A suggestion for new divers

[MADiveGirl]

I met a couple at a beach bar once that said sometimes they like to go under and find a spot to stay put... then watch the show that goes on around them. At least by my own experiences, I'm always amazed when I look at something for a few minutes and all of a sudden you realize something else you haven't noticed is there... sometimes even watching YOU!! The slower you go, the longer you'll stay, and the more you'll see!

Yes, this!!!!! I'm finding that I can just hover next to an area and see SO much incredible life that would otherwise be completely missed with a quick glance. And how are you going to see the hidden or camouflaged fish if you are cruising by? It sounds funny, but I really could just park myself next to a large boulder and stare at the various life forms (plant, animal) for a LONG time before moving on. And it's a good opportunity to work on buoyancy control to boot!

 

[Cat276330]

I totally agree, i like going very slowly and pottering around looking at little things. I had to dive one holiday with someone who just sped through the divesite not looking at anything, was v annoying, especially as whenever i stopped to take a photo when i looked up he was off in the distance not even looking back to see where i was!

 

[Dive the World]

If it was about speed it would be an Olympic sport.

 

[Crush]

I totally agree, i like going very slowly and pottering around looking at little things. I had to dive one holiday with someone who just sped through the divesite not looking at anything, was v annoying, especially as whenever i stopped to take a photo when i looked up he was off in the distance not even looking back to see where i was!

Some of my insta-buddies have thought that being a buddy meant being in the same ocean at the same time.

 

[Bob DBF]

It's all about objectives, should you need to go from points A to B then hovering at point A taking pictures, or anything else, will not get you to point B. A good dive plan worked out with your buddy should solve the problem.

I think the reason new divers race around is that they want to see the WHOLE ocean and do not develop better static buoyancy because they don't get any practice, and for their diving, don't need it.

And the idea that moving through the area quickly you see nothing is not quite acurate, you see different things. It is quite usefull to find a spot that is most likely to hide the critter you are looking for and note landmarks for the trip back to the boat (beach) if you get turned around while watching your little critter. And a quick trip back to the boat (beach) is better than a long surface swim.

The right tool for the job, your objective should dictate the technique.



Bob
-----------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[scubadiver888]

Someone gave this good advice to me when I started diving. I'm glad they did. I give this advice to students when I'm assisting classes. I think, as part of the pre-dive briefing, I'm going to give this advice. I always talk with my buddy about signals, procedures, dive plan, etc. but I think I'll throw in "It's not a race." as well.

 

[lozadora]

Great tips - thanks.

 

[farsidefan1]

I remember a couple of things about when I first started diving (I am an old fart - 61 so I don't remember much). I was learning to frog kick so I could begin my wreck class. I mentioned to Dee (one of my amazingly patient mentors in the early days,hmmm, actually she still is one of my mentors on our annual cocoview trips) that doing the frog kick I didn't cover as much ground (water?). She looked at me like I was the slow kid in class, smiled and said, "so? It's not like you're in a race or something" I still laugh when I think of that. On the other hand I've been on dive trips where it was the divemaster that launched like a rocket, often right into the face of a current. Not till later did I realize the method to their madness. Get divers out of air, get home sooner. I don't repeat such operations and always appreciate it when someone rats out one of these operations thus sparing me a semi wasted trip (hey, no dive trip is totally wasted).

 

[Searcaigh]

Well I am relatively old (59 same as DD) and I occasionally fart, so I guess that makes me a relatively old fart.

One of the guys on a boat trip two months ago told me he had never seen a nudibranch, we dived this wreck that was just heaving with them (he was not my buddy though as I was diving solo) but he never saw any of them, just swam round the wreck twice and then ascended. I barely swam along one side of the wreck before I had to ascend after an hour.

I don't understand this rush to do what? Bit like local drivers here in UAE!