Exploring

[pengwe]

What kind of extra precautions do you take at a site you don't know, and maybe don't even have a description of? Do you ever just jump into the water somewhere, and swim around to see what's there?

Oh, and if any Sydneysiders can offer any tips as to how Long Reef might work as a shore dive, that would be good, too.

 

[Xizang]

well thats how divesites are discovered! someone jump in the water to take a look around and viola! a nice ledge at 20 meters!
for precautions, I'd set depth limit, turnaround pressure, SMB and a surface crew.

 

[victor]

If this was a marked dive site in a dive destination like Bonaire, I would check the description, check for tides, then dive.

If on the other hand this wasn't a recognised dive site and the area new to me then I would

Take a local DM, if possible, with experience of that site with you.
Ask local divers, if available, about current, tide, hazards, vis, etc.
If no divers to ask, then ask fishermen, or other users of the water in that area.
Check for surface hazards like local boating traffic.
Have a skin diving recee to look for current, water conditions
Insure there was a backup on the surface who new how long we would be diving for, location, contact numbers etc.
Plan a conservative dive
Re-iterate with my buddy, the dive plan, max depth, turnaround preasure, lost buddy procedures, equipment.

Go and have fun exploring the new dive site.

 

[DBailey]

Assuming that there is no divers/shops to ask about the site, I would do at least the following...

Well before the dive (on the same day of the week that I plan to dive)?
--Check the tide charts.
--Find some information on the currents.
--Go to the site and watch it from land (where waves break, riptides, etc.).
--Get an idea of the entry/exit difficulty.
--Do people fish there?
--Do people ski/surf/jetski there?
--What is the boat traffic there?
--Is there a marina nearby that might have some info?

On the day of the dive:
--Arrive early to the site to see if the conditions match what I previously observed.

 

[TheHobster]

Assuming that there is no divers/shops to ask about the site, I would do at least the following...

Well before the dive (on the same day of the week that I plan to dive)?
--Check the tide charts.
--Find some information on the currents.
--Go to the site and watch it from land (where waves break, riptides, etc.).
--Get an idea of the entry/exit difficulty.
--Do people fish there?
--Do people ski/surf/jetski there?
--What is the boat traffic there?
--Is there a marina nearby that might have some info?

On the day of the dive:
--Arrive early to the site to see if the conditions match what I previously observed.

all of the above, and remember it is at least new to you so enjoy and be enthralled!