Re: Night Dive training requirements

[tursiops]

Care to enlighten me?

Good pun.

 

[Neilwood]

Following on from jellyfish, worth noting how other forms of aquatic life will interact around torchlight.

Some species coat themselves with a mucous membrane at night as protection against predators, which they shed if a torch is shined on them. Unfortunately they can only produce this layer once a day, so a careless beam can leave them vulnerable.

On a more light-hearted note, watching trevally's use your beam to hunt is amazing. They'll sit alongside you like motorcycle outriders, then flash off. Boy, can they move!

Also, make sure your buddy isn't a dick. A good mate of mine liked to shine his torch on my bare leg to attract curious lionfish.

Interesting you mention lionfish - we found that as soon as a light went on we would find that the lionfish tended to congregate around us to the extent that my group were moving to the sea floor to watch the luminosity whereby a lionfish moved directly under me towards the lights (out of site) and I almost got a barb in the stomach. There were others where we were followed by 4-6 lionfish at fairly close distance.

 

[myshadeofred]

Everyone had great remarks. I had a friend that had about 10 open water dives and we went to Rainbow Reef and did a night dive. I have had many, but this was her first. She was a little skeptical and thought it would be eerie...but then she LOVED it. With Rainbow Reef, there are enough divers it's not completely dark. Again, don't overly shine something, and don't shine on turtle faces. If you are new to diving, I do not recommend a camera for a night dive as you will have your torch. Always have a spare. There are also these great little lights for the tank that are solar charged, which makes them reusable without changing a battery.

Other than that, have a great time.

 

[dmaziuk]

I am Blessed enough to be able to go to Roatan for a week of diving. With that said our itinerary includes 1 night dive which I have purchased a beacon for my tank and a back up light . Do I need any type of night dive certification...

On Roatan, the chop may pick up a little at night. Watch your step getting back on the boat, don't bang your shins on the ladder. That's all the certification you'll need.

 

[yle]

Care to enlighten me?

I can relate to the computer light issue, and I usually do the same thing that you do: shine the light on the computer. Mine's on my left wrist, light in my right hand... shining the light on the computer is quick and simple. And requires no button pressing.

BUT... I know my computer has a backlight that I can change in the settings to stay on constantly. This is the ideal strategy for night diving, but I'm a little too lazy to do it. And since I only use my computer for depth and time (it's not AI), and most of my night diving is shallow, I only check it a half dozen times during a night dive.

It might be worth finding out if your computer has a setting to allow the light to stay on, and then try it during a night dive just to see if you prefer it. That would also alleviate any concerns about changing the display when you push the button.

 

[yle]

Again, don't overly shine something, and don't shine on turtle faces. If you are new to diving, I do not recommend a camera for a night dive as you will have your torch. .

Wow, thanks for mentioning these. I just realized that no one else did, although these are two things that new night divers tend to want to do: bring a camera (why??), and blast the residents in the face with their light. I would just add to avoid shining light on ANY faces... human, turtle, fish, octopus... it's just bad for everyone.

 

[Esprise Me]

@yle I don't think the Cressi Leonardo has that function, but it's good to know some computers do. I'm probably going to get something fancier in the not-too-distant future, but this system works for me for now. Honestly the dimmest setting on my flashlight provides more than enough light anyway, and the battery lasts a lot longer that way.

 

[NothingClever]

Lots of great advice here.

Probably an oversimplification but I think if you can walk along in the forest at night with a flashlight, you’ll probably be a pretty good night diver (provided, of course, that you’re a decent daytime diver).

The first time you stride off the swim deck into the dark might be a little spooky but once you descend, you’ll be on just another stroll. The boat’s deck lights should help reduce apprehension.

The skipper and DM will probably pick a pretty predictable area to mitigate the risk of a lost diver. I’m thinking they’ll pick a nice wall or a tidy round reef where you really have to work hard to get lost.

Like many others here, I turn off my torch a lot. I like watching for sea life in the spill of others’ torches plus you can see who’s getting along well and who’s probably going to be the cause of an emergency.

Don’t use a proper strobe as a tank marker....they’re really distracting and ward off a lot of the creatures you’re diving at night to see. Use a modest tank marker light so if you turn off your main torch, others can still account for you.

Having had a torch fail on me, I carry two small but powerful torches all the time tucked away nicely on my shoulder straps (BP/W). When I dive at night, I carry a larger torch on an elastic hand mount so that I can use my fingers without fear of losing my torch. I use the torch’s bolt snap to hook onto an o-ring on my wrist for redundant security. If I have to fiddle around with stuff, I turn my torch off so I don’t “disco-daze” anybody.

Agree with others....charge the face of your SPG then look at it.

Steady light = steady diver.

 

[iamrushman]

some say not turn your light off, it may not turn back on....simply hold it against your chest or cover it with your hand..

 

[rongoodman]

Don't wave your light around--it will look like you're signaling an emergency and eventually becomes very annoying to those around you. I find night dives very relaxing, though, just poking along looking under ledges and things. At least on liveaboards, you're usually at a site which you've already seen during the day.