group, your expected to stay together, so I follow along.

I guess, I could hire a private dive master and charter a boat, but I'd like to dive more than once every two years...lol... If ya catch my drift...

One common element to your experience ... these are all tourist diver focused locations in Mexico. That may be a large contributing factor. Just an idea. That is NOT the kind of diving I do. As a matter of fact I've NEVER done that kind of diving in 600+ dives. I would recommend you try and branch out (when possible) and try other locations and other destinations. Your profile says you are in LA. You have fantastic local diving on your doorstep!

 

[arew+4]

Go do some dives with a LDS, you've got great shore diving a short drive away.

 

[TMHeimer]

I know what you mean. This is kind of typical of the boats I've taken in the N. Gulf of Mexico. It can be particularly unnerving for a new diver. The part I really notice is how peaceful everything is during the trip out to the sight--- people relaxing, talking about past dive experiences, etc. Then when arriving at the site all Hell breaks loose (well, not so bad after you've done it a few times and expect it).
I too have experienced the "empty tank". It was in Panama, just me & the DM (who was very good) on the trip. But it was he who jumped in with the near empty tank the captain had switched out for him. We did the OOA skill at about 40' (half way down), after which he said "thanks for saving my life".

 

[JohnN]

Can someone please help me to better understand the DIVE TRIP environment?

I've just completed my 25th dive. I will admit that the things I've seen, while diving, have been unbelievably beautiful, mysterious, bizarre, etc...HOWEVER, every one of my experiences have been soured by this one component, that I have found on EVERY SINGLE DIVE TRIP I've undertaken, which have been about 12.

WHAT THE H*** IS EVERYONE RUSHING FOR???

1. Meeting time 8:30a
2. Boart departs 9:00am
3. Everyione RACES to put on their wetsuits and gear.
4. The DMs are frantically attaching everyone's regulators to the various tanks.
5. The DMs race through the dive briefing
6. We arrive at the dive site.
7. Everyone is frantically putting on their floppy flippers.
8. There's now a RACE to slip into your BC and get in the water.
9. NO SAFETY CHECKS - NO SURFACE WEIGHT CHECKS
10. Everyone gives the "OK" sign, and down we go.
11. Dive ends
12. DMs frantically switch out everyone's regulators with new tanks - YES, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN EMPTY TANK!
13. Fruit, sandwhiches, and water bottles are passed out as the boat RACES to the next dive site.
14. We arrive - SEE #3-#10
15. 2nd dive ends as we RACE back to the shop.

Am I totally missing something? It wouldn't be the first time... I undertstand I'm entering an environment as a total newbie, but here's my conclusion: THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS TO GET TO THE DIVE SITE - GET THE DIVERS IN THE WATER - GET THROUGH THE DIVES - END THE DIVES - GET BACK TO THE SHOP - ALL IN WORLD RECORD TIME!!! It's like the boat and all divers will suddenly turn into LAND CRABS if the whole process doesn't get completed in 3 hours!!!

Listen, I realize, underwater, ya can't stop at every little fish and hold a seminar...LOL...And that you have to keep going, because of nitrogen buildup and air consumption...

But, this has been my experience on EVERY SINGLE TRIP...All different operators. At the end of the day, the most prominent memory is the harried and hectic dive trip I undertook...

My goodness, as divers we enter such an alien world, with signts and experiences that are so magnificent and bizarre they can only been seen while doing what we do, wearing the gear we wear, headfing to the sites we visit...BUT, NONE OF THAT MATTERS...What matters is only that we get out and back in 3 hours...and that everyone gets some fruit.

I don't know! Maybe I'm complaining about NOTHING, and it's ME that needs to "catch up." It's just the race into water that seems so off-putting....Sorry for long posting...

It sounds like you've not yet experienced my (least) favorite DM trick:

. . . take the group deep and then swim into the current. Guaranteed to put the DM back on the boat in record time

 

[lowwall]

Well, yea, I might be diving with the wrong crowd... But, I've been with 3 separate dive shops in Puerto Vallarta, 4 separate shops in Cozumel, two in Playa del Carmen... And, nothing is different... Every experience is the same...

Which ops? We can get an idea of what you are seeing if we know the ops.

The weight thing has been tricky. I usually dive without a wetsuit. But now, that's changed. And that has affected my weights, both amount and distribution... And regrettably, I've been the cause of a couple delays as weights were added and subtracted from my BC (Ranger)...

You need to have a plan for this. If you can't arrange a checkout dive or shore dive to dial everything in, then talk to your DM. The DM will likely be willing to carry a couple of extra pounds of weight if you need it (in fact, he or she is probably already doing so). Likewise the DM will be willing to take a weight from you if desired. Or they can help you figure it out at the end of the first dive. But you have to communicate this ahead of time. Don't forget to add $10+ to your usual ip, exact amount depending on how much extra effort they had to go to and how beneficial the effort was to you.

Also, you want to get the amount of weight correct first, so go ahead and use your pockets to make it easy to accept or hand off the last few pounds. Once you have the amount right, you can work on distributing it for better trim.