How deep do you usually dive?
- Thread starter kokoyo11
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H2Andy
Contributor
i often dive 90 to 100 feet. my deepest dive to date is 117 feet (which is NOTHING; that's baby stuff), and i have 30 plus dives over 100 feet.
why are you asking about 80 feet? where did you get that figure? (are you thinking of an agency's definition of "deep diving?")
why are you asking about 80 feet? where did you get that figure? (are you thinking of an agency's definition of "deep diving?")
glbirch
Contributor
I've never gone past the recreational limits of course. 
Most of my dives are shallower because that's where the life is, and I can stay longer. To go deep just to watch my computer put up some bigger numbers cuts too much time off the dive. I have done deeper dives when there was a reason for it, diving on a wreck or looking for Gorgonian Coral in BC for example.
Most of my dives are shallower because that's where the life is, and I can stay longer. To go deep just to watch my computer put up some bigger numbers cuts too much time off the dive. I have done deeper dives when there was a reason for it, diving on a wreck or looking for Gorgonian Coral in BC for example.
H2Andy
Contributor
yup... no point to go deep for going deep's sake. around my parts, i either dive
off-shore wrecks (70-90 feet) or caverns (max depth on those are 100 feet, though
they go deeper). also, was lucky enough to dive the various walls at Grand Cayman
(North and South were my favorites), where i did my deepest dives.
nothing like looking down at 6,000 feet of blue water.
off-shore wrecks (70-90 feet) or caverns (max depth on those are 100 feet, though
they go deeper). also, was lucky enough to dive the various walls at Grand Cayman
(North and South were my favorites), where i did my deepest dives.
nothing like looking down at 6,000 feet of blue water.
glbirch
Contributor
H2Andy:
I first experienced that in the Coral Sea with vis in the hundreds of feet. You could look down the wall forever, and the temptation to go 'just a little deeper because I feel like I'm only in 10 feet of water' was pretty strong.
kokoyo11,
Are you certified? Or are you looking into the possibility?
Are you certified? Or are you looking into the possibility?
gj62
Contributor
Depth is purely a function of where I am. In NorCal, where I started diving and taught for a number of years, I dove 40' to 80' because (a) that's where most of the interesting stuff is, (b) that's where the light dims (the two are correlated, btw). Monastery south of Monterey is an exception, but the deepest there was 120'.
I've gone to 150' in places like Belize (Blue Hole), but the depth isn't a turn-on for me. I guess I'd go technical if I ever wanted to seriously do Truk, but with 20+ years and 1000+ dives, I'm happy in the rec range.
All of the above is kid stuff compared to tech diving, where you can extend depth and bottom times greatly by adjusting your breathing mix. For me, it's too much worry for not enough attraction, though I admire those that do and bring back cool pics!
I've gone to 150' in places like Belize (Blue Hole), but the depth isn't a turn-on for me. I guess I'd go technical if I ever wanted to seriously do Truk, but with 20+ years and 1000+ dives, I'm happy in the rec range.
All of the above is kid stuff compared to tech diving, where you can extend depth and bottom times greatly by adjusting your breathing mix. For me, it's too much worry for not enough attraction, though I admire those that do and bring back cool pics!
diver_paula
Contributor
Kokoyo,
There are plenty of dive sites in the Great Lakes area you live in that are 80' or shallower. (Why 80' by the way?) There are countless wrecks that are 130' or shallower. You could dive for years and be satisfied with staying within recreational dive depths. I've been diving the Great Lakes for 16 years. In that time I've gone deeper than 130' few times. Each was planned deeper depth. I knew what I was doing and made the decision that the wreck I wanted to dive combined with the depth and decompression times where something I was comfortable with.
If you do get certified, take your time, enjoy the shallower and less challenging dive sites, work on your skills and get some dives under your belt. With time and experience you can decide for yourself whether going deeper, perhaps technical, is for you.
Paula
There are plenty of dive sites in the Great Lakes area you live in that are 80' or shallower. (Why 80' by the way?) There are countless wrecks that are 130' or shallower. You could dive for years and be satisfied with staying within recreational dive depths. I've been diving the Great Lakes for 16 years. In that time I've gone deeper than 130' few times. Each was planned deeper depth. I knew what I was doing and made the decision that the wreck I wanted to dive combined with the depth and decompression times where something I was comfortable with.
If you do get certified, take your time, enjoy the shallower and less challenging dive sites, work on your skills and get some dives under your belt. With time and experience you can decide for yourself whether going deeper, perhaps technical, is for you.
Paula
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