First Dive w/o a DM

[jen_b]

I am sorry you took my remarks personally. They were meant as a general response to every one who wants quick and easy with as little effort as possible. Not just diving but life in general. I have little use for anyone who feels they are entitled to something with out working for it.

I think you assume too much about people that you do not know. Although my certification was completed in a few days- it wasn't chosen because it was quick, easy, or cheap- which it wasn't- it happened to be the standard course offered at the shop (you may dislike that, but don't take it out on me!). Do I feel prepared for all emergency situations? Probably not as well as I would like, which is why I was asking about other people's experiences and advice- because I'm a careful and concerned diver.

If your intentions are honestly to be helpful to new divers, then you say something along the lines of "take a rescue course, some OW classes aren't adequate in my opinion"- you don't berate them for being cheap and lazy. By being so abrasive in your posts, nobody is going to take away anything of benefit from them.

 

[Splitlip]

I got my Open Water 1 Scubadiver (NAUI) cert in 1973 with my brother.

The weekend (and most weekends) after, my Dad would pilot the boat while my brother and dived (deep water drifts) between the Jupiter and Lake Worth (Palm Beach) inlets. Never issues for us. We were always comfortable in the water and our training was top notch. (No BC's, no octos and no computers, LOL. It had to be)

Now on the flip side, my cousin, who got certified 8 or 9 years later at fancy high tec new shop, never got "it". Without his instructor he always had that look in his eyes before we splashed. The look I saw on my first parachute jump in the faces of 7 of the 9 first time jumpers on the aircraft.

My cousin quickly liquidated his gear.

Jen:

Sounds like you have "it". Enjoy.

 

[Splitlip]

In 1973 we did two OW check out dives to finish certification. My brother and I did it together. I bought dive gear when I signed up. My brother didn't have gear of his own. Still doesn't. A couple weeks later I was at a cook out where they had a pond. I had my gear in the trunk and jumped in solo. Water was chocolate milk. Loved every second of it. Still do. Viz doesn't matter. I'm netrally buoyant not feeling gravity , that's the thrill for me.
I don't recommend solo diving but I did it. When you are 19 years old your bullet proof ya know.

sounds strangely familiar except my first solo dive, also at 19, was in a marina under my Dad's CPA's sail boat to clear a fouled prop.

 

[TSandM]

You know, there are days (like today) when I think that, with over 900 dives now done in a variety of environments, it would not be a bad thing at all to hire a DM or instructor to do a couple of days of surf entries with me. I don't have much experience with them (and most of it was bad) and I'm not good at them, and I have no little tricks in my bag to make them easier, except what I have read on various boards.

When I went to Indonesia and did drift dives on huge walls, I was unprepared for how fast you can get caught in an up or downdraft.

In unfamiliar conditions, we are all beginners, and there is no shame in requesting or hiring someone with more experience to help things out. On the other hand, if you've done several days of diving in a given area with a guide, you should certainly feel comfortable going it by yourselves, assuming that it is an area where that is feasible.

 

[kathydee]

I started diving in SE Asia where all shops furnished DM’s. I was well past dive 100 before I had the opportunity to plan my own dive. Learned so much from so many guides/instructors and in time I could distinguish skilled/unskilled DM's and good from bad profile.

Along the way I learned that DM’s are not the authority when it comes to safe diving & even if you are diving with a DM you should be on your toes, aware of your navigation and be ready to problem solve.

BTW now I dive without DM's & love planning my own dives ;-)!

 

[wrybosome]

When I went to Indonesia and did drift dives on huge walls, I was unprepared for how fast you can get caught in an up or downdraft.

There's something I've never experienced. What's that like?

 

[TSandM]

It's scary. One moment, you're gently drifting toward a corner in the wall, and the next moment, you are going lickety-split straight up. It takes a moment even to make sense of what's happening. I found downdrafts easier to cope with, because my ears told me what was happening very quickly. But I didn't like either, and I learned that where the wall changed direction abruptly, water had to go somewhere, and to be very careful in such places.

 

[aquaregia]

Dives 1-4 were my checkouts, dives 5 and 6 were a tour of the RMS Rhone in BVI. Dives 7-15 were buddied with other equally inexperienced OW/AOW divers. I do, however, drive down with some instructors and DMs, and I usually have them check my dive plan.

 

[Skunky]

I've dove without a dm a few times with my buddy.. but I also solo dive too..

 

[fisheater]

It was dive #5 for me.

However, I was with experienced divers who acted as my mentors. It was a smooth transition from instructor-supervised diving to "independent" diving.