What I did wrong on my Dive Sunday in WPB.

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John, I'm sorry your dive probably wasn't as enjoyable as you hoped for (although it sounds like you still did enjoy it due to the shark), but you have an excellent attitude as far as your mistakes go by being able to objectively analyze what went wrong, what you could have done better, and sharing it with us. Plenty of good advice has already been given on this thread, so I can't offer much, but I would like to point out that while you may not have enjoyed this dive that much, you learned a great deal from it and for that reason it's probably good that you had the experiences that you did.

We don't learn from the dives that went great; we learn from the dives that went wrong.

Yep, what he said.

You are doing the right thing by debriefing your dive. Even if you don't discuss it with your dive buddy(it sounds like you didn't Have one- red flag), talking about it with another diver(us even) helps you recognize errors and solve them for the future. Good job. You'll get better and better with time. You are on teh right track.

And EMTTIM, congratulations on your DM. :)
 
Ok yesterday I was down in WPB and did a dive with Ocean Quest (Sandy's Bottom).
Let me set the stage for I do realize I will make mistakes hopefully nothing that will cause pain or worse.----

Next problem my fault before I stepped off the boat I adjusted the knob on my reg that allows min or max air. I had it set at min and then turned it up bad part on my side I guess because it seemed like I used my air up way to fast.

I was first one out of air and first back on boat.--------

John B

Your regulator vane/knob adjustment has nothing to do with your air consumption rate.

Good luck in the future.

N
 
"Small steps"... Maybe for the next dive, particularly if your buddy doesn't have a conflicting agenda (find one that doesn't), concentrate on proper weighting, buoyancy at depth and controlling your breathing.

Buoyancy at depth is critical to air consumption. If you can hover just off the bottom, you won't have to struggle and waste a bunch of air swimming up off the bottom all the time. If you are properly balanced, you won't be swimming in a heads up orientation.

Forcibly reduce your motion, hover and relax. If you get that right, the rest of diving is easy.

Richard
 
Wow that brings back memories - good ones. I did my 10th through 25th dives in WPB.

One thing all have to realize - midweek, morning WPB divers are serious divers, and are serious about hunting or photography, and I think that may have something to do with why no dive site briefing (DM assumed all were veterans), and why you were first back on the boat (besides your newbie air consumption rate). That still doesn't justify the lack of a dive briefing - no tip for the DM.

I am 200 lbs with nearly 100 dives and I still suck a full tank in 30 minutes, so I dove a steel 100 when I was in WPB and was good for 45 minutes each dive on Nitrox @ 75 to 90 ft deep, so next time request bigger tanks (til your sac rate gets better), and definitely get certed for Nitrox for WPB dives to extend your bottom time.

I met a veteran spear fisherman that had a great sac rate, but dove a steel HP120. He's my hero now, because he said that he doesn't like the idea of relaxing underwater, conserving air. Instead, he likes to stay deep and scoot from one coral head to another and see as much as he can, and that is going to take a lot of air. Thats how I like to dive - see as much as possible, so if you can get a bigger tank, do it.

If you can only dive an AL80, then spend more time fifteen to twenty five feet above the bottom to conserve air, and then swim down to look at stuff, then come back up, rather than being on the bottom the whole dive.

Your excitement is just how I felt, and those veteran divers can be real nice if you ask them good questions. Stick around the DM with the dive flag if you don't have a buddy.
 
I have dove with Sandy's a few times and I think they are really great. However, I think all "cattle boats" breed nervousness. I typically dive on my own boat and have hundreds of dives. When I occasionally dive on a cattle boat it seems to get a little hectic.
I think you should have made it a point to explain your experience level to the captain and tried to get paired up with a buddy.
I have seen the crew of Sandy's take a few new divers under their wing and help them have an enjoyable dive.
That being said, there may be boats that are a little better suited to your experience level. I think the boats going out of Boynton Beach (Underwater explorers) would be good. They also dive a little shallower water.
It is unlikely you will find a boat in the Palm Beach area without lobster hunters this time of year.

Sounds like you learned some valuable lessons and got a little more experience.
 
Other people have covered the specifics, like the fact that your Venturi control doesn't affect your gas consumption, and that technique may have impacted both your ability to descend and your gas consumption rate.

What I want to mention is something I think is very difficult for new divers (at least it was for me), and that is assertiveness. It's perfectly okay to be new. And it's okay to ask the DM, "Hey, I understand about the boat stuff, but what's this site like? What are the depths? What's the structure and the navigation?" Now, of course, they are SUPPOSED to tell you those things without you asking, but if you don't feel you have enough information to start the dive with confidence, ASK! It's the same with the buddy system. If you want a buddy, and none has been identified for you, ASK. It may be that no one wants to buddy up with you, because they are all hunting, in which case the DM ought to offer to have you dive with him.

One of the big lessons you should have gotten from your OW instructor is that, as a certified diver, you are responsible for your own dive. That means you don't take your lead from other divers who are doing things you mistrust or disapprove of. It means you are proactive in obtaining enough information to dive safely (or to make the decision that this dive is not for you). It means you do safety checks, even when people are annoyed with you for doing them. It's VERY hard to resist the pressure to go with the crowd, but good habits are built day by day, and the best time to start developing them is from the very beginning.
 
In addition to the helpful comments above, I'd like to add a suggestion that you join a local dive club, so you can go diving with experienced divers willing to share the benefit of their experience with you.

You obviously have the best possible attitude for learning to be an excellent diver. You KNOW that you don't know everything (that alone puts you head and shoulders above most folks) and you are willing to critique yourself. Surely, you'll get much, much better - and fairly rapidly, too.

Go dive!!
 
John,

Hello, I was actually on this trip with you. My dive buddy and I were also in your group with Todd, he is the instructor that was leading our little group. My friend was completing his check out dives and the four of us plus one other kid were all diving together. I was sitting there when we were given the boat briefing, and also remember Todd telling us about staying together, monitoring our air, and that when one of us hit 800 psi that we would all head up. I also remember Sandy asking you if you had a safety sausage, then Matt bringing you one and giving it to you, maybe you missed something then?? I'm not sure of what else was said then, I returned to putting my gear together. Anyway, I also just wanted to mention that you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions or speak up. As far as the hunters goes, there were four that we dropped completely away from us on the back side of the reef. I know this charter very well, I've dove with them a couple years now and they are great about looking after thier divers, and will go out of thier way to make sure everyone is SAFE and happy. You shouldn't worry about interferring with somebody's dive, just speak up...besides you were with a dive instructor, use that oppurtunity to ask questions and get thier advice, it's free!!

Two divers Kim and Chris also talked about skipping the second dive because of the cold...the water was much warmer than the air that is for sure. I thought that is why you didn't join us for the second dive also? But don't worry to much, I had the same issues when I was a newer diver, each dive though I got more confidence and felt more comfortable. When in doubt carry a extra pound or two, it doesnt hurt as much to be slightly over weighted then to be under weighted. I've had dives I've forgot my weights, one that I fought my bouyancy the whole time because I had all my weights on one side of my body?? It happens, but just take your time, relax and remain calm, you'll find you can learn each dive something to make you a better diver.

Hope you have some great diving experiences in the future and warmer conditions to do them in. Good Luck
 
Never turn down the opportunity to bring a coat along, even in the summer, dry towels, wind breakers and dry cloths also.

N
 
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