Wreck dive and dm questions

[chincoteague diver]

Is it a bad idea to do a wreck dive without the wreck classification on your card? Even if you go with a good dm? btw, can you hire your own dm if the charter doesn't provide one? What do they normally get paid? What can you ask to find a good one? I guess first, make sure they've been to the dive you plan on going to.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Is it a bad idea to do a wreck dive without the wreck classification on your card? Even if you go with a good dm? btw, can you hire your own dm if the charter doesn't provide one? What do they normally get paid? What can you ask to find a good one? I guess first, make sure they've been to the dive you plan on going to.

Its a bad idea to dive beyond your training limits, diving outside of a wreck at less than 60 FSW is perfectly acceptable for an OW diver. Penetrating a wreck and deeper diving is best prepared for with additional training.

If you need a DM to dive with your buddy team, you should hire one in advance. A DM may be operating on the boat, or it may be a boat "crewman", you and your buddy should be qualified to plan and execute a dive without oversight after training.

Once your trained you will likely meet more experienced divers that will be happy to have you along on trips within your limits. If you prove to be a safe and attentive diver expect to be invited along for more challenging journeys, hook up with a good mentor and make the most of it. Anyone experienced on a particular dive site, assuming they're a safe minded diver in the first place, can be a great buddy while showing you things that a paid guide might miss.

So, while you can always look to DMs for guidance, understand that once you are certified to dive it is generally expected that you do so without a guide. Except in places like Coz where they require it, and some resort destinations that provide the service.

 

[Eagle-scuba]

Ususally a good DM will breif you before the wreck dive, diving around the wreck and looking at it , is not the same as penetrating the wreck, I suggest, just looking until you get training, and your LDS in the areas you are planning to travel to, would be able to assist you when trying to find a DM for the day...most LDS have web sites... you might just find one to dive with for a negociated price, maybe even free....depends what is required of them... you can post here on the SB and let us know where your planning to dive, and you will get responses, good luck, see ya` under

 

[HowardE]

Is it a bad idea to do a wreck dive without the wreck classification on your card?

I don't have a wreck classification... It's not like a driver's license, where you need to have a CDL class for certain dives - Diving is mostly about your comfort level.

I would say - if you're going to experience wreck penetration for the first time, to do it with an experienced wreck diver.

If you're going to to explore the outside of a wreck, without entering, then I would say any certification level would be appropriate, as long as the depths are within YOUR COMFORT LEVEL.

DO NOT enter a wreck without training. Do you need to have a C-Card that says so... NO.

 

[RICHinNC]

I think you need to define your term wreck diving. I have friends that consider themselves wreck divers although they never enter a wreck. Doesnt matter what the "school" says the definition is......perception is reality.

If you are just diving what I would call "around" the wreck on the outside....not a problem. If you are navigating through swim throughs so many wrecks have not a problem. These are generally gaping holes where you can see day light from each side no matter how silted up the water gets.

But if you are doing a full penetration down corridors and the like....you had better know what you are doing and diving with someone else who is trained when you are not....is not a good idea. What would you do if you got seperated?

I havent seen any scuba police in a long time and the last time I did they were on the surface checking to see if I had a knife, gloves and had paid my diving fee....but never any under.

 

[AquaHump]

As far as cost of a DM I think that if some one asked me to DM for them on a persnol level I would only charge for the cost of the dive. but then again I am a dive slut

 

[Diveral]

DM or not you need to go with expereinced divers if it is your first wreck dive. Better to go with experienced divers until you get comfortable with them. And no pentrations until you have more experience.

 

[cleung]

You don't need special certification to do most wreck dives since most of them do not involve entries into the interiors. Some operators may want a special certification for dives that involve entries. I have a wreck dive video at my website below.

 

[AquaHump]

You don't need special certification to do most wreck dives since most of them do not involve entries into the interiors. Some operators may want a special certification for dives that involve entries. I have a wreck dive video at my website below.

First that is not true at all. I dont know where you dive but the wrecks I dive alot of them can be penatrated. The video on you web site is NOT a good example of a wreck dive.

 

[herman]

First that is not true at all. I dont know where you dive but the wrecks I dive alot of them can be penatrated. The video on you web site is NOT a good example of a wreck dive.

It depends on how you define a "wreck dive". If you define a wreck dive as requiring penetration, then yes you do need special training. For most of us and on the NC coast, wreck diving is mostly what we do, we don't automatically assume the dive will require penetration. Some divers do but most of us don't with the exception of easy swim throughs. There is really not much difference in a nonpenetrating wreck dive and a reef dive. For us, depth and current are much bigger concerns than the fact it's a wreck dive.