Dive 10a (a=aborted)

[Underwater Ogre]

Hey mon,
Dive with some experienced divers...learn...slow down...put the camera in your pocket, and pull it out when you are stationary, have checked your gauges, feel comfortable and safe.
You say you are having a bit of trouble "framing the shots"...you will, until you learn how to become a diver and control bouyancy...that all takes TIME

Glad you know when to pull the plug on a dive. We have all done some "funnies". Thanks for sharing yours.

Good luck!

 

[InkDiver]

I have learned a lot in these posts, but still have questions like how do you dump weights that aren’t in a BC drop pouch, or on a weight belt (groping behind my back, or air tank to drop weights in an emergency scares me)? How much “permanent” weight is okay and how much is unacceptably dangerous (my sphincter is puckering again)?

If you really want to pucker up, consider diving with a stainless steel backplate and stainless tank. You might have NO weight to drop at all. But, as with all the other points in this thread, that is probably something to think about after a few more dives.

Okay, okay already; a camera is too much task loading for my experience level.

A camera is a wonderful thing. I love mine.....but I had to come to the realization that I was a DIVER who sometimes takes photos, and NOT a photographer underwater. The focus has to be on the diving for me, and the camera is used only if the diving is under control. Remember, you can always take pictures on a later dive.

Most of all, keep diving and having fun, that is what is most important.

 

[Jim Kerr]

He's only OW certified with less than a dozen dives in open water, is therefore diving on less than 60 ft of water. If you think that diving that shallow with Nitrox for two single tank dives is the way to go, then you need a refresher in Nitrox. Stop trying to sell him a Nitrox course and take it yourself. :mooner::mooner::mooner:

For one thing ACE you don't "EVER" tell me what to say or do, GOT IT? :flame: My disagreeing with your comments are simply "MY" opinions, of which I am entitled. That is not to say that I am right and you are wrong. It's only a difference of "opinions". You with me so far?

Second, I "AM" Nitrox certified ACE and understand the benefits of Nitrox very well. The benefits "decrease" with depth, they don't increase.

NDL for 60 fsw using 36% = 115 min
NDL for 60 fsw using 21% = 55 min


NDL for 90 fsw using 36% = 40 min
NDL for 90 fsw using 21% = 25 min

I get 60 more min @ 60 fsw but only 15 more min @ 90 fsw using EANx 36%, not that he'll be able to stay down that long at this stage. These are based on Padi RDP's. Your's may differ slightly depending on calculations used. Alot of resorts now offer "free" nitrox and if he were to go to one of them he would not be able to take advantage of it. And no, I probably would not dive Nitrox if I were only going to do 2 dives and go home unless it was offered free, but I would have that option.. If I'm going to do repeatative dives on mutiple days then absolutely.

Lastly, my main point was that the certifications I suggested will be the only one's he will be able to use and "produce" when asked for by any dive op. Not saying that a PPB course would not be beneficial, but "no one" will ever ask to see the card, making the C-card utterly useless. It become just another card to add to the collection.

There "are" some people who need a little more guildance and a AOW course is excellent in helping build more confidence. It's also an oppotunity for an instructor to observe and help with buoyancy issues on multiple dives instead of just 2. Therefore he earns an AOW C-card which he can use and get his buoyancy down at the same time. Not to mention getting Navigation and Deep experience. Whether he takes either of our advice makes no difference to me. I'm not here to compete. Let's keep it friendly from here on out, We can agree to disagree. OK?

 

[Monilite]

My plan has been this: Dive with rental gear after certification to keep my fins wet as much as my finances allow. Simultaneously save up to get my own gear so I can dive more and rent less. When my logbook (SSI) suggests it & my finances allow get Nitrox certified. I have reached one of the plateaus in my plan, that is minimal reliance on rental gear. I have heard nothing but good things about Nitrox and the last 2 boat dives I took I was the only one on air. I've heard things like "it's the future of diving today" "I feel better, perform better and recover quicker on Nitrox" "I'm less prone to motion sickness" "I get more breaths from a tank of Nitrox". Nobody needs to sell me on Nitrox everybody seems to be switching; it's like air is cassette tape and Nitrox is CD. I'm sure somebody out there will find fault with this opinion, but the fact is I can't "just try it" till I get certified (can I?). Maybe some, or most of what I've heard is hype, but I really want to see (or rather breath) for myself. I'm going to dive a few more times on air to get the feel of my equipment, but as soon as I financially can I'm going to get certified and at least try Nitrox.

 

[all4scuba05]

MONOLITE I don't mean to confuse you. When you do take the Nitrox course, you'll see that there are depths for which diving Nitrox is beneficial enough to use. The dives you are currently certified for do not fall into that area. Now, if you're planning to dive deeper than you're certified to dive, then by all means use Nitrox. From what I've read so far, it seems to ME that you would benefit more from simply paying a good instructor to dive with you and help you improve faster. Or take the Peak Buoyancy course.

If you're in a hurry to get on a boat and dive advanced depths with Nitrox then take Jim Kerr's advice and get Nitrox and Advanced Certified. Dive deeper, enjoy the benefits of Nitrox, and hope you don't end up a statistic. I'm just being real here. Because in the Vacation world, there are many outfits that will take you deeper than your certification. Even though they don't know how you dive.

 

[all4scuba05]

Second, I "AM" Nitrox certified ACE and understand the benefits of Nitrox very well. The benefits "decrease" with depth, they don't increase.
they also decrease with going shallow and that's the part you don't seem to understand. Nitrox for a 20 ft dive on a single tank. You would find a benefit there?

NDL for 60 fsw using 36% = 115 min
NDL for 60 fsw using 21% = 55 min
are you saying that he can get 115min.'s on an al80 at 60'? Think about it. Nitrox will not extend his bottom time.

NDL for 90 fsw using 36% = 40 min
NDL for 90 fsw using 21% = 25 min
he doesn't dive these depths so this means nothing for him

Lastly, my main point was that the certifications I suggested will be the only one's he will be able to use and "produce" when asked for by any dive op. Not saying that a PPB course would not be beneficial, but "no one" will ever ask to see the card, making the C-card utterly useless. It become just another card to add to the collection.
Wow, spoken like a true card collector. You mean to say that if a card doesn't get you through a gate then taking that class is worthless? He doesn't need more cards, he needs to dive and improve. If he takes a good instructor with him on his dives, he will improve faster. It doesn't even have to be a class. If he can't take the instructor with him then a Peak Buoyancy Class will benefit him.

There "are" some people who need a little more guildance and a AOW course is excellent in helping build more confidence. It's also an oppotunity for an instructor to observe and help with buoyancy issues on multiple dives instead of just 2. Therefore he earns an AOW C-card which he can use and get his buoyancy down at the same time. Wrong. Advanced OW classes are not to improve buoyancy, trim, SAC, etc Those are basic things that are supposed to be learned prior to taking AOW. If someone hasn't got these down yet, they should go one on one with an instructor, and work on them BEFORE going Avanced.

Now back to my Avanced Nitrox/ Deco study.....

 

[Monilite]

I only outlined my aborted dive and how a bunch of stupid mistakes caused it. My deepest dive to date was 82fsw the visability was pretty good, but there must have been an inversion layer of some kind, because when I looked up I could not see the surface. It didn't freak me out I just thought to myself "Cool I can't see the surface, but that 8ft Moray was incredible and I got a good face shot of him with my camera too." I was with a very advanced diver (he was at least instructor certified, but just diving for fun at the time) I had good rental equipment and was well rested and prepaired; my buoyancy, trim, and everything else technical was right on. My reading and remembering of the SSI rule of thumb on this issue was restrict YOURSELF to 60 fsw till YOU feel comfortable going deeper. I do not plan to do deco for quite a while yet, but maximizing my nodeco bottom time (with a more advanced buddy) is interesting to me. Still, as I said in my last post, I've heard many benefits of Nitrox beyond extended nodeco bottom time and shorter deco stops. Thanks for all the info and advice everybody.

 

[tiggrr]

Sorry to get a little (not much) off topic but, I thought cameras were not allowed in any type of OW class setting. I mean the OW dives, AOW dives etc...


Monilite... my only advice would be to take your time and don't dive beyond your certification. I made the mistake early on by shooting down quick to '90 feet with 2 'experienced' divers and getting the 'dark narc' thought I was going to die. Was awful. Overweighted, didn't realize I was narced, working way too hard... my experienced buddies brought me up. It made me realize that even though I was very comfortable with diving, I didn't have any business doing dives over my certification level. Took my sweet time getting comfortable in the water again and have not had another incident since. That was about 150 dives ago.

You live in an amazing part of the country and I am very jealous ! Someday....

 

[tiggrr]

Monilite....read this page...

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...974-what-point-do-you-leave-your-buddy-4.html

 

[Monilite]

Tiggrr;

I almost didn't read that link because I previously read a string of posts with that same title. The other string I read was much less specific/traumatic. When I took my SSI course I assumed that a longtime casual friend would be my buddy. It turns out that one of my friend’s best life-long friends was killed in a caving mishap and he had given up the sport long before I was certified. I began my SSI course the week after Steve Irwin (aka Crocodile Hunter) was killed. I will not be scared away from diving because of a story like this. My philosophy is when it’s my time it’s my time whether I’m diving, or sleeping doesn’t have any effect in the matter. Don’t get me wrong I don’t take foolish chances, I just refuse to bury myself before I’m dead.

Do you know Doug Allen? I have many times experienced negative afterthoughts about my doing the right thing, but never in a matter of life and death. Looking at situations in hindsight is educational, but could’ve, would’ve, should’ve… is frequently troubling. Doug Allen reminding himself, and all readers, that not only he, but his entire family would have paid a high price for staying with his buddy was very enlightening too. Very good “worst case scenario” reading thanks for linking it to me.