Forum red flags

[Trinigordo]

Thats 14 dives since 2003, and I would love to dive more regularly but I don't think I will be able to get over the water temperatures in Michigan. When I go back home to Trinidad I will definitely get dives in, but when in school I don't dive. As for the live aboard and the get your own equipment suggestions, they sound great but unfortunately for me neither of them can fit in my budget. Just bought my personal gear and by February I should get my BC and hopefully by summer I will be able to finish a rig for myself. Student budget sucks (

And I really believe that if something happens to the DM I know what to do and that I will get it done, I am not prone to panic even in tense situations. The DM that allowed me to make that dive was not my DM, just a random DM I went out with when I was in St. Lucia this summer. The point of diving with DM's is not the safety blanket they might provide, its more for the convenience of the rental equipment and better dive sites, dive boat,etc. What is the XALER thingie?

 

[Sideband]

XALER is a proven method of handeling everything from panic to poor SAC rate.

oe

 

[Santa]

I commend you for questioning your own practice and skill vs. dive difficulty. That's one thing I feel we should all continue to do regardless of experience levels. Strive to make realistic calls in each individual case and examine our own motives and capabilities. Honestly.

It's not like you're either a safe diver or you're not. Your skill level is not a fixed thing either. How long since you last dived, how long since you did a particular type of dive, how much routine with procedures and various equipment and tons of other stuff all matters and is subject to change.

I myself try to remember that performing a certain dive successfully a number of times doesn't necessarily mean I got i covered. Could be I just never really got challenged which would be the true test. 30 metres may feel exactly like 10 - until the **** hits the fan (fin??)

 

[spectrum]

If I missed the student aspect of your situation I apoligize for what may have sounded harsh. I have almost no doubt that you could adapt to Michigan waters but if you don't have the $$ what's the point. Relax and when you are in a position to dive more just start dong it.

Thats 14 dives since 2003, and I would love to dive more regularly but I don't think I will be able to get over the water temperatures in Michigan. When I go back home to Trinidad I will definitely get dives in, but when in school I don't dive. As for the live aboard and the get your own equipment suggestions, they sound great but unfortunately for me neither of them can fit in my budget. Just bought my personal gear and by February I should get my BC and hopefully by summer I will be able to finish a rig for myself. Student budget sucks (

And I really believe that if something happens to the DM I know what to do and that I will get it done, I am not prone to panic even in tense situations. The DM that allowed me to make that dive was not my DM, just a random DM I went out with when I was in St. Lucia this summer. The point of diving with DM's is not the safety blanket they might provide, its more for the convenience of the rental equipment and better dive sites, dive boat,etc. What is the XALER thingie?

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

...Rules and locks are for people who obey them and who are honest. Less than an hour ago I just got home from a 3-state pursuit of a wanted felon. Was he playing by the rules? Heck no he wasn't. Even with every body backed off he still was doing over 100mph through a 25mph zone on Halloween with kids all over the place. The chase started in Washington, went completely across Idaho and into Montana where we terminated and let Montana take over. Why did I bring this up? He's a DM.

Gary D.

Ok, Gary. I gotta know - how did you know this guy was a DM?

 

[asaara]

But I also find that these DM's in the caribbean will bend rules as far as they could without breaking them (like me diving in St. Lucia without my PADI card or any of my information, they just reluctantly took my word for it, then taking me down to a depth about 96 feet, I would like to say quickly, that this was no problem for me to handle, even though I am a bit green for the depth according to traditional views[I think? not too sure though about the traditional views on that depth and the experience needed for it] things like this make me question the level of trust these people deserve) So how much trust can I put in my regular DM(no reason what so ever to question the trust I have in him,but thats so far)?

If I recall correctly, out of my first 20 logged dives or so, something like 8 of them were below 60 feet...this was all back in the "blindly trust the DM" stage, when I just assumed that from how long I'd been diving and my certification level, that they knew exactly what I should and shouldn't be doing. That's...not exactly the case. It's CYA time once you're no longer taking a class with someone that knows exactly what your experience is.

If your regular DM knows you and your experience level quite well, and you've been perfectly comfortable with where you've been going with him, he's never taken you into any conditions you couldn't handle, then unless your gut instinct (not necessarily "traditional public opinion") says not to, there's probably no reason not to keep trusting him, but still look out for yourself.

If they don't know you, and don't even look at your card and logbook, then you're on your own. Never hurts to have a Plan B - nobody's perfect. Go as fast as you're comfortable with, as long as you're accurately assessing your abilities and aren't just over-confident.

 

[Whatgoesdown]

Quite a few students have asked me what the scariest/worst thing I've seen underwater is. When I've thought about it, some of the things that rattled me the most were fairly minor things that happened when I was inexperienced. Over time you build up a library of experiences that enables you to handle more serious and more complicated situations. You develop eyes in the back of your head. Some of those situations could never be anticipated, divers can do some very bizarre things at times, but there is no harm in preparing yourself for every situation that could reasonably occur. At some point you will do something that scares you. Learn from it and gain some more experience and endeavour to not let it happen again.

At 50 dives you will look back at how you were with 10 dives and realize how little you knew. At 500 dives you'll look back etc. Get out there and dive. Push the envelope, but slowly!

 

[Gary D.]

Ok, Gary. I gotta know - how did you know this guy was a DM?

Past history from prior arrests.

Duncan, our poster child, had plans to go to instructor. We still don't have a clue as to how many he has murdered.

Just because a person is a DM doesn't make them anything special. They can be like anyone else or a total fruit cake.

The pursuit ended earlier today when they returned to the area. I don't know how many rounds were fired but three are in jail. Maybe he can be a jail toilet DM

Gary D.

 

[Snowbear]

I am always honest with myself, or have I?

Before my most recent training, thought I was a pretty good diver after over 200 dives in just a bit over a year....

Then I found out that I didn't know what I didn't know :11:

You can have all the confidence in the world, but until you've been put in the situation ~ either in training or in real life, you can't know how you will react.

If you're serious about DM training, I would suggest investing the time and money to do it in the cold water where you live. It'll make you a better prepared DM than if all of your dives and training are in resort conditions

 

[Rick Inman]

Duncan, our poster child, had plans to go to instructor. We still don't have a clue as to how many he has murdered.

I guess he won't be making it to this week's Fun Dive.