What's a "shakedown dive"?

[CuzzA]

Crowded dive locations.

That's what weekdays are for.

 

[rhwestfall]

That's what weekdays are for.

Find me 11-15 other divers for the charter to run.....

 

[Lorenzoid]

I think "shakedown," which as others have pointed out is a term used in non-diving contexts as well, might be a dive shop's way of avoiding calling it a "check-out dive," a term which might bruise the egos of some divers. I have seen them called check-out dives. Regardless of what the dive op calls it, the dive op's goal is to ensure that you've got your act together before they dive further with you. Calling it a "shakedown" dive or a dive to "get the rust out," etc., avoids the implication that they are watching or judging you. Whatever they call it, they probably ARE watching you to some extent. However, one would hope that the diver himself recognizes any difficulties he may be having and proactively tries to sort them out. Dive ops are usually glad to help divers sort out difficulties with weighting, buoyancy, etc. It's their goal for you to have a safe, enjoyable dive, not one in which you are fighting with some problem.

 

[ScubaJill]

I think "shakedown," which as others have pointed out is a term used in non-diving contexts as well, might be a dive shop's way of avoiding calling it a "check-out dive," a term which might bruise the egos of some divers. I have seen them called check-out dives. Regardless of what the dive op calls it, the dive op's goal is to ensure that you've got your act together before they dive further with you. Calling it a "shakedown" dive or a dive to "get the rust out," etc., avoids the implication that they are watching or judging you. Whatever they call it, they probably ARE watching you to some extent. However, one would hope that the diver himself recognizes any difficulties he may be having and proactively tries to sort them out. Dive ops are usually glad to help divers sort out difficulties with weighting, buoyancy, etc. It's their goal for you to have a safe, enjoyable dive, not one in which you are fighting with some problem.

The dive op in question has a "no shakedown dives" note on the descriptions of the dive sites. It's a charter, doesn't offer anything but the boat.

 

[Storker]

I think "shakedown," which as others have pointed out is a term used in non-diving contexts as well, might be a dive shop's way of avoiding calling it a "check-out dive," a term which might bruise the egos of some divers.

Personally, I find this a bit baffling. I have no problems whatsoever if an op wants to know first hand how capable I am. On the contrary, whenever I go on a vacation I hope that the op provides the best diving I'm capable of rather than catering to some common denominator. To be able to do that, they have to know where my comfort zone lies, and they have no possibility to know that unless they've seen me in the water.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The dive op in question has a "no shakedown dives" note on the descriptions of the dive sites. It's a charter, doesn't offer anything but the boat.

Well there ya go. Many liveaboards and resorts will do a shakedown or check-out dive as one's first dive of a trip. In contrast, your dive op is saying that this is a boat for people who already have their act together, they treat you like an adult, and they're not going to make you demonstrate it for them before taking you to whatever the main objective is. At the sites in question, they drop you in and expect you to be able to handle it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Personally, I find this a bit baffling. I have no problems whatsoever if an op wants to know first hand how capable I am. On the contrary, whenever I go on a vacation I hope that the op provides the best diving I'm capable of rather than catering to some common denominator. To be able to do that, they have to know where my comfort zone lies, and they have no possibility to know that unless they've seen me in the water.

I don't have a problem with it, either. In part of a recent thread in the Cozumel forum, people voiced various opinions of the practice of dive ops checking out their divers.

 

[ScubaJill]

Well there ya go. Many liveaboards and resorts will do a shakedown or check-out dive as one's first dive of a trip. In contrast, your dive op is saying that this is a boat for people who already have their act together, they treat you like an adult, and they're not going to make you demonstrate it for them before taking you to whatever the main objective is.

Well, they also have pretty clear requirements to get on their boat(s). I don't know if they actually enforce them by checking dive logs, etc., but it does seem to be a fairly no-frills kind of experience.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well, they also have pretty clear requirements to get on their boat(s). I don't know if they actually enforce them by checking dive logs, etc., but it does seem to be a fairly no-frills kind of experience.

Many Eastern seaboard and California boats tend to be like that.

 

[TMHeimer]

My one tropical trip to Panama had no shakedown (it was just me & the DM anyway). I find it interesting that I've never witnessed this on the charters I've taken (NS, SC,FL,MS,TX). Maybe on local day charters they just assume you know what you're doing.