How many dives does it take for one to be competent?

[boulderjohn]

Some people start to get really good at 50 dives.
Some people never get it.
There is no number that works.

That is ever so true.

My introduction to scuba came 36 years ago at a resort in Hawai'i. An instructor did a demo and class in the resort pool for anyone interested. I joined in, and he did what was essentially the beginning of a discover scuba class. He demonstrated a basic skill like clearing the mask. I would do it, and while the other people were struggling to do it, I would swim around until it was time for the next skill. (That was a standards violation, BTW.) I actually got in a pretty decent scuba experience while the other people never got off their knees. I loved it, and I signed up for the open ocean experience the next day. Others had signed up for that same experience, but they canceled when they realized it was Easter sunday. I therefore did the dive with the instructor and his girlfriend, and we had a full length dive with a max depth of about 75 feet. (Another standards violation.) I felt totally comfortable and in control. I would have gotten certified on that trip except that I separated my shoulder that afternoon trying to body surf on a beach with bad shorebreak conditions.

In contrast, someone I know took OW in New Zealand, and by his own description he was pretty much hopeless. He struggled with every skill, and he took AOW right away because he felt he needed more instruction. He said he was a mess for probably his first 100 dives, but he kept at it. When he told me that, he was the Course Director in charge of instruction in the shop where I was working.

 

[Wibble]

The more I dive the more I know I don't know.

Being "competent" is multi-layered; competent at what? For example finning: flapping your legs up and down to go forwards, or doing helicopter turns and back finning?

Also depends upon the types of dives. Have seen many divers -- particularly instructor / divemasters -- claiming thousands of dives, but their core skills are mediocre.

Standards vary according to the type of diving you do. An Advanced Open Water diver is most definitely not an advanced diver; technical diving has far higher standards than recreational diving, so skills that are "acceptable" competence in one realm most certainly is inadequate in another.

So it depends.

However, I'll go back to my first statement; the more I dive, the more I know that I don't know.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It appears my responses are proselytizing a “Jack of all trades” mindset, but sadly a master of none. The fundamentals I mentioned come with experience, training and a persistent desire to improve. Having a solid understanding of equipment, buoyancy, trim, planning, gasses, etc. and how they can be affected by changes in conditions, location and dive plans. Too obvious? Absolutely, but when a diver finds themselves outside of their comfort zone they should have the skill and awareness to confront the situation effectively. Holy crap, can this post be any more tedious and self righteous?

Could it be summarized as when the diver reaches the point where he knows what he doesn't know about doing a dive beyond their present training and experience (or comfort)?

 

[TMHeimer]

The more I dive the more I know I don't know.

Being "competent" is multi-layered; competent at what? For example finning: flapping your legs up and down to go forwards, or doing helicopter turns and back finning?

Also depends upon the types of dives. Have seen many divers -- particularly instructor / divemasters -- claiming thousands of dives, but their core skills are mediocre.

Standards vary according to the type of diving you do. An Advanced Open Water diver is most definitely not an advanced diver; technical diving has far higher standards than recreational diving, so skills that are "acceptable" competence in one realm most certainly is inadequate in another.

So it depends.

However, I'll go back to my first statement; the more I dive, the more I know that I don't know.

Agree. Depends on what type of diving you do and where, etc. Similar to an old thread about what constitutes "mastering" a skill.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I was comfortable underwater within the first 10 minutes. Taking a breath from a reg was like going home.
Competent? Maybe 20 dives? I was ok with low vis, low light, and could swim using a frog kick two feet off the bottom and not stir it up. By 50 dives I had done several night and a few solo with no apprehension. It just felt natural.

 

[scubadada]

It appears my responses are proselytizing a “Jack of all trades” mindset, but sadly a master of none. The fundamentals I mentioned come with experience, training and a persistent desire to improve. Having a solid understanding of equipment, buoyancy, trim, planning, gasses, etc. and how they can be affected by changes in conditions, location and dive plans. Too obvious? Absolutely, but when a diver finds themselves outside of their comfort zone they should have the skill and awareness to confront the situation effectively. Holy crap, can this post be any more tedious and self righteous?

I'm with @Soloist my definition of a competent diver. I dived Jupiter today with many incompetent divers. Water was colder than expected, current was greater than expected, visibility was less than expected, It weeded out the divers rather quickly. In general, I would not consider Jupiter a good beginner site, but still...

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Just be aware of the "Dunning - Kruger Effect". There may come a time (fairly early) when when you know just enough to be dangerous. I'm not saying it will happen to you, I am only saying that it happens often enough that some body has spotted it and has named it.

View attachment 666939

Can a moderator please give this 10,000 likes? This applies to SCUBA and a certain personality type more often than not. I'm sure I was there at one point. The good news is these guys and girls are easy to spot and thrive on the attention paid to them by new divers. More experienced divers just tend to ignore them...maybe even play with them a little.

If you have to ask others if you're a good diver...you probably still have some work to do.

The actual answer for competency for rec diving would be between 10 dives and never. The buoyancy light clicked for me at about 15-20 dives. Air consumption around 100 dives. I believe that # of cards don't matter, # of dives don't matter, hours underwater don't matter, and the FIGJAMS definitely don't matter. A good diver takes care of their gear, has adequate buoyancy skills, reasonable air consumption, isnt afraid to thumb a dive regardless of the cost, has an attitude of wanting everybody on the boat to have a good time, and most of all knows and recognizes their own limitations.

I still try to learn something on every dive and love diving with more experienced divers. I'll mimic their movements and see if their kick, trim, or anything else they do works for me. DD hasn't posted about my untimely demise in a watery grave in Accidents and Incidents yet, so at least there's that.

I'm still trying,
Jay

 

[chillyinCanada]

@alex_can_dive, are you feeling better now?

 

[rhwestfall]

If you have to ask others if you're a good diver...you probably still have some work to do.

Yet you are in a good place as hubris has not set in where you "know you are good" [FIGJAM] and thus aren't asking for validation....

 

[alex_can_dive]

@alex_can_dive, are you feeling better now?

Yes! Thanks for asking @chillyinCanada
(We skipped out of work early and did two 20ft dives today. Felt like I've got all my confidence back)