Diving in bad conditions

[MaxBottomtime]

I think the hardest lesson in diving to learn, and many divers never learn it, is when not to dive. I've seen cuts, bruises, broken bones and lost gear happen to divers just two feet from dry ground at Marineland. I've lost fins at Vet's and known several others who have lost gear there. I've been fortunate in that all my dives at Monastery have been in calm conditions, but I have seen killer surf there.
It's hard to look at my dry scuba gear hanging in the garage, but it sure beats looking at an injured diver.

 

[liuk3]

I think the hardest lesson in diving to learn, and many divers never learn it, is when not to dive.

Agreed. In addition to risk of potential injury and lost gear, there's almost nothing I hate more than to have to wash all the sand and crud from my gear for a "dive" where you were only in the water for about 5 minutes before realizing you should have called it.

 

[diverrex]

For myself I've come to decide that I enjoy diving too much to ruin that enjoyment by diving in bad conditions. There's always another day or night, and Ken is right, washing out your gear for only 5 minutes of crappy diving is a PITA.

 

[Oside Jimc]

He who turns and walks away, lives to dive another day.

 

[RickH]

Last month I spent an hour driving to Vet's to do a night dive. We arrivied and the surf looked pretty bad but possible, especially after driving an hour to get there. Before we walked into the water we had to help a student and instructor out after the student failed to get through. I tried but couldn't get through the surf either so I backed out and waited for my buddy to come back through the surf. I tried one more time but same outcome, my buddy made it through but I was stuck on the surf treadmill and had to back out.

While I was waiting on the beach I had to wait for my buddy, and it seemed like I had to wait a long time without knowing where or how he was doing. It struck me then that if he needed help I wasn't in a position to help him. I learned that night that it's about knowing your limitations, and making a decision doesn't affect just you but your buddies as well.

 

[Codyjp]

I dive with good buddies and close friends. If the surf conditions don't permit diving I still enjoy chatting with them, watching the sea and being social. The Ocean will still be there tomorrow.

I know I can make it in in bad conditions. I surfed enough to know what's going on, but sometimes it isn't worth it. There isn't any reason to work for crap soup. today the forcast conditions weren't looking quite as good as my pillow but I still spent the day on the beach with great friends.

I spent 8 days last year in Bonaire. There was one day of iffy conditions that cost our condo it's deck. Sure, I could have found a site to get into the water but we spent the day topside and had a wonderful time. Diving isn't completely about being underwater.

 

[blue steal]

I have bodysurfed, bodyboard, and surfed in conditions that were competely out of control, but that was when I was young and stupid. Now I am older, (maybe not as stupid), and only go out when conditions are nice. Same applies to diving, why beat yourself up. As was stated earlier "Quality over Quanity"

 

[orangelion03]

I've been fortunate that in my 4 years of diving, I havent lost any gear on a beach dive, but I have had my share of falls. My biggest tumble happened last year on a night dive at Leo...it was pretty dark when we hit the beach and I didnt see the one that hit me. Pushed me up the beach and I nearly bowled over my buddy John and another guy. We are usually pretty good about calling a dive if the conditions aren't comfortable...no issues, if one or the other doesnt feel safe, we go get breakfast (or dinner!)

Both John and I went through on the the 3Rs classes put on by LA County dive instructors organization, and I recall they suggested reg in the mouth when passing through the surf zone, and fins on/off optional depending on conditions (IIRC, none to low surf is fins-off; moderate surf with reasonable breaks between sets you go in with fins on then flop when you get to knee depth; high surf, you watch the surfers).

 

[Teamcasa]

For myself I've come to decide that I enjoy diving too much to ruin that enjoyment by diving in bad conditions. There's always another day or night, and Ken is right, washing out your gear for only 5 minutes of crappy diving is a PITA.

Exacty!

I have bodysurfed, bodyboard, and surfed in conditions that were competely out of control, but that was when I was young and stupid. Now I am older, (maybe not as stupid), and only go out when conditions are nice. Same applies to diving, why beat yourself up. As was stated earlier "Quality over Quanity"

Most of us locals have done the same and most of us are smart enough not to bother diving when conditions are nasty.

Besides, who likes cleaning all that sand out our gear!

 

[SoCalSwami]

Besides, who likes cleaning all that sand out our gear!

No kidding!
Sand in the camera/strobe/reg just isn't worth it.

BUT... conditions have been sooooooo bad here in SoCal, I can understand someone needing to get 'a fix'.

I just hope the visibility improves soon.