Daughter Freaked Out by Tiny Night Dive Critters

[caymaniac]

One really good thing is it means the reef is healthy when you have those squiggly things flying around the reef at night. Just turn your light off for a minute and they will disappear, then they will be back again so you will have to turn your light off again...and so on.
They look like this in a photo:

They won't hurt you, but they may annoy you. Most healthy reefs in the world have the same experience as you do in Cayman when you night dive near the full moon.
I've had them almost blot out my light before, when there are alot of them I'm always happy to be wearing a body suit (full wet suit 3m). They tend to slam into you when they get really excited, I don't like the feeling when they get by my ears but the night dives are soooo worth it!

 

[tarponchik]

My shot from Belize night dive:

 

[gypsyjim]

One of my favorite ways to do a night dive is without the light on at all. You attract a lot less attention, and you are much less of a threat to some marine life.

On a moonlit night it is amazing how well you can see underwater, once your eyes have adjusted.

 

[gypsyjim]

My shot from Belize night dive:

Can see how THAT would be both annoying, and a bit overwhelming for some.

 

[DandyDon]

One of my favorite ways to do a night dive is without the light on at all. You attract a lot less attention, and you are much less of a threat to some marine life.

On a moonlit night it is amazing how well you can see underwater, once your eyes have adjusted.

I've done that. Freaks out the DM but if you have a good tank marker and a light you can illuminate for ascent, etc. - it can work.

 

[gypsyjim]

I've done that. Freaks out the DM but if you have a good tank marker and a light you can illuminate for ascent, etc. - it can work.

If I am diving with my son and or daughter, we do not bother with a tank marker, especially diving Bonaire. We dive as a close group, in continual contact, and all using our natural night vision to stay in touch and together.

If I am diving with a group and a DM, I do as they suggest, and make sure it won't cause issues if I dive with the light off. If there are issues, I simply keep the light on, but turned against my body when I wish to see the UW world without artificial light.

I always bring more than one good dive light on a night dive, even if I have no intention of using them during the dive, as lights are a safety tool that could make a huge difference if the @#$& ever hits the spinny thing, for myself or others.

 

[AggieDiver]

A tank marker is a safety tool as well. If a diver gets separated and is unconscious or unresponsive such that they can't signal you with their dive light, then the tank marker is the only way you will find them at night. I find that on most night dives with a group, you can turn your light off and see just fine using the overflow from the other lights. That way you also don't have the problems with the blood worms either... As was said above though, let the DM know before the dive if you plan to do that so he doesn't freak out when he sees your light go out and stay out for a prolonged period.

 

[tarponchik]

Oh, this was not my light, obviously. This is the one on the boat.

 

[octopuppy]

:light:Red filter does help cut down on wormy bits. Or a dive light you can dial brightness up/down. Ran across a few divers in Bonaire that didn't have thier lights on. Used up about 500psi in a single breath.

 

[dmoore19]

On the night dive part of my AOW we turned off our lights, waited for our eyes to adjust. It was pretty easy to see without the lights on.