How long should a new diver wait before diving without DM

[kamfan]

Very interesting question seeing as I am just finishing my classroom and pool work and will be travelling next weekend to do the open water dives to finish my open water certificate with SSI. At this point, I feel my skills are fine as far as mask clearing, out of air exercises, regulater removal and clearing etc. Of course I feel that more practice is always warranted. At this point, I do not feel that I have enough experience to be dive planning and dealing with all emergency situations. I guess some of this will come from the dives still to come, and some will come with experience. I will revisit this thread in about 10 days and see if I have a different outlook.

 

[spectrum]

Very interesting question seeing as I am just finishing my classroom and pool work and will be travelling next weekend to do the open water dives to finish my open water certificate with SSI. At this point, I feel my skills are fine as far as mask clearing, out of air exercises, regulater removal and clearing etc. Of course I feel that more practice is always warranted. At this point, I do not feel that I have enough experience to be dive planning and dealing with all emergency situations. I guess some of this will come from the dives still to come, and some will come with experience. I will revisit this thread in about 10 days and see if I have a different outlook.

The caveat in your case I suspect is the travel.

If the certification trip is to warm water you should be perfectly able to plan and execute a dive with a classmate upon certification or your instructor failed. You may not be elegant or polished in your technique but a conservative dive especially from shore should be well within your capabilities. It's all about good conditions similar to what you have been trained & certified in. At your stage the open water check-out dives are just as much training as they are examination.

Assuming that you did go to warm water for certification you will want to make a dive or 2 with an instructor/DM/mentor before diving with peers locally this spring. Hopefully your pool work prepared you for local diving by making you do most of your pool work in a hood and gloves.

Good luck on the certification trip!

Pete

 

[xSandman3]

I waited for one whole hour, I believe. Instructor said "cobgrats, you're a diver", and off I went to dive. If you need your hand held, you need a refund from the instructor.

 

[dry heat diver]

Everyone's, quality of instruction, skills, and comfort level will be different. For a dive within your certification and experience levels and in reasonably good conditions you should not hesitate to go with a buddy with the same skill levels. However, when we dive in an unfamiliar environment or less than optimal diving conditions my wife and I will always seek out either a DM or one or more experienced local divers to obtain local information. If in doubt, the cost of a DM for the day is a bargain. However, I do agree with some of the previous posts in that it is essential to perfect your own navigation skills and safe diving practices rather than just being lead around in a group like a school of guppies.