My latest was just snorkeling. Wanted to shoot video at Cave Point, too rough and pea soup from the green slime. Tried Renold's pier, 3' viz. Tried Horseshoe Bay, crystal water but 3-5' waves. Bullhead Point, crystal clear and instant ice cream headache even with hood. Went 50 miles south to the Continental to try a site survey snorkeling before a solo dive, 5' viz. Went home.
Have you had to call off a dive?
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Most disappointng for me was getting to the dock to dive the Oriskanny and the 26' center console 6 pack we were going to be on would not leave the dock due to 15' waves. I have to plan a trip back down there to dive the "Mighty O"
I doubt any experienced divers on DB or elsewhere have gone through their diving careers without calling off more than one dive.
I've been on trips where we've called off the dive at a specific site due to weather conditions, or called off the dive altogether. I've had guides call off dives and I have called off dives myself, working as a guide. I've also called off dives just diving with my buddy. Most common reason has been weather. Too high winds, too much ice in the water, too strong currents, or hopeless visibility. Other reasons have included illness on the part of one or more of the divers, or just not feeling up for the dive. I called off one of my first post-OWD dives for this very reason. The vast majority of the places that I have missed out on, I've had a chance to come back to.
The most recent dive I've called off was, like you, in the Red Sea. My buddy and I were scheduled to head out to Elphinstone, but he had never been diving in the Red Sea before, and so didn't feel comfortable with doing off-shore reef diving. We talked it over, and agreed that we'd call it off and stick to shore reefs. I didn't go back to Elphinstone on that trip, but fully plan to go there next chance I get.
A very talented diver once told me that calling a dive for the right reasons is the first indicator that you're on your way to becoming a great diver.
I've been on trips where we've called off the dive at a specific site due to weather conditions, or called off the dive altogether. I've had guides call off dives and I have called off dives myself, working as a guide. I've also called off dives just diving with my buddy. Most common reason has been weather. Too high winds, too much ice in the water, too strong currents, or hopeless visibility. Other reasons have included illness on the part of one or more of the divers, or just not feeling up for the dive. I called off one of my first post-OWD dives for this very reason. The vast majority of the places that I have missed out on, I've had a chance to come back to.
The most recent dive I've called off was, like you, in the Red Sea. My buddy and I were scheduled to head out to Elphinstone, but he had never been diving in the Red Sea before, and so didn't feel comfortable with doing off-shore reef diving. We talked it over, and agreed that we'd call it off and stick to shore reefs. I didn't go back to Elphinstone on that trip, but fully plan to go there next chance I get.
A very talented diver once told me that calling a dive for the right reasons is the first indicator that you're on your way to becoming a great diver.
I have called dives off many times over the years for one reason or another. The two most memorable dives I called off are:
I was diving in Chuuck (Truk Lagoon) as part of dive shop owners FAM trip. We were supposed to go diving with one of the Liveaboards there on one wreck that was around 160ft deep (I don't remember its name but it is the one with the little one man tank), upon entering the water, my buddy and I took a breath from our respective regulators and both of us immediatly spat the SS out at the same time. The air tasted, smelled and hurt so bad we couldn't even put the SS back to breath from then. We went back onto the boat and then on the liveaboard to meet with other pissed off dive shop owners (around 20 or so). The owner of the liveaboard didn't think much of it even with 20 dive shop owners complaining which was unbelievable. He was saying that it was just a broken air filter. We didn't dive the rest of the day with this liveaboard!! I got to dive that wreck the next day when we were diving with the local dive shop.
The second time was when I was leading a group in Dominica few years ago. My luggage didn't arrive with me and was delayed for one day. We were supposed to go diving the next morning but I didn't want to go without my own equipment. The dive shop manager/owner talked me into using his rental equipment. I put everything on when on the dive boat and jumped into the water. While I was contemplating if to go U/W or not, my Octo started to free flow and I was unable to stop it. I called the dive off immediately and went back on the dive boat. That was the first and last time I used rental equipment for my own diving. I lost one day of beautiful diving. My luggage showed up later that evening in my room thank God.
I have no hesitation to call a dive off for any reason especially when I don't see that it is safe or fun to dive. No dive is worth the risk.
I was diving in Chuuck (Truk Lagoon) as part of dive shop owners FAM trip. We were supposed to go diving with one of the Liveaboards there on one wreck that was around 160ft deep (I don't remember its name but it is the one with the little one man tank), upon entering the water, my buddy and I took a breath from our respective regulators and both of us immediatly spat the SS out at the same time. The air tasted, smelled and hurt so bad we couldn't even put the SS back to breath from then. We went back onto the boat and then on the liveaboard to meet with other pissed off dive shop owners (around 20 or so). The owner of the liveaboard didn't think much of it even with 20 dive shop owners complaining which was unbelievable. He was saying that it was just a broken air filter. We didn't dive the rest of the day with this liveaboard!! I got to dive that wreck the next day when we were diving with the local dive shop.
The second time was when I was leading a group in Dominica few years ago. My luggage didn't arrive with me and was delayed for one day. We were supposed to go diving the next morning but I didn't want to go without my own equipment. The dive shop manager/owner talked me into using his rental equipment. I put everything on when on the dive boat and jumped into the water. While I was contemplating if to go U/W or not, my Octo started to free flow and I was unable to stop it. I called the dive off immediately and went back on the dive boat. That was the first and last time I used rental equipment for my own diving. I lost one day of beautiful diving. My luggage showed up later that evening in my room thank God.
I have no hesitation to call a dive off for any reason especially when I don't see that it is safe or fun to dive. No dive is worth the risk.
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