Diving in lake Camanche

[master00sniper]

Just 1

I mentioned it earlier. I was itching to get back out in the water after the cert. My buddy wasn't comfortable with it so I found somebody else. No way in hell I wasn't gonna go back out again at least once when we had all the equipment there and everything. I wish I would have refilled the tanks and stayed until late.

 

[Brewski]

I want to share something with you. This is a quote from the PADI instructor manual.

PADI Open Water Divers
are qualified to:
• Dive with a buddy independent
of supervision while applying the
knowledge and skills they learn
in this course, within the limits of
their training and experience.
• Obtain air fills, scuba equipment
and other services.
• Plan, conduct and log open water
no stop (no decompression) dives
when properly equipped and
when accompanied by a buddy in
conditions with which they have
training and/or experience.
• Continue their dive training with
a specialty dive (Adventure Dive),
in the PADI Adventures in Diving
program or in PADI Specialty
courses.


Basically you have just begun your training. Take Kristina up on her offer to be your buddy. I have plans to be somewhere Ab diving this weekend or I'd join you. the dive sounds interesting, your plan to go alone does not.
We have a fantastic network of experience here. many of us met through this board, and became good friends, hopefully we can add you to that list.

 

[master00sniper]

Hmmm, conflicting.

Out of my OW diver manual

"Open Water Diver certification is a full entry level certification you earn by successfully completing the entire Open Water Diver course. The PADI Open Water Diver certification qualifies you to:

-Dive independently while applying the knowledge and skills you learn in this course, within the limits of your training and your experience

-Procure air fills, scuba equipment and other services

-Plan, conduct, and log open water no stop (no decompression) dives when equipped properly and accompanied by a buddy in conditions with which you have training and/or experience

-Continue your diver training with specialty PADI crap... etc etc."

They seem conflicting. Yours says independent of supervision. Mine just says independent. Not going to lie, yours seems to make more sense. Last time I checked though, PADI doesn't have a solo diver course. Does this mean every PADI diver who has ever dived solo has broken their 'certification limits'? How retarded is that?

I can almost guarantee you a good portion of my dives are going to be solo dives. I may just go through the SDI solo divers course just to make some people happy.

 

[Brewski]

-Dive independently while applying the knowledge and skills you learn in this course, within the limits of your training and your experience

your one dive after training did not give you the appropriate experience to go solo.

What that means is that PADI does not train solo divers. as I've said if you wish to pursue solo diving you should take a course focusing on that Same as if you interested in cave diving you should take a course that focuses on that, or Wreck diving etc. etc.
Its not that we want you to continue taking classes so I can make my car payments, its just that you can't learn everything you need to know in a four day class. Just is not possible.
so your open water class taught you what you need to know to plan and dive as part of a buddy team in the most basic manner. Anything more than that was not addressed in that class.

I can almost guarantee you a good portion of my dives are going to be solo dives. I may just go through the SDI solo divers course just to make some people happy

The people you will make happy will be your family when you come home safe talking about how awesome your experience was.

 

[ChadK]

Hey Sniper, Kudos to you for hanging in there in this discussion and not getting upset because I would have but in the defense of the others here you sound over confident and that will kill you.

I have both sides here. I agree with you about solo diving and listening to all these seasoned divers lecturing you is annoying BUT they are right in most everything they are saying. With the abundance of people that are willing to go diving with you on a whim there is just no sense in diving solo. Read some of the threads about diving emergencies/deaths and then revisit this idea. There are unforseen things that can happen and WILL happen. You could get narked and not even know it, just because you arent diving deep doesnt mean anything. There are other things that can make you more succeptable to diving injuries during a dive that you do the day before.

Anyway, I got your back and understand what you are saying but your overconfident just like me. That is great and you probably wont get hurt but many many other overconfident people are not here for that reason.

 

[DevonDiver]

THis is the worst incident of dive safety violation that I've heard of. It is flagrantly contrary to everything taught on an OW course.

I'm saving some of snipers' posts here.... so that I can create a very ironic 'Fail' poster when the time comes....

your one dive after training did not give you the appropriate experience to go solo.

Understatement of the Year! :cool2:

My risk assessment of 'snipers' planned dive, in terms that anyone can understand...

 

[master00sniper]

My dive was awesome. Everyone who has dived the lake before told me exactly how it is in the area. Virtually no entanglement hazards. I didn't go to the exact location of the town, because I wasn't comfortable diving solo down to that depth. I did however, find some cool stuff just outside of the area around 50 feet or so.

 

[Peter_C]

Putting all the pertinent info into one post.

I wanted to get some info/advice from some people here who may have possibly dived in lake Camanche. I'm planning a dive there in a couple weekends, which will be my second dive (not counting the training ones I had to do in Monterey).

Hello fellow divers, I'm brand new to diving and looking to learn from and possibly meet fellow divers on here and in my area. I was just certified in Monterey bay last weekend.

As for entanglement and visibility, I'm fairly confident both won't be much of a problem. So far all I'm used to is only being able to see clearly a few feet in front of my mask, and i had plenty of practice untangling (and preventing tangling in the first place) in some of the kelp at monterey.

When I said completely drained though, I didn't mean literally. I think he had 100 psi before we went up. He wanted to use it all up apparently. @ 30ish feet under with me I didn't mind. The dude wanted a longer dive. I had my octo.

And I disagree about 'few hundred dives' of experience before going solo. Even my DM said I should get a few solo dives in before taking the AOW, which I plan on doing in October or November. The people at the same dive shop didn't seem to see anything wrong with it though.

I got the BC in the mail yesterday. I used up a tank in the pool practicing maneuvering around and stuff.

Question. Would it work to wear a 2/3mm suit under a 7mm suit? Kind of a poor mans way to stay warm during the cold winter months? I'd hate to have cold water temps keep me out of diving for a couple months. No way I can afford a drysuit anytime soon.

My dive was awesome. Everyone who has dived the lake before told me exactly how it is in the area. Virtually no entanglement hazards. I didn't go to the exact location of the town, because I wasn't comfortable diving solo down to that depth. I did however, find some cool stuff just outside of the area around 50 feet or so.

:reaper:

 

[master00sniper]

Quote 1
Yes, this trip was my second, third, and fourth dives

Quote 2
Brand new to diving, not to snorkeling, swimming, or strenuous activity. I know that doesn't matter that much, but it helps

Quote 3
I was fairly confident they wouldn't be a problem, after speaking to people who have dived the lake before (you all haven't), and they turned out to be right. After swimming through kelp forests and getting tangled, I'd say that's plenty of practice for all zero times I found myself remotely close to getting tangled at Camanche.

Quote 4
What does the PSI matter in that dudes tank? It has nothing to do with me. And my DM has more years of experience than you and Double D combined. I trust his opinion, although it apparently is more liberal than most peoples opinions on here.

Quote 5
The date I received my BC is irrelevant. It's the same kind of BC I was familiar with in the first place.

Quote 6
My dive (actually dives) were awesome. I know where I'm comfortable and what limits I don't want to exceed. I was comfortable at 50 feet. If your not comfortable with me at 50 feet alone, too bad. I'm the one diving.

 

[andrewy]

Troll alert!!!