First Boat Dive

[diver 85]

OP, just go for it-----that's from our(myself, wife & 14 YO daughter) experiences in Dec of '85....We were only 4 months certified, headed to Belize for some blue water clear diving, the 3 of us & a 21 YO DM/boat captain(he was a jack of all trades & a master of none--he just secured the boat anchor VERY WELL in the reef after we followed the anchor line down)--ie 4 people on a 22' boat in 6+ seas, 2 US cold fronts had just come thru back to back...The boat had twin 55 hp tiller outboats---that one konked out on us while heading thru the reef on a dive--& our daughter got seasick as can be & 4 people in the water---ie no one left on top to watch the boat & conditions.....

It was 'hairy' experiences but ones we all have NEVER forgotten--& made better divers out of us in the long run...(hopefully you can get the picture I'm painting)..Your 'crew' will do just fine I bet----be sure & tell us how it goes.....good Luck & enjoy your trip....

 

[tddfleming]

Honestly, the only times I've been to the Indra was when the waters were too rough or the conditions too bad for the off shore wrecks. Consequently, when I've gone, the conditions have been less than stellar. But considering its depth, yes, it would be ideal for OW check out dives, especially if you have nice weather.

Baitball: when fish congregate in large balls to confuse predators.


Also, about getting up the ladder, like Iztok mentioned, can be a challenge if you've never done it before on a rocking boat. I'm not sure what kind of laddders the boat will have. Some of them have ladders where you can keep your fins on while climbing up. I have bad knees so depending upon how they are feeling that day, I might hand up my weights to the DM before getting on the ladder. And if I'm having trouble, I'll ask him for a boost. He's just grab my first stage to help me up the last step or two.

Thanks for the pictures, see, I did learn something new today.

Here I was thinking baitball was something gross you put on the end of your hook when fishing.:shocked2:

 

[fah]

I have been diving off NC on several different wrecks including the Indra. The Indra is a fairly tame dive for NC standards, but there is likely to be a rough boat ride out and back, so I would take a seasick preventative (I like Bonine) the night before and again right before you leave to go to the dock. Even if you don't get sick easy, you will feel more confident if you take it and everyone else is chumming the fish. Additionally, practice getting your wetsuits and gear on as efficently as possible so it will be easier when on a rocking boat, plus if you are ready to go, you can get in faster than others who are fooling around with the gear. The vis is variable on the inshore wrecks, but rarely better than 50' in the best conditions. PAY ATTENTION to the dive briefing, as they will tell you what to expect as far as vis and current, as well as how to best get to the wreck (almost always by descending the anchor line, but different boats have different configurations of lead lines and anchor lines). Have the most confident adult diver be the first in and the last out. Watch out for the boat when approaching for your exit, its easy to get bonked by the ladder or hull if you get too close when the seas are rough. May will be cold, so make sure you have enough wetsuit. The Indra is an intact wreck so it will be easy to orient and you should not have to worry about getting lost or not finding the anchor rope. Hiring a dive guide to escort you and your family would be a good idea to give you piece of mind and make the dive enjoyable. I know this sounds sort of scary, but NC diving, while fun and very interesting, is more challenging than the Caribbean or Keys.

 

[idocsteve]

Here's a tip for first time boat divers.

1- A backwards roll into the water is a lot easier than it looks, and it has several advantages over other entries.
2- It looks really cool especially if you do it when you don't have to.
3- If you do a backwards entry always have your back to the side of the boat otherwise you'll do a backwards roll into the middle of the boat and you'll probably bump your head, and people will laugh at you.

 

[tddfleming]

Here's a tip for first time boat divers.

1- A backwards roll into the water is a lot easier than it looks, and it has several advantages over other entries.
2- It looks really cool especially if you do it when you don't have to.
3- If you do a backwards entry always have your back to the side of the boat otherwise you'll do a backwards roll into the middle of the boat and you'll probably bump your head, and people will laugh at you.

The Leslie Nelson movie, Naked Guns, I think.

 

[tddfleming]

Well, I've never dived NC, but I can address boat diving in general, and boat diving a long drive from home in specific.

Make sure you have a checklist. Make it up so that you can actually put checks in boxes. There is little more frustrating than driving a couple of hours and unloading a bunch of heavy gear onto a boat, only to realize that some irreplaceable part of your kit is still at home.

Figure a way to pack your equipment efficiently into soft-sided containers (mesh bags are great). Many boats don't have space for hard-sided Rubbermaid tubs and the like. Making a dozen trips back and forth between the boat and the car is not only irritating, but is once again an invitation for something not to make it onto the boat.

Find out what the boat provides -- do you need to bring tanks and/or weights? If you bring your own, does the boat fill, or do you need to bring a tank for each dive? Does the boat provide any food or drink, or do you have to bring that? If you will be spending the night on the boat, do you need to bring a sleeping bag or other bedding, or towels?

Plan on bringing a significant supply of cash. At least on the West Coast, the dive crew often works only for tips. In the PNW, $5 a tank is a pretty typical tip, or a bit more for extra service (like carrying tanks up the ramp from the boat!) If you aren't paying for the charter ahead of time, find out what they will take for payment . . . it's embarrassing to find yourself on the boat with a credit card that the boat can't take. (Don't ask me how I know this.)

I have found a good, windproof coat is wonderful even in warm places. (I use a TrueWest parka.) If you are diving wet, you'll find that once you get out of the water and the wind hits you, you'll chill quickly. Folks on the dive boats in Maui laughed at me with my Gortex jacket, but I sat there warm and happy while they shivered

If you do get seasick, remedies are much more effective if they are taken/applied BEFORE you get on the boat. If you aren't sure what the effect of a drug will be, try taking some of it on a day before you are going out on the boat, so you know if the medication will make you drowsy or stupid.

Above all, have fun! Don't be afraid to ask questions, and listen carefully to the briefing on boat safety and on the dive sites. The crew is there to help you stay safe and have a good time. If you are wondering about how to do something, they probably have the answers.

Lynn:

I have to say you happen to be one of the best posters here on SB. Your posts are always well thought out and complete. I have read many of your posts and have looked at your diving blog. Your blog is a big relief, as one can see we all start out the same way. Some of us have better luck while others of us fight it a little more, but after reading your blog, I realized we both have started out in pretty much the same fashion, not at the top of our class. It just takes a little more determination to get where we want to be.

 

[tddfleming]

I have been diving off NC on several different wrecks including the Indra. The Indra is a fairly tame dive for NC standards, but there is likely to be a rough boat ride out and back, so I would take a seasick preventative (I like Bonine) the night before and again right before you leave to go to the dock. Even if you don't get sick easy, you will feel more confident if you take it and everyone else is chumming the fish. Additionally, practice getting your wetsuits and gear on as efficently as possible so it will be easier when on a rocking boat, plus if you are ready to go, you can get in faster than others who are fooling around with the gear. The vis is variable on the inshore wrecks, but rarely better than 50' in the best conditions. PAY ATTENTION to the dive briefing, as they will tell you what to expect as far as vis and current, as well as how to best get to the wreck (almost always by descending the anchor line, but different boats have different configurations of lead lines and anchor lines). Have the most confident adult diver be the first in and the last out. Watch out for the boat when approaching for your exit, its easy to get bonked by the ladder or hull if you get too close when the seas are rough. May will be cold, so make sure you have enough wetsuit. The Indra is an intact wreck so it will be easy to orient and you should not have to worry about getting lost or not finding the anchor rope. Hiring a dive guide to escort you and your family would be a good idea to give you piece of mind and make the dive enjoyable. I know this sounds sort of scary, but NC diving, while fun and very interesting, is more challenging than the Caribbean or Keys.

I have heard the viz thing a bit for NC. I am not sure what people refer to for bad viz. But 50' would be great if we had anything close to that. I have only ever seen the quarry 20+ vis once, that was during check outs. After that the lake was in the process of fall turn over and viz was more like 15-20'. May may be cold, but my daughter and I were still diving up until mid Nov with temps at 50-53. So anything above that will be heaven. As Lynn suggested, my plan is to buy her and myself a dive/boat parka before then. While I wish we go just go to Fl or the Caribbean, that is just not feasible right now. Aside from the skill thing for NC, the throwing up is my next biggest worry.

 

[RAD Diver]

If it is Olympus, a back roll is out of the question. Boat is too high out of the water. Plus a stride will allow you to reach for the down line. If current is even flowing a little, by the time you get your bearings straight from a back roll you will be swept past the boat.
The Indra while is considered in shore is still open to big seas, last time I went with my wife & Drewski we had an easy 4-6fters with a driving rain & the op still went.
If you aren't sure about seasickness take the meds, I work on a boat out of V.B. & Hatteras & see plenty of divers who swear to not get seasick only to be turning green & puking, even under fairly calm (for the Mid Atlantic) conditions.

 

[RAD Diver]

Check out this thread.
NCDivers.com • View topic - Wreck Diving from Charters for the inexperienced......

It also gives a drawing of a typical line arrangement for NC dive boats.

 

[DandyDon]

Here's a tip for first time boat divers.

1- A backwards roll into the water is a lot easier than it looks, and it has several advantages over other entries.
2- It looks really cool especially if you do it when you don't have to.
3- If you do a backwards entry always have your back to the side of the boat otherwise you'll do a backwards roll into the middle of the boat and you'll probably bump your head, and people will laugh at you.

I think they will be doing strides from a much larger boat. The one from that Op I went out on once was turned for weather before we got far, full refunds since they canceled, but it had a large equipment deck, a dry room forward big enough for everyone, etc.

The one I dived with otherwise was smaller, similar but I remember it better. It was formerly used to transport people and goods to offshore oil wells. The bridge alone was about the size of a Cozumel six-pack and there was a lot of room to move around the deck, salon, flying bridge for the 3 hour trips out to the deeper wrecks - then a pretty high stride like on many liveaboards.