Frustrations trying to gain experience

[tstormdiver]

What reasons are they giving for backing out? Have you dived with them before?

It varies, family issues, can't get off from work, the SO puts the kibash on the diving,... you name it. Most from my shop, I have done dives with, as they have hung out when I went through my course at various times. My cave classmates, 1 has a really screwy work schedule, like mine, but on a different schedule. It took us 3 months to try to find when our schedules jived to get the class going. The other classmate is a physician in a multi doctor practice, so it can be a trick for him to get off at times.

Wow,... I couldn't have guessed that there were others with the same problem. My goals right now is to become better familiar with the caves, learn their features better. There is 1 diver that said he does want to go, but found out from others that he would expect me to dive more on his level (I'm no where near there) & probably would not be happy having to dive at my level (swimming- he likes to use a DPV). He has air consumption that would royally kick my butt & would become highly upset, if I had to call the dive due to gas on him. So,... until I can improve, that may have to wait. I am not yet qualified to carry a stage into a cave, so I still have some limitations, but at this point those limitations are OK by me. I don't think I'm dangerous in any way. New, certainly not perfect & I don't know all the ropes yet, but not dangerous. I am also able to take constructive criticism quite well. I realize I must crawl before I walk & walk bfore I run. Yes, I have future aspirations to do more,... much more, but for now, I must do my time.

As a slightly humorous side note, I just got a call from a cave diving gent at the LDS who has been a wonderful mentor to me in the past, called me a little while ago & said he's really seriously considering getting away from this nasty weather we've got right now (snow & sub freezing temps) to go down with me in Jan. I guess things will come together in its own time.

I am definitely going to have to go down & dive with some of you fine folks at some time. Looks like I'm going to have lots of time off at the beginning of the year & the week off every 5 weeks.

 

[K Mejean]

I

There is 1 diver that said he does want to go, but found out from others that he would expect me to dive more on his level (I'm no where near there) & probably would not be happy having to dive at my level (swimming- he likes to use a DPV). He has air consumption that would royally kick my butt & would become highly upset, if I had to call the dive due to gas on him. So,... until I can improve, that may have to wait.

It sounds like no matter how much experience you have or how perfect you are in a cave that you still need to avoid this guy.
Any diver can call any dive at any time for any reason!!!!!!! If this guy isn't willing to work with your limitations as a newer cave diver then he is not a good dive buddy. There are some out there that are that way. Just stay away from them and find the people that will do your kind of diving.
I am more than happy to dive at a level less than what I am qualified for because that is what my buddy needs to do. Just about all the diver I have ever met are. They are all good dives and I enjoy every one of them. There is no need to push your cert limits every time you go diving.

 

[tstormdiver]

It sounds like no matter how much experience you have or how perfect you are in a cave that you still need to avoid this guy.
Any diver can call any dive at any time for any reason!!!!!!! If this guy isn't willing to work with your limitations as a newer cave diver then he is not a good dive buddy. There are some out there that are that way. Just stay away from them and find the people that will do your kind of diving.
I am more than happy to dive at a level less than what I am qualified for because that is what my buddy needs to do. Just about all the diver I have ever met are. They are all good dives and I enjoy every one of them. There is no need to push your cert limits every time you go diving.

I agree totally about the rule of calling dives & respect it completely. Believe it or not this same gent actually helped me out a few years ago when I was first learning to dive double cylinders; he was a fantastic mentor! I have also served as a Dive Master under him, a couple of years ago, when he teaches OW students & can vouch that he is top notch. I have come to find out though, in cave diving, he's not so much interested in mentoring (to each thier own). His goals are just vastly different than mine & his skills are far beyond mine, at this point. He wants to push limits,... I want to continue to learn, improve & grow.
Perhaps some time soon, we might be able to get together for some dives. I think the guys at the ol' LDS kind of underestimated how much I really want to do this. The way I look at it, I'll get the experience one way or another. With or without their help.

 

[karstdvr]

go on CDF and advertise you need a buddy for certain dates.

In all cases caveat emptor. Unlike OW diving,where we get buddied up with someone on the boat,and if we have an issue,we just ascend to the surface,but in cave diving your buddy can be your life support. I am not saying there are bad people on CDF,but I am saying that if you choose this option,then ultra-conservative is important. Contact your instructor,he may have a new student that has the same dilemma.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

In all cases caveat emptor. Unlike OW diving,where we get buddied up with someone on the boat,and if we have an issue,we just ascend to the surface,but in cave diving your buddy can be your life support. I am not saying there are bad people on CDF,but I am saying that if you choose this option,then ultra-conservative is important. Contact your instructor,he may have a new student that has the same dilemma.

I agree, I should have added that.

 

[LiteHedded]

Gimme a buzz when you get in town if you're lacking buddies. I'll go diving with ya

 

[BlueWaterDiving]

Same here. You get in to cave country and need a buddy give me a call anytime.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Ah, the new diver's lament ... been there as a new OW diver, as a new tech diver ... but not as a new cave diver.

I got lucky ... right after I completed my initial cave training a friend of a friend contacted me indicating that he was planning a Florida trip about the same time I was going back, and if I needed a dive buddy let's hook up. Turned out he got his cave training through the same instructor I did ... so I was able to contact the instructor and ask a few questions about my new buddy. We ended up being real compatible, not only in terms of our diving level, but also with things like swimming speed, air consumption, and generally what kind of caves we liked the most.

Then, by the time the trip happened, a few other mutual friends from SB and other boards (Baby Duck, DA Aquamaster and Mark Vlahos from this board and a couple others from Zendiving) decided to join us ... it was a great group of folks. I even managed to hook up for a couple dives with Phreatic Fanatic (Carl) who's a fantastic diver, instructor and person. For a new cave diver, I found myself with a wealth of great people to dive with.

That's probably why I keep ending up going back to Florida ... I like the friends I've made down there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[The Chairman]

I am not saying there are bad people on CDF,

Sure there are: just like here!

Unfortunately, people love to second guess and sometimes bash. I posted a request looking for someone to do the Grand Traverse, and was second guessed at every level. "If you have to ask, you're not ready" was the one that really put me over the edge. I felt, and still feel, more than capable to do that dive. Sometimes you feel that people just want to harsh your mellow. Only ONE instructor reached out to me via PM offering to take me to full cave. Two non-instructors who offered via PM to buddy with me stated that they did not want to post that in the thread, lest people jump all over them. Yes, there were a few offers in the thread as well... but I have had person after person tell me that they are AFRAID of posting their dive trips (organizational and reports) here on ScubaBoard. That makes me sick.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... but I have had person after person tell me that they are AFRAID of posting their dive trips (organizational and reports) here on ScubaBoard. That makes me sick.

It makes me sad, Pete ... but it reflects a trend I've seen developing over the past few years, and on virtually every forum. Look at some of the recent and ongoing threads in the New and Basic forums ... they're loaded with judgmental statements toward people who just came here looking for information, or wanting to share their excitement about a dive they did recently.

Perhaps it's a symptom of the success of ScubaBoard that it tends to attract folks who come here to stroke their ego at other people's expense.

It certainly ain't limited to cavers ... and, to be fair, I've met some really fine people through this board, as I indicated in an earlier post. It makes putting up with the judgmental ones worthwhile, frankly ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)