Dumbest things you've seen a newbie diver do

[knfmn]

The night before my certification dives I was trying on a rental wetsuit at the dive shop. I put it on and thought it seemed a little tight on my throat. I went to ask the shop personnel how it fit. They said it fit good but I should turn it around since it was on backwards. It sure was easier to zip up with the zipper on the front. I know surfing wetsuits have the zipper on the back so the surfboard doesn't get scratched. I don't know what could get scratched while diving with a wetsuit. I think this is actually a mistake by the wetsuit manufacturer, not me. I think most divers would be happier with the zipper on front.

I was using a rental shortie that zipped up the front on my recent trip to Mexico and found after going in that I couldn't get the #$*#(% thing off by myself...lol. There was nothing I could grab that would let me start peeling it off. I'm in the process of buying my own equipment and top on my list is a wetsuit that I'll be able to put on and pull off by myself...lolol.

Kristopher

 

[bj139]

It was actually my instructor and me. It was just me and another person getting certified at the time, but she quit, so it was just me. On my final dive the instructor brought me down to 90 feet instead of sixty, and I was sitting there wondering if my depth gauge was broken or something. Then later he said he forgot and just write sixty feet in my log.

Did this earn you your deep diver certification?

 

[Zaixon]

about 3 weeks ago.....

Get to the dive boat and prepare to dive one of the deep wrecks here that sits at 135fsw. One of my buddies brings me a Steel 100 to dive with and try out so I remove 6lbs of weight from my normal setup to get weighted properly. Great dive, we finish and have our si of about 45 min before going to a reef.
Time passes, I switch over to my other tank and we jump in for the reef dive. well, my other tank is an AL80 where are in a group of 4 of us sitting on the surface I look at them and "oh s***" the boat had already left us. So I ended up getting under but about halfway through the dive had to fight to stay down resulting in much soreness for the rest of the day and following few days.

Learned my lesson from this one

 

[jrubal1462]

Another mistake rooted in the desire of a new diver (me) to not cause a scene or ruin anybody's dive.

It was my first (and only) dive since my OW certification. I've only ever done pool and beach entries, but this time I was going off a boat. I don't remember if this story involves the giant stride, or rolling in backwards, 'cause I did one of each this day. I jumped in the water, and experienced what is known among skiiers as a yard sale. One fin came clean off, and my mask came off my face, but stayed around my neck. These things do happen, but what elicited a good chuckle from the crew was the immediate "all good" sign I gave, despite having one fin and no mask. So my lesson was, think about all your actions, don't just go through the motions 'cause they're on a checklist somewhere.

 

[tengsr]

That'd been nice!! just open water

 

[Belmont]

about 3 weeks ago.....

Get to the dive boat and prepare to dive one of the deep wrecks here that sits at 135fsw. One of my buddies brings me a Steel 100 to dive with and try out so I remove 6lbs of weight from my normal setup to get weighted properly. Great dive, we finish and have our si of about 45 min before going to a reef.
Time passes, I switch over to my other tank and we jump in for the reef dive. well, my other tank is an AL80 where are in a group of 4 of us sitting on the surface I look at them and "oh s***" the boat had already left us. So I ended up getting under but about halfway through the dive had to fight to stay down resulting in much soreness for the rest of the day and following few days.

Learned my lesson from this one

It happened to me also, I just grabbed a rock on the bottom and carried it in one hand to finish my dive in comfort.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

It happened to me also, I just grabbed a rock on the bottom and carried it in one hand to finish my dive in comfort.

Haven't we all been there? First time I saw this.. my buddy (experienced diver) had given me his weight underwater to help me stay down... (no doubt I was over-breathing making myself too buoyant) I looked around to see him looking like a giant inch worm.. :shocked2:he had a big rock in his hands would lift it.. put it down carefully on the bottom.. hold on till he wanted to move and continue that is when I found out giggling under water results in water in your nose and mouth!

Next time.. another experienced buddy and I under-weighted due to gear changes from rental gear. This is when I discovered that Volcanic rock has little value for weight unless you have VERY big Pockets and carry a LOT of it!

Had a few times of carrying rocks myself over the years now

 

[chrpai]

I did a few dumb things as a newbie but the dumbest thing of all was to forget what they were and thereby deprive myself the privledge of learning from my mistakes.

I hope they weren't that bad...

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I did a few dumb things as a newbie but the dumbest thing of all was to forget what they were and thereby deprive myself the privledge of learning from my mistakes.

I hope they weren't that bad...

:doh: those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it?:shocked2: I think we all made a lot of mistakes that were dumb in retrospect but were understandable at the time.
What we do need to remember is.... when we deal with newbies that were were there once and probably no better than they so we should refrain from feeling superior and be willing to help instead of condemn!:blinking:

Aren't we lucky to be able to participate in such a great sport?

 

[Latitude 59]

When I was new to night diving tried to signal guide with light I was feeling sick from bad surge and didn't get a response so swam over and grabbed his leg. That got a response alright! Ooops. Learned eyes can get about as wide as the mask! He was kind and I lived another day. Since then have had the favor returned on several night dives, and waited till I was sure I didn't feel teeth to turn around and look too.