Got refused boat dives due to 12 month break

[chimchim]

On the operators side they get a lot of vacation divers on the cruise lines that may not be very experirenced or dove in quite some time (years.) They are covering their butts and possibly yours.

On the other hand if you are a fairly experienced diver and it has not been years since you dove and you feel comfortable with it you could have streched the truth a bit about your last dive.

I have seen the last dive time requirements run from 6 months to 2 years on cruise ship dives. I think it depends on the line and the dive op.

As a side note I always rent the pool at my LDS before I go on a cruise or diving trip in the winter. It helps me stay fresh with my skills and comfort in the water.

Yes, I understand why they would be conservative. I'm just wondering if this conservatism is increasing more recently as it dictates my strategy (refresher dive, etc)

As for your 2nd point, yes, I just learned that the hard way. I've logged over 30 dives in the last 15 years and do very conservative, guided dives.

I'm now looking into renting gear for a pool dive if I need to. Local dive shop has a "refresher" course that costs $75. This seems fine if I hadn't dove for a few years, but seems a little overkill since my list dive was just 18 months ago.

 

[dallaskincaid]

Another posted made mention to this, but I'm sure lots of people stretch the truth regarding their last dive. The thought is probably that if you said 12 months, you probably mean 18. Not saying this is true, but I'm sure lots of people DO that. The Mexican law is a bunch of BS, they should have just said it was their policy.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm now looking into renting gear for a pool dive if I need to. Local dive shop has a "refresher" course that costs $75. This seems fine if I hadn't dove for a few years, but seems a little overkill since my list dive was just 18 months ago.

Would you honestly be confident to complete each-and-every one of your Open Water skills in a comfortable, fluid and competent manner?

Having 'some fade' isn't acceptable. You should be as good, or better, than OW qualification standard, if you seek to go diving.

$75 does seem a lot for a review though. If that is purely for a refresher session in confined water (without attached open water dives) then it'd pay to shop around.

 

[chimchim]

Another idea.... ok a friend of mine has some old scuba equipment that he doesn't want any more. Until now, I never thought to take it because I didn't want to maintain it (and so would rent instead).

However, what if I take this equipment and maintain it enough to do pool practice dives? I would never actually use it do scuba more than 15' and no where but a pool.

 

[paulw]

Title correction: (should say)
- tips/strategies?

EDIT: Also will be going to Hawaii in a couple of weeks (family reasons) and want to go diving there but don't want to get refused again.

Well first I never use the cruse ships dive option, I tried it and well.. I don't anymore. I check out the shops available in advance and make arrangements directly with them and the good shops know the cruise schedules and work with you. Also they can provide a private DM or whatever, just let them know what you need. I'm not saying the dive op's the cruise lines use are bad but it usually just works out better to set up your own dive.
Going to Hawaii in a couple of weeks (... wish I was) go to your LDS and do a refresher or grab a dive buddy, rent some gear and make a couple of dives.
I don't mean this as a criticism but I would not want to make my first dive in over a year with rented, unfamiliar gear, condition unknown, off a boat and with a rent-a-buddy. That would be just to much of a task load to start an OW dive with for me.
Have a great time in Hawaii !

 

[Dhboner]

I wish all operators were this strict (or even stricter). A novice diver who hasn't completed a dive in 12 months is (in my humble opinion) a veritable non-diver. Your buoyancy control, familiarity with emergency procedures...everything you were ever taught has either been forgotten or requires a pretty thorough review.

Diving (even shallow water tropical diving) is potentially dangerous, not only to you but to your buddy as well. If you want to be a scuba diver then scuba dive...regularly! Otherwise when you are on vacation enjoy the snorkelling.

 

[flots am]

Got refused 2 tank dive because I have NOT gone diving within last 12 months

You should send them a "thank you" card. They may have saved your life.

You can't imagine how quickly skills degrade. After more than a year out of the water, you absolutely need a refresher class at either your local shop, or perhaps schedule one on one of the first islands you stop at, so you'll be all up to speed for dives on the next inlands.

flots.
​

 

[DandyDon]

I've logged over 30 dives in the last 15 years and do very conservative, guided dives.

I'm now looking into renting gear for a pool dive if I need to. Local dive shop has a "refresher" course that costs $75. This seems fine if I hadn't dove for a few years, but seems a little overkill since my list dive was just 18 months ago.

I think you made the point. If anything went wrong, for you or a buddy, the outcome would be doubtful.

You never said where you are, but quarry dives are good practice for the sea, except a private DM for the first sea dives would still be money well spent.

Oh there are probably many divers like you allowed to go on Cozumel boats. I try to avoid those boats. The poor US Deputy Consulate has to ship so many bodies home.

I don't guess you carry dive insurance either....??

 

[chimchim]

Well first I never use the cruse ships dive option, I tried it and well.. I don't anymore. I check out the shops available in advance and make arrangements directly with them and the good shops know the cruise schedules and work with you. Also they can provide a private DM or whatever, just let them know what you need. I'm not saying the dive op's the cruise lines use are bad but it usually just works out better to set up your own dive.

Yeah... this is getting off topic but I had checked out dive shops in Cabo and contacted them. Ended up none could accommodate the shore leave time of the cruise ship. The killer was when I told them, "the cruise ship arrives at xxxx and we have to return by xxxx". This was because most tours, running on local time, have already left by the time even the first tender boat would have arrived. In contrast, the tour associated with the cruise was specifically chartered for the ship's schedule.

Anyways, all points taken by all posts. I'm shopping around for refresher courses.

I'd like to point out that fade happens as quick as 1 month, probably less. 12 months is pretty arbitrary; someone who dove 11 mo, 29 days ago is still a master but someone 12 mo and 1 day is not? Of course not. Now while most of you regulars on the board are frequent divers enough to never have to worry about the 12 mo window, there are a lot of certified divers who don't get out as much. And just because someone logged a dive a month ago doesn't mean that they are suddenly refreshed to mastery level of emergency procedures. So it would seem that everyone would need a refresher course on emergency procedures no matter how many dives you've logged.

 

[TSandM]

So it would seem that everyone would need a refresher course on emergency procedures no matter how many dives you've logged.​

There is a lot of truth to this, but not for the reasons you listed. I think it's more that many divers never practice emergency procedures, once they are out of class. My husband taught a Rescue class this winter which had two students in it who had been diving for several years, with well over a hundred dives apiece. They were both shocked and rather sobered by how badly they did when asked to do basic safety skills, like replacing a mask in the water column, or sharing gas and controlling the subsequent ascent. They vowed that, after the Rescue class, they would practice skills at regular intervals -- I hope they stick to that.

The one thing you can say about someone who has been diving regularly is that, if they ARE having to fumble around to solve a problem underwater, they're probably not losing control of their basic diving skills as badly as someone who doesn't dive all the time, and is having to process stuff at a more conscious level.