Diving the Deep Depths

[PerroneFord]

Nothing at all wrong with using a computer on your dives. I use one. Sometimes I even use it for NDL info. But "throwing away tables" and not understanding them, while relying on a computer, is a recipe for trouble.

By the way, the idea that a computer "tells you everything you need to know" is bogus. Computer will not tell you when to begin an ascent. And that is arguably the most critical transition in the dive.

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Amadeus023

The discussion has gotten way outa hand.

The DMs leading the dives will give you good briefings and guidance, I expect, and you can discuss your status and concerns with them before the dives.

 

[CJ Waid]

Alright, I can't resist. Back in the day when I got ow with the Air Force guys by the Seals, the 60' idea was that you could just about throw your tables over your shoulder. The idea was simple: Use air (21%) at 60, stay out of trouble, your out of air before you need to worry about deco.

And, no, I don't think I'm that old... just don't move as fast as I used to.

Just dive at your comfortable limit. Go below 60' if you're comfortable, but GOTTA CHECK THE TABLES!

Thank You. You Rock Dude! Everyone Keeps acting like I am some for writing honest responses, like yours. I figure people ask because they want to know the truth. Anyway, thanks for adding that.

 

[plot]

Nothing at all wrong with using a computer on your dives. I use one. Sometimes I even use it for NDL info. But "throwing away tables" and not understanding them, while relying on a computer, is a recipe for trouble.

By the way, the idea that a computer "tells you everything you need to know" is bogus. Computer will not tell you when to begin an ascent. And that is arguably the most critical transition in the dive.

Not to derail the thread any further, but with the planning mode of a computer and your predive planning you should be able to guage how much time you have on the bottom before you need to ascend. We're talking rec diving here, not saturation diving. Most of the time people will run out of air long before they run out of their tables. I learned to dive in a lake where it wasn't a simple go down to x amount of feet, swim along at that depth, then come back up. terrain was always different so it seriously kills your time if you're using tables and are only at 60 feet for a few minutes and at 15-20 feet swimming at the bottom of the lake for the rest of the time. if you dont do some predive planning you're looking at a disaster.. just like if you miscalculate using your tables. A computer is alot safer way to go IMHO.


And tbh, I never threw away my table, for some reason I never got one with all my other SSI materials when I took my classes... and after it was all said and done and I asked about it, they gave me a PADI table like that was gonna help me out. The theory behind out how it all works and using a computer is just as good if not better than knowing how to crunch the numbers on that table.

 

[PerroneFord]

Ok man.

Be safe.

 

[2905luvsbubbles]

As has been said on here at length, dive YOUR comfort level. My first open ocean boat dive had my nerves revved up, as all of my dives were quarries in Ohio, or shore dives in the gulf. Rolling off the boat just knowing there was a lot of water under me raised my anxiety. However at 80 ft in warm water I felt like I was at 40 ft in in a cold quarry. Listen closely to what the DM says and follow his instructions. Enjoy the dive and don't be afraid to say no. My wife and I dive together, and on our first boat dive she got rolled at the surface and called the dive. She did fine on the second one, but the anxiety after getting rolled over really got her, so she called the dive. It was the smartest thing she could have ever done. Remeber there is always another dive if you dive safe. If you don't, there will never be another dive.