How Deep do you Dive?

[Scuba446]

No wonder when I asked our BOW Instructor this on our Check Out Dives we got quite a speech about deep diving, ego's in diving and the dangers of teeling divers how deep you have dove to...

Now I can see why this IS so dangerous.

I asked , just from curosity - but not to compete of for that reason. I just know that many dives for the wrecks I'd like to dive one day are deeper than 80-100 ft - and I am just trying to get a handle on whats involved here....we talking deco diving now? Twins vs single AL80's? AL40's as well...computers, etc.

I see the dangers of boasting here to new divers - such as myself....and should NEVER be becauseL

Joe Smith did it so I can...

Its a DEPTH race or contest...

Etc.

 

[astrofunk]

Lately I've been doing beach dives in Monterey, and I haven't gone much past 40'. On boat dives, it's generally 40' to 60', though I broke 70' looking at a wreck in Victoria. Like others have said, my objective is simply to see cool stuff, and there's plenty of cool stuff in Monterey at very reasonable depths.

That said, I do look forward to the "deep" dive portion of the advanced class. I know others have warned "not to dive deep just to say you've been deep". I'm not thinking competitively, I just can't help but look forward to the learning experience!

 

[MissAmberDiva]

103 ft is the deepest and that's as far as I will take it. I wasn't even planning on doing 103 in the first place and ended up hurting myself in the process.

Depth is not something you wanna play around with. I think some times people forget that this can very well be a very dangerous sport and if you're not careful of what you're doing then you could end up dead. However, there are plenty of men and women who are more than capable of making deep dives and who practice the utmost safety in the process.

-Amber

 

[padiscubapro]

Originally posted by Scuba446
No wonder when I asked our BOW Instructor this on our Check Out Dives we got quite a speech about deep diving, ego's in diving and the dangers of teeling divers how deep you have dove to...

Now I can see why this IS so dangerous.

I asked , just from curosity - but not to compete of for that reason. I just know that many dives for the wrecks I'd like to dive one day are deeper than 80-100 ft - and I am just trying to get a handle on whats involved here....we talking deco diving now? Twins vs single AL80's? AL40's as well...computers, etc.

I see the dangers of boasting here to new divers - such as myself....and should NEVER be becauseL

Joe Smith did it so I can...

Its a DEPTH race or contest...

Etc.

Diving deep just because Joe Smith did is definately is not a reason.. Deep diving requires experience and training. I have can have as much fun on a 40ft wreck as I do on wrecks in 200-300 feet of water. The shallow wrecks give lots of bottom time with little preplanning necessary, the deep wrecks require extensive dive planning and usually long deco hangs.. This should not be taken lightly..
I personally dive the deepr wrecks because they usually have much less diver impact and when diving at home.. much more lobsters - always a treat...

Take it slow and enjoy your diving... Recreational diving can be very relaxing and satisfying..

 

[Amanda]

I know it sounds strange, but we French people usually go deeper than our PADI friends. My actual Dive Certification allows me to go up to 65 meters (about 190 feet, but I don't really know what the US measures mean in meters... ;-o ), so that's my maximum depth.

I usually dive around 35/45 meters (105/130 feet)

 

[padiscubapro]

Originally posted by Amanda
I know it sounds strange, but we French people usually go deeper than our PADI friends. My actual Dive Certification allows me to go up to 65 meters (about 190 feet, but I don't really know what the US measures mean in meters... ;-o ), so that's my maximum depth.

I usually dive around 35/45 meters (105/130 feet)

Unfortunately many French divers go to those depths unprepared.. A dive to 65m especially on Air is not a safe dive without the proper redundant equipment.. Air at 65m is highly narcotic, and He is definately preferred..

I travel extensively and when I see these divers doing those depths on a single 80 without any redundant gear, I think What the hell are these people thinking.. A First stage failure can be fatal since its unlikely his buddy will have enough gas for both divers, and at depth a single 1st stage may not deliever adequate volumes of gas.
Everything is fine as long as there are no problems, but when the Sh*t hit the fan, most of these divers will be unprepared.

Padi OW is good for 18m and AOW for 40m, that is in the ballpark for most other agencies as well.

Even many entry level tech certifications limit dives to 45-50m.

 

[jepuskar]

9ft is as deep as I have gone. The pool is only 9ft and I haven't done an open water dive yet. :/

But dont worry...

I have my first post-cert dive all planned out!


I'm gonna go down too 300 feet. My tank is gonna have less than 500psi at the start, i'm not gonna dive with a buddy, ohh its gonna be night dive, but im not gonna bring any lights, im not gonna wear a mask or fins, and if I make it down to 300 feet im gonna inflate my BCD all the way and ascend rapidly while holding my breath.

 

[techdiver2us]

Every time I made a jump to greater depths it coincided with training. Advanced Nitrox gives you legal use of deco gas to 100% O2. Extended Range gives you that 200' mark. And Advanced Trimix gives you Helium. Made a dive to 150' on a single 80 in Curacao, but that's about as deep as I care to go without the redundancy I usually dive with. One lesson I've learned is that Murphy's Law comes heavily into play at about 150'. Make sure your gear is good to go.

 

[KZMAN]

What is it that you are diving to see? Does your dive dictate 150', to the wreck? and are you quailified and are you and your buddy experienced enough for that? Depth, should not be the reason for the dive. Is the dive reason for the depth, and are you ready and able to perform the tasks at hand. Ego, should not be the motivation here

 

[landlocked]

It seems to me to be a matter of how much air and appropriate resonses to OOA etc. My opinion: Anything below about 60 feet and an emergency ascent becomes less of an option. Hence, the rule of thirds. Asuming 500 lbs on the boat and an AL80 tank that is only 2500 lbs of air. One third down, one third back and one third for your buddy. That means you get about 1600 lbs there and back. At 100 feet when you are sucking air 4 times faster than at the surface 1600 lbs in an AL80 doesn't last very long. You have a limited amount of time to solve any problems. Dives that deep would seem to demand more equipment. Having certified with SSI deep diver specialty I am supposedly "good" to 130 feet. Sorry but I have never been close. With an AL80 and air I really have no interest in seeing what it is like. Besides, around these parts, the water gets really, really uncomfortable at about 40 feet! (I know I don't want to know what Bear Lake is like at a 130 feet! It got really dark and the 7mil got really chilly when we hit the SECOND themocline at 39 feet!) I'm with techdiver2us. More depth would require more training and an instructor that I could really trust.