First "real" boat dives done today

[dumaresq]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, so feel free to move it

Today I did my first "real" boat dives. I say "real" because I've done a few dives off my parents boats in Nova Scotia, but since I live in New Jersey that's a long way to go for a dive. Today I did two dives off the Gypsy Blood in New Jersey, We dove the Delaware (was supposed to be Rockland county but the Sea was too rough). The experience of diving off a professional dive boat was very different, I was a bit confused by having people willing to constantly go get me stuff... very different from diving a dutch springs where if you forget something it's a long walk up the hill

I was very nervous on this dive because I know my air consumption is high and I didn't want to cut someone else's dive short because I ran through all my air. On the first dive I was paired up with someone who is in the process of training to be an instructor. I was too nervous, and I was not emptying my lungs, as a result I was unable to sink and had to go back on the boat and get more weight. After that I was able to sink... Turns out my buddy had the same problem and even after he got more weight, he still couldn't sink easily, and had to pull himself down the ropes. In the end he had to end the dive before I did due to his air consumption so I shouldn't have been too worried.

By the second dive I had relaxed some, and my buddy wasn't feeling well so he called his dive. This time I was paired up with a very experienced older guy. It was a real eye opener diving with him, because of how little he moved. I was really shocked, I've been working on moving less when I dive, but this really let me know how much I have to learn. In the end I sadly cut his dive short, he still had 1200psi when we surfaced.

Well it was definitely fun and I learned a lot. I still feel bad for cutting the second guys dive short, but I'm still working on that.

 

[herbdb]

Chances are the old guy was not worried about the length of the dive. I hope you chatted with him on the ride back to pick up some tips. If you can find an experienced diver to act as a mentor, you will learn a lot faster. I think its great that you are quick to realize that an OW cert is a license to learn. Keep it up

 

[MalibuJerry]

It sounds like you had two really good dives. The nervous energy is good. One piece of advice, never worry about cutting someone else's dive short because you are breathing at a faster rate than they are. If it is a good buddy, they are diving with you and it is totally cool. If it is a bad buddy...too bad for them, they should learn to be a good buddy and care about your dive as well as their own.

 

[fisheater]

Good for you in recognizing calm, low motion diving and striving for it!

SO many new divers never recognize what good diving looks like, let alone strive to improve.

You'll do great.

 

[jord1990]

My instructor said: If you overtake a sea cucumber you are moving to much.

 

[scubadiver888]

Sounds like a good dive to me. When I go boat diving and there is a single diver looking for a buddy the people who don't want their dive cut short will either have a buddy or figured out who they want to dive with before the boat leaves the dock. I don't mind ending my dive because my buddy is out of air. I usually pick diving with someone like you. You sound like a good diver who just needs some experience. I'm cool with that. If you were a bad diver with no desire to get better I'd avoid you.

When you become the guy who doesn't run out of air you'll also be good at spot who is who on a dive boat.

Bottom line, don't sweat it. Learn how to be a better diver. It will come. I remember being the guy who ended the dive because I was out of air. At some point it will be a matter of who has the most air left. WHEN you get better you'll end the dive because you hit your NDL, not when you run out of air.