First time calling a dive - even before suiting up

[Texasguy]

I remember once preparing my gear in the evening, setting alarm for early morning. Then I wake up from the alarm to realize it is cats and dogs raining outside. I slam the alarm, make a mental note that the dive is called, go back to sleep with hope my buddy will come to a same conclusion. All in less than 3 seconds flat.

 

[undrwater]

this past Wednesday night I had the luxury of watching other divers enter the water. I immediately knew that these were conditions I didn't want to dive in, so I stayed to provide surface support and help pull divers out of the water.

 

[fisheater]

I learned that lesson the FIRST time I tried to dive after my OW certification.

I'd rented a tank and drove an hour and half out to the coast, met a bunch of strangers (soon to be my friends in my dive club) and went to multiple dive sites. The experts in my new club decided that each cove was too rough for safe diving.

Eventually, they all returned to the group at the campsite and the "leader" walked over to the ice chest, pulled out a beer, cracked it open and announced that "today is a day for drinking, not diving."

Never be reluctant to call a dive when its not the right day for diving.

 

[MalibuJerry]

Congratulations, the first time is always the hardest one to call, but calling dives when they are not supposed to be is always a smart move. I remember someone telling me once that the ocean will always be there, I needed to be sure I would there to dive it another day as well.

 

[Steve_C]

Sometimes it is hard, sometimes it is easy. Was in San Francisco and had arranged for a DM to take me over to Monterey for a couple dives. A place I want to dive. Woke to a beautiful calm sunny day. He calls. He says something about 10 ft swells and 6 inches of viz and concludes by saying "I am pretty sure we can get in and out alive." I immediately thumbed the dive. Still have not been to Monterey diving.

 

[Peter_C]

Eventually, they all returned to the group at the campsite and the "leader" walked over to the ice chest, pulled out a beer, cracked it open and announced that "today is a day for drinking, not diving."

When was that? Was I there? There is a leader? I do not follow leaders

We have called many dives from shore. So yes we spend the time to pack the vehicle, drive over an hour to the coast, then sometimes within seconds decide not to dive. Many times I leave home knowing the chances of diving are slim to non.

Recently meeting up for one of our club dives. Fisheater and myself looked over the bluff at the bad vis in the water and called the dive within 30 seconds. The rookies in our club suited up, headed out into the water and within a few minutes were back on the surface. So now they also had to clean their dive gear. Better to just find something else to do.

We are fortunate in that ALL of our dive sites hold something to admire, and hiking trails abound.

 

[highdesert]

I'm still a little pi$$ed off that I spent the better part of the afternoon packing my gear, loading it in the car and driving across town for no good reason, though. I guess I'm entitled to a beer to get over it.

We have no diving to speak of (unless it's a frigid mountain lake) within many hundreds of miles of us. Diving is always packed together a couple times a year on an extended trip, at substantial cost, to some dive destination. This also requires time off from work, etc. If we even wanted to jump in a pool to check out our gear, it would be $35.00 or more for each of us plus planning the infrequent dates available. So in your case, I'd say, yeah ... get over it.

 

[captain]

You can depend on mother nature to be undependable.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

We have a name for the people who drive 3 hours+ and insist on getting in "Hell or high water", it's called "Sacramento Syndrome"
and it doesn't always end well.

(No offense to people living in Sacramento)

 

[Storker]

This past Christmas I ended up driving over 200 miles and taking three ferry rides only to end up home without even pulling my gear out of the car. I stopped by three different sites along the way, and in each case the conditions were such that I decided it was just too risky to dive. After the third site (second contingency), I decided today just wasn't my day to get wet.

Ok, that was worse. A lot worse. I'd really hate having to call the dive after such a trip.

Considering the climate up here - I'd guess it's about as crappy as in the PNW - I'm fairly sure it'll happen some time, though...

---------- Post added July 21st, 2013 at 07:43 PM ----------

in your case, I'd say, yeah ... get over it.

I got over it pretty quickly. About the time I'd opened the beer I felt entitled to.

It was just a minor annoyance. And I broke my cherry on calling a dive even before suiting up, which I thought merited a small post on an Internet message board...