first time diving after passing open water!

[tomhill92]

Hey,

So I just became a open water diver and im off to Egypt to go diving in the red sea! Now im a bit nervous because its my first dive outside of the uk and in a sea. Im sure the guides will brief me out there on what to look out for etc but I just wanted to ask you guys

Obviously I know not to touch anything haha becuase lots of fish etc are poisonous or have nasty bites or stings. But what do you do when they become aggressive towards me? And what d I do if I see a shark lol and what characteristics do they show when aggressive!?

And what exposure protection do you guys normally wear? Im going in a week so its going to be hot! I was thinking a 3mm shorty? Some one said I should wear my 6mm semi dry??

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated, like I said its my first real dives so im a bit nervous lol.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[PsyWulf]

The Dive guides are your nr1 source of info

If a fish gets aggro then move away slowly facing it,don't try to be rambo - but this will be very rare to the point of almost being negligible

Sharks will be an exceptionally rare sight and they'll likely turn tail and swim away asap

Best advice I have: If you're going on a boat - take seasickness tabs ( the non drowsy kind ),bottled water and sunscreen,and have fun

 

[DCBC]

Be confident in your abilities and follow the DMs instructions. Communicate your lack of experience to the DMs/Guides and listen/follow instructions. Watch your depth and don't push the tables. Take all precautions for sea-sickness and sun. Keep well hydrated and have a great trip!

 

[MrChen]

Sounds like you are working yourself up. Relax and enjoy yourself. I've been diving for less than a year and on my first boat drift dive, no one told me I'd see half a dozen sharks at 80 ft. As soon as I saw them, I was in awe and could instantly tell that they did not care that I was there. Shark sightings are one of the more exciting things to see and it's a disappointment when I don't see one on a dive.

Aggressive fish? What are they going to do? I had a barracuda swim 2 feet in front of me at eye level 2 weeks ago. I wanted to get my camera out, but I also didn't want to scare it away, so I just sat there motionless so that it wouldn't get scared off. Look forward to these interactions rather than fear them.

I do agree with your don't touch view. I don't touch anything. I got fairly close to a manta shrimp on my last dive and then saw the thread on the boards here about how aggressive they are. Holy crap, I'll keep a little more distance in the future .

 

[Abdullah]

Hey,

So I just became a open water diver and im off to Egypt to go diving in the red sea! Now im a bit nervous because its my first dive outside of the uk and in a sea. Im sure the guides will brief me out there on what to look out for etc but I just wanted to ask you guys

Obviously I know not to touch anything haha becuase lots of fish etc are poisonous or have nasty bites or stings. But what do you do when they become aggressive towards me? And what d I do if I see a shark lol and what characteristics do they show when aggressive!?

And what exposure protection do you guys normally wear? Im going in a week so its going to be hot! I was thinking a 3mm shorty? Some one said I should wear my 6mm semi dry??

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated, like I said its my first real dives so im a bit nervous lol.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Post a note on the Red Sea regional subforum about exposure protection. I'm pretty sure a 3mm will be fine this time of year, but you'll find better advice from folks who are in the area now.

 

[Mustard Dave]

Don't worry about fish - just keep a distance and let them come to you. Man-eating sharks are extremely rare, but as PsyWulf says, face them.

It's good to hear you trained in the UK. If you can handle that, diving in Egypt should be a doddle, but do not be complacent - crystal clear water makes it very easy to lose concept of depth, so keep an eye on your depth gauge and try to have a visual reference.

A 3mm shortie will be plenty - you will may even be warm enough in just shorts and T-shirt.

 

[TSandM]

You'll be lucky if you see sharks! Even in the Red Sea, there aren't that many of them. The likelihood that you will encounter one that is aggressive is vanishingly low -- most of the time, you can't get close enough to them to see them very well.

DCBC's advice is spot-on. Let your crew know you are brand new. Listen to them carefully, because they will give you the information you need to plan a safe dive. Stay within your limits -- don't let the clear, blue water lure you deeper than your certification recommends. Watch your gas supply!

 

[tracydr]

I just read a great book about an instructor from the UK, an expat in Raj Ampat. It's called Lost Wife Found Barracuda. It was written by a real PADI instructor about true stories.
might give you some good advice about where you're going.

 

[Mustard Dave]

You'll be lucky if you see sharks! Even in the Red Sea, there aren't that many of them. The likelihood that you will encounter one that is aggressive is vanishingly low -- most of the time, you can't get close enough to them to see them very well.

DCBC's advice is spot-on. Let your crew know you are brand new. Listen to them carefully, because they will give you the information you need to plan a safe dive. Stay within your limits -- don't let the clear, blue water lure you deeper than your certification recommends. Watch your gas supply!

My mate filmed this in Sharm:

[video=youtube;gvVN-Le9ulo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvVN-Le9ulo&feature=c4-overview&list=UUNJ94_ASFMZVmgCltZ76xxQ[/video]

Numbers are in the decline but there are still plenty to be seen.