Great Barrier Reef guided or solo?
- Thread starter PAPD
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I used to work out of Cairns, and the only guided dives were with students. Certified divers were briefed, buddied, and told to come back in a certain time.
If you want a little more experience, the Advanced course would be a great way to do it, many of the liveaboards offer them at cost as a loss leader, you used to be able to pick up the course for only fifty bucks more than the trip.
If you want a little more experience, the Advanced course would be a great way to do it, many of the liveaboards offer them at cost as a loss leader, you used to be able to pick up the course for only fifty bucks more than the trip.
alijtaylor
Contributor
In the places I hve dived it is pretty cruisy however, not much in the way of surge or current and fascinating reefs life all around. You can always do the pop up and take a compasss reading on the boat when you are about 1/2 thru your air and then head back in that general direction.
PAPD:
We talking solo diving here? By your lonesone? or solo as in you and your buddy will be doing your own thing?
If it's the former, advanced training is not going to teach you how to dive solo. And personally, I don't think solo training teaches you enough to make solo diving as safe as buddy diving, especially in new and unfamiliar territory. I have never been diving in Australia, BTW.
If it's the latter, I think you're still better off getting a guide, at least for a day or two, in any new environment.
But as for solo diving, buddy diving is always better and safer than solo no matter where you are.
There are courses that offer training explicity for solo diving and there are people who think that solo diving, with the correct training, can be done safely. But even if that were true, I don't think any new diver should consider it, even after such a course until he/she has a lot of dives under his/her belt.
Because SCUBA diving is done in a low-oxygen environment, there is no substitute for experience.
. . . and then still dive with a buddy.
JoeL
octotat
Contributor
Go on a live aboard! Though the guide may not dive with you, you'll get a complete briefing and you'll be diving with other people. The cost is a little high, but it includes lodging, food, and diving so it is quite a good deal. For GBR I recommend the Nimrod. Excellent crew and they have 4 day trips. Also a good time to get your AOW as mentioned previously.
Roz Amos
Registered
I agree with the liveaboard comment, and believe that you will find confidence will grow very quickly and that you will shortly enjoy being able to do your own thing with a buddy - navigation there is about as easy as it gets - nice clear water, lots of natural landmarks and so on, so there are no real issues.
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