We as a community have been sharing varying opinions or philosophies as to a more proper or perhaps safer method of dive planing. I think it might be interesting and even help explain the wide variation as to what a typical dive might be for those that enjoy sharing. I know there are a wide swath of styles here from instructors to the most relaxed rec style diver which is likely closer to what I tend to enjoy. I think the average temps, visibility, dive area like kelp or open sand or walls etc. and day or night as well as group compared to solo. It might help us to understand the varying thoughts shared here as to what we as individuals tend to subscribe to.
Dive Profiles
- Thread starter Dyno Bill
- Start date
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kanonfodr
Contributor
Well a typical dive for myself, I will use Shark's Cove as my reference, will feature depths between 20-50 feet, average 25-35, and runtimes generally around 1 hour, depending on who is diving with me that day. Running across any NDL is highly unlikely, so we plan to go out until Turn Pressure (Half a tank + Rock Bottom) and then come back, but sometimes we will take a circular route versus a straight line or following one of the walls. Viz is generally 40+, temps in the mid-70's to low 80s.
The topography itself is relatively free of entanglement, no kelp or fishing lines, but features walls, canyons, and small caverns. Silt is a rather non-issue, as even in the caverns there is helpful (but not overpowering) currents that will clear it out quickly, if you can manage to stir it up. Most of the time we are diving in a group during the day, but the site does make for some amazing night dives as well.
Peace,
Greg
The topography itself is relatively free of entanglement, no kelp or fishing lines, but features walls, canyons, and small caverns. Silt is a rather non-issue, as even in the caverns there is helpful (but not overpowering) currents that will clear it out quickly, if you can manage to stir it up. Most of the time we are diving in a group during the day, but the site does make for some amazing night dives as well.
Peace,
Greg
DaleC
Contributor
I either do NDL (mostly) dives with friends or inland solo exploratory dives to about 100'. I look at maps a lot, wonder what's down there, and then go and find out. Almost all those dives are low vis and cold water. Sometimes they are also altitude dives. I can't describe the topography as I don't know until I get there but I almost always make use of bathymetric maps when available. I also like to do simple profile dives in which I experiment with different gear configurations.
DynoBill, this is a wonderful and unique idea for a thread!
I personally have such varied profiles, that it is hard to categorize them.
I do a lot of shore diving. Profiles can range from a long, very flat bottom with a max depth of 40 feet, to a wall with a bottom well below what I'll do as a technical dive. I pick the max depth and shape of the dive depending on the site and my buddies. A week or so ago, I dove with a fairly new diver, and we had a max depth of about 25 feet in an hour's dive; tomorrow, I will scooter from shore a wreck at 110, with planned staged decompression. During our Monterey trip, we did a technical dive to 150 from shore, but I've also done shallow dives from a boat.
I also cave dive. Profiles there vary.
I dive cold water (but not ice) and warm water, and lousy viz (typical at home) and good viz (which I take as a gift, anywhere I find it) and open water, and overheads.
I personally have such varied profiles, that it is hard to categorize them.
I do a lot of shore diving. Profiles can range from a long, very flat bottom with a max depth of 40 feet, to a wall with a bottom well below what I'll do as a technical dive. I pick the max depth and shape of the dive depending on the site and my buddies. A week or so ago, I dove with a fairly new diver, and we had a max depth of about 25 feet in an hour's dive; tomorrow, I will scooter from shore a wreck at 110, with planned staged decompression. During our Monterey trip, we did a technical dive to 150 from shore, but I've also done shallow dives from a boat.
I also cave dive. Profiles there vary.
I dive cold water (but not ice) and warm water, and lousy viz (typical at home) and good viz (which I take as a gift, anywhere I find it) and open water, and overheads.
AfterDark
Contributor
Here's a solo dive I planned to do last weekend but was aced out by Igor.
I leave this kind of informaion with my wife in case I don't return/call on time.
Gooseberry Island, Arches.
GI = Gooseberry Island / GB=Green Bridge / SPG=Submersible Pressure Gauge
Equipment:
2 - 72cuft steel tanks mounted as independent doubles
leftside tank spg is mounted in a 3 hole console with a LS-1 compass
and a analog depth gauge. The primary BC is inflation is from the port tank.
Console is on left side
right side tank SPG is on the right,a connected LP hose is velco'd to the primary LP hose, as a backup.
A VEC100Nx Oceanic dive computer, a zeagle IV dive watch with a
mini compass and thermometer as backup.
7MM Henderson farmer style wetsuit w/ 2mm hooded vest.
Tri-view mask w/ large bore ID flex snorkel,Plana Avanti fins.
Flag and float surrounded by an inner tube.
Camera case with cell phone, car key and personal waterproof GPS inside,
clipped to the line reel for flag/float. SMB and reel.
DECO Stingray Deep Blue sea scooter.
Camera and strobe
The Dive Plan:
Lo tide 1138AM
Winds light NNW temp 70's sunny
Depth 50' max
1130AM ETD Green Bridge use scooter on surface to travel the .5 mi
to Gooseberry Island.
Heading 178dg South out the cove.
At cove mouth turn left on heading 96dg East to Southwest end of Gooseberry
Island. ETA GI 1145AM
Dive Arches, with scooter clipped to float, travel West along the
south coast of GI, turn left travel North along East shore of GI, turn East travel
along the North shore of GI, arriving back at Southwest end of GI ETA 1300.
Take as many pictures as possible.
This will complete a circumnavigation of Gooseberry Island.
ETD GI 1315
ETA GB 1330.
Total time in water estimate 2 hrs. Total dive time estimate 1hr 30min.
Max estimated travel time 30 min.
I leave this kind of informaion with my wife in case I don't return/call on time.
Gooseberry Island, Arches.
GI = Gooseberry Island / GB=Green Bridge / SPG=Submersible Pressure Gauge
Equipment:
2 - 72cuft steel tanks mounted as independent doubles
leftside tank spg is mounted in a 3 hole console with a LS-1 compass
and a analog depth gauge. The primary BC is inflation is from the port tank.
Console is on left side
right side tank SPG is on the right,a connected LP hose is velco'd to the primary LP hose, as a backup.
A VEC100Nx Oceanic dive computer, a zeagle IV dive watch with a
mini compass and thermometer as backup.
7MM Henderson farmer style wetsuit w/ 2mm hooded vest.
Tri-view mask w/ large bore ID flex snorkel,Plana Avanti fins.
Flag and float surrounded by an inner tube.
Camera case with cell phone, car key and personal waterproof GPS inside,
clipped to the line reel for flag/float. SMB and reel.
DECO Stingray Deep Blue sea scooter.
Camera and strobe
The Dive Plan:
Lo tide 1138AM
Winds light NNW temp 70's sunny
Depth 50' max
1130AM ETD Green Bridge use scooter on surface to travel the .5 mi
to Gooseberry Island.
Heading 178dg South out the cove.
At cove mouth turn left on heading 96dg East to Southwest end of Gooseberry
Island. ETA GI 1145AM
Dive Arches, with scooter clipped to float, travel West along the
south coast of GI, turn left travel North along East shore of GI, turn East travel
along the North shore of GI, arriving back at Southwest end of GI ETA 1300.
Take as many pictures as possible.
This will complete a circumnavigation of Gooseberry Island.
ETD GI 1315
ETA GB 1330.
Total time in water estimate 2 hrs. Total dive time estimate 1hr 30min.
Max estimated travel time 30 min.
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My "go to lake" for those days when I just need to drop in the water is a very easy dive site but one I enjoy because of the relatively good visibility, the fairly large collection of freshwater fish species, and the nearness to my house.
A typical dive there is a shore entry and swim around the weed beds. Max depth is around 25'. So the dive will be little more than walking in, dive for an hour, and get out with plenty of air left. Not really much dive planning there since I've done the dive so many times.
But when I like something more interesting, I'll make the drive to Superior. A dive on the Maderia is still relatively simple, but requires a bit of planning depending on conditions and the type of dive I want to do.
A typical dive will involve my double 80s and my 30 pony (more for the desire to practice skills with that gear than a direct need for that much). My buddy and I will assess the conditions and determine if we need to go our or in under water. We will typically dive down on the far end of the wreck which lies in 110'. We will adjust our gas reserves based on conditions. We'll raise up the wreck through the dive, ending around 30'. We'll have planned for a long dive involving or not depending on our mood, so that will effect our plan as well.
And in the winter we get my favorite ice diving. That requires a whole different level of planning, involving gear and extensive safety briefings.
A typical dive there is a shore entry and swim around the weed beds. Max depth is around 25'. So the dive will be little more than walking in, dive for an hour, and get out with plenty of air left. Not really much dive planning there since I've done the dive so many times.
But when I like something more interesting, I'll make the drive to Superior. A dive on the Maderia is still relatively simple, but requires a bit of planning depending on conditions and the type of dive I want to do.
A typical dive will involve my double 80s and my 30 pony (more for the desire to practice skills with that gear than a direct need for that much). My buddy and I will assess the conditions and determine if we need to go our or in under water. We will typically dive down on the far end of the wreck which lies in 110'. We will adjust our gas reserves based on conditions. We'll raise up the wreck through the dive, ending around 30'. We'll have planned for a long dive involving or not depending on our mood, so that will effect our plan as well.
And in the winter we get my favorite ice diving. That requires a whole different level of planning, involving gear and extensive safety briefings.
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Thanks for the responses, I'm sitting here reading and imagining the rigs everyone is using. I obviously utilize a quite simple set of gear to play in the kelp between lets say 115 and 15. A single 95 or even one of my wife's 72's on a weight integrated rear inflate. Early on I dove with a buddy without fail but over the years I ended up solo as I mostly do the same type of dive. Drop in and turn into the current and I like the word meander as thats what I doing and tour towards the shallow end. I usually find the thirds pressure or 1000 lbs way out somewhere so I surface and take a visual. If I'm really far off like the boats a spec I will do a compass heading at 20 ft instead of the bottom. When I can hear the boat's compressor I will observe my gas and decide what to do next. When shore diving I get passed the surf line and turn left, or right or not. For me it's the wonder of discovery. Anyway if you feel like it post a pic of your rig, we could actually see who should be in the space program compared to lost on Gilligans Island.
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