Flower Gardens Question

[tedj01]

At FG, March and August are two entirely different environments! Generally speaking.

 

[Crazyduck]

While I understanding you are playing devils advocate it is not healthy for this conversation.

Besides your buddy is a positive reflection on you! Keep up the good work.
Mentoring should be supported by all agencies…

However, open water students do not have the capacity to understand the nuances of open ocean diving when we are 110miles from shore.

Best Regards, Andrew
PS- Hey late Happy Birthday

Hey, I can say for sure that I have a buddy that's Open Water that has more poise and skill in the water than a lot of instructors that I've seen (doesn't say much). And using the DM card as a benchmark still doesn't say much. I try my best not to judge a person by their c-cards (I've got me a few, and most of them are soiled because of the people I saw in my class get them), but rather their skills in the water.

 

[Wookie]

this is the best advice you could possibly be given, all from present and past customers, as well as crewmembers. I am very impressed with the quality of advice for a new or relatively inexperienced diver. I'm so impressed, I think I'll buy the company. Oh, wait a minute.....

 

[PvilleStang]

True. I guess I could keep to generalizations. I went for my dive out there in middle June, and that's a hit or miss month really. The three weekends before had been cancelled, and we were the first to really get out there in a while, and we had maybe 4 foot seas. From my understandings, and observations of the trips and the weather buoys, the best time is late summer before Hurricane season. Get plenty of experience in Lake Travis, or any other lake with low viz, because that can help with anxiety issues, as well as task loading. Practice giant stride entries, remembering your hand positions. Now the next one's a doozey: get a friend with an 18 wheeler, and set up a ladder in the trailer (hopefully he's got lights in the back, else this is more like training for the night dive). Now have him drive off road over large rocks at a speed of roughly 10 mph, and, with all your gear on, practice climbing the ladder. Well, I guess you could skip on that. But if you remember anything from this thread, remember this: You're 110 miles from shore, if you mess up out there, its life or death. Are you confident enough in your buoyancy and gas usage that you would be willing to put your life on that?

And Andrew: thanks, bro!

 

[redacted]

Let’s cut the BS.
Minimum is Advanced, Night, Deep, Nitrox (using a computer) and basic navigation.

It’s not fair to say someone with open water certification did the dives-
It was a trust me dive and nothing more.

Andrew

Darn, you mean I should not be going out there any more. I've only had BOW and Nitrox...and close to 100 dive at FGB.

 

[BRANDY]

While I understanding you are playing devils advocate it is not healthy for this conversation.

Besides your buddy is a positive reflection on you! Keep up the good work.
Mentoring should be supported by all agencies…

However, open water students do not have the capacity to understand the nuances of open ocean diving when we are 110miles from shore.

Best Regards, Andrew
PS- Hey late Happy Birthday

Come on now , thats going too far. Many people can handle many situations with basic common sence.
Everyone rode bikes when they were kids, but some got right on and did it alot better than others. Same thing with diving.
Just because your green, Doesn't make you unable to handle situations.
Its all case by case.

 

[tedj01]

this is the best advice you could possibly be given, all from present and past customers, as well as crewmembers. I am very impressed with the quality of advice for a new or relatively inexperienced diver. I'm so impressed, I think I'll buy the company. Oh, wait a minute.....

Would you call that a deja vu experience? or is that too too redundant?

 

[Crazyduck]

Whats BOW? Is that like AOW?

Some people do go out and dive and master these skills sets in the environment- yeah.
Your Nitrox training alone taught you Partial Pressure gas laws and you leaned the rest along the way. But it would have probably been easier and safer the other way- only you can answer that. I would rather someone have the proper training and background and have a blast.
When I started diving our ascent rate was 60ft a minute we only stopped when we hit our stops and then Mr. Pyle came along. Now its a heck of a lot slower and I do all kinds of things differently- but that is all knowledge and experience.

This person asking is a OW diver with less than 25 dives.

Darn, you mean I should not be going out there any more. I've only had BOW and Nitrox...and close to 100 dive at FGB.

 

[redacted]

Whats BOW? Is that like AOW?

Some people do go out and dive and master these skills sets in the environment- yeah.
Your Nitrox training alone taught you Partial Pressure gas laws and you leaned the rest along the way. But it would have probably been easier and safer the other way- only you can answer that. I would rather someone have the proper training and background and have a blast.
When I started diving our ascent rate was 60ft a minute we only stopped when we hit our stops and then Mr. Pyle came along. Now its a heck of a lot slower and I do all kinds of things differently- but that is all knowledge and experience.

This person asking is a OW diver with less than 25 dives.

No, I learned PP gas laws in high school physics about 45 years ago. Funny though, the first time I dove was about the same time I was taking that physics class. I did not know then that they were related.

I'm sure it helps to have advanced certifications and "more" experience for FGB but it is not required. Any OW diver who thinks he is ready can give it a shot. At least the OP is gathering info on what to expect so he can decide if he is ready. It looks to me like the right person is going to make an informed decision.

 

[Crazyduck]

Brandy,
I am sorry but I disagree.
We teach divers in a modular method and the divers are expected to return and continue their education.

We do not teach advanced topics in intro classes.
Hence the divers are without vital information.

The learning curve for life support equipment is a lot steeper.

I agree that people learn at different rates.
But they still do not have the skills, practice or experience.
Regards, Andrew

Come on now , thats going too far. Many people can handle many situations with basic common sence.
Everyone rode bikes when they were kids, but some got right on and did it alot better than others. Same thing with diving.
Just because your green, Doesn't make you unable to handle situations.
Its all case by case.