AOW dive in the Spiegel Grove after 12 logged dives

[Icarusflies]

Hello All;

I have 12 dives and Saturday I dive the Spiegel Grove for my last AOW class and NITROX. Of course I ll be with an instructor that knows me since he certified me OW last month. I have dove every week end for the last 2 months or so and I feel pretty comfortable underwater. However, I have read in the forum horrible stories about the Spiegel Grove and its currents. I ll be diving with my 63 years of father, who has the same number of dives. He is also comfortable in water but hass less fitness. What advice can you give me about diving the SG....Oh, I ll be diving NITROX for the first time and as I said I ll be with an instructor that I trust.

 

[loosebits]

Don't trust your life to your instructor.

 

[lamont]

Thumb the dive at the surface, or while still on the upline if the currents become too much for you. Keep a bunch of gas reserve for the ascent (at 90 fsw, 1200 psi in an Al80, 900 psi in a steel 130), split your remaining gas in half or thirds and turn the dive when you hit that point. Take responsibility for thumbing your own dive when your gas gets low.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Thumb the dive at the surface, or while still on the upline if the currents become too much for you.

Bingo! I thumbed it twice before finally finding it on a calm day. The current was beyond fast and most divers just about killed themselves on the line before calling it quits. I am talking rip your mask off current. Have fun!

 

[AZ Desert Diver]

Thumb the dive at the surface, or while still on the upline if the currents become too much for you. Keep a bunch of gas reserve for the ascent (at 90 fsw, 1200 psi in an Al80, 900 psi in a steel 130), split your remaining gas in half or thirds and turn the dive when you hit that point. Take responsibility for thumbing your own dive when your gas gets low.

This is great advise and a great dive...depending on the lines use at the Grove it can take a while for you to get up, so be careful and enjoy.

 

[MsParamedic]

Your dive captain will probably be putting a "granny" line out for you to get to the mooring line for your descent. While making your way to the descend/ascend line--take is nice and easy.

Once you get have made your dive--I agree to be AT the ascend line with 1200 psi.
(1000 at the VERY minimum)

The SG can be very dive to read on the surface. It can flat, calm on the surface--and have a ripping current on the line or deck--or rough on the surface, and beautiful on the wreck!

While you don't want to trust your life to your instructor---listen to his advice! But if you or your Dad are uncomfortable with the conditions...don't do the dive!


Pat

 

[trigfunctions]

Honestly, after 12 dives I wouldn't have done it, even with an instructor holding my hand. I'm very surprised that your instructor is recommending it. After 12 dives I still looked at my air guage every 10 seconds and had my hand on the BCD valve the whole time - what would I see on the wreck? I am a big believer that people should get in a lot of easy recreational dives before going for "advanced" training and difficult dives.
If you go, I think you need to stick to your instructor like glue. Also, I would be rather concerned about your father at 63 and "less fitness". One of the biggest dangers in diving is over exertion and heart attacks, and fighting a current while under the stresses of being a new diver could be problematic.
Best of luck to you. I hope you don't ahve any problems.

 

[DivingCRNA]

When did "feeling comfortable in the water" become such an important criteria for making dives beyond one's abilities? Is there an agency teaching this, or are people making this excuse up all by themselves?

I have seen this rational used several times on this board. People need to learn the difference between "comfortable in the water"at 25 feet in good conditions and 100 feet in bad conditions with their mask kicked off and reg kicked out.

What is the big hurry to make these dives???

 

[Icarusflies]

My deepest dive to this date is 90 feet last week in the Princess Britney (a wreck in Miami) with some current. I have also dove an 84', two 70' and two 64' dives. However I understand that this does not mean that the SG will be the same do to its current that I have heard in this forum are atypical. I don't know yet how deep are we going...I dive with an AI computer, that will certainly help me.

 

[DivingCRNA]

My deepest dive to this date is 90 feet last week in the Princess Britney (a wreck in Miami) with some current. I have also dove an 84', two 70' and two 64' dives. However I understand that this does not mean that the SG will be the same do to its current that I have heard in this forum are atypical. I don't know yet how deep are we going...I dive with an AI computer, that will certainly help me.

How will an AI computer help you? Will it help you deal with narcosis, finding the anchor line, finding your mask and reg of you lose them, make a big current go away, or help you buddy in an emergency?

My nitrox cert dives were in 30-40 feet in the lake. What is your hurry? BTW-I assume you will be diving EAN32, and not 36? Or do you know? Or are you going to dive "whatever the instructor brings"?

Be safe, and good luck.