How many people won't dive with a new diver?

[LoneGunman]

Do most divers not want to dive with new divers? I've had two experienced divers tell me they won't dive with others unless they are AOW and rescue certified divers. How common is this? I'm planning on getting the AOW and rescue diver (i'm a former EMT) but I'd like to dive in between.

Diving solo seems frowned upon. I realise the dangers of going deep solo but what about beach dives in 20 feet or so if I have someone on the beach keeping an eye on me?

 

[diver_paula]

I'm sure you can find some buddies with a little work. I myself dive with newly certified divers about half of my dives. Now, I don't do that on more advanced charters. I do in quarries and beginner level charters. I like helping newer divers work on their skills. & it helps me and my fellow club members by working on skills prior to getting on deeper charters so they will be capable divers and not dependent on others.

Paula

 

[ninjamuzo]

I don't get the choice ;-)

 

[cornfed]

I'm with Paula. I have no problem diving with new divers as long as they're up to that particular dive. I won't take people on "trust-me" dives but I don't mind hitting the quarry or doing a shallower/less demanding dive with them.

You need to respect someone if they say they don't think you're ready for something. However, I'd have to wander about someone that gave me a blanket "you're not good enough" statement.

 

[voop]

Well, sure, I'll dive with a new diver.

I'll dive with most any diver as long as we have the understanding between us that (i) we're being honest with each other, (ii) we plan a dive which we're both comfortable with, (iii) we dive the plan we've made and (iv) either of us should (not just "can" or "may") thumb the dive if at any time we're not comfortable -- no questions asked.

I've occationally been diving with "new" divers, who failed misserably at (iv) -- failing to thumb when they got in the water and realized that they were no longer comfortable with the planned dive (e.g. "cold" is a common factor where I dive, yet many new divers do not want to admit to being cold and not able to stick the dive out). If I discover such discomfort in a buddy, I thumb the dive since at that point I am essentially diving solo with a trust-me diver who's not too comfortable. Not a good combo.

I may refuse to buddy up with someone for a specific dive if I estimate that the dive will be beyond that persons capacities or training. I.e. I've refused, to buddy up with a freshly minted OW-graduate on a boat (much to the captain's, DM's and diver in question's irritation), where the plan was for a 60m wreck-visit...on air, with deco. I couldn't think of any ways that would be prudent for the freshly minted OW, so I refused.

Otherwise, if the dive is within reasonable parameters, I'll happily dive with any new diver.

As for solo-diving: I don't mind diving solo as such, and I do enjoy doing some solo-dives when the situation calls for it (other than the dives where I'm physically alone in the water, I consider that essentially every dive with OW students is a solo-dive, to the point that the instructor must be self-reliant). However that's then the plan from the start, and the plan then calls for substantial redundancy of everything. I'll strongly discourage solo-diving, however, unless trained and proficient in self-sufficiency. Think: technical cave and wreck training, where redundant-everything, as well as very good dive-skills and familiarity with every single detail of the equipment is the mantra. And even so, most of the experienced cave and wreck folks tend to dive as a team.....there must be a clue in that somehow...

You're probably going to get a lot of answers along the lines of "if you have to ask if solo diving is OK, then you're not ready for it". There's much truth to that too -- if you do not feel absolutely confident and convinced that there're no issues you can't handle alone under water during your planned dive, then you are not ready to do that dive alone. If you do the dive otherwise, then you might have to be ready to die alone too..

Besides, diving with someone just IS so much more fun If people around you refuse to go diving with you because you're not "advanced enough", then find some less arrogant people to go dive with. That too will be more fun.

 

[jbd]

Do most divers not want to dive with new divers? I've had two experienced divers tell me they won't dive with others unless they are AOW and rescue certified divers. How common is this? I'm planning on getting the AOW and rescue diver (i'm a former EMT) but I'd like to dive in between.

Diving solo seems frowned upon. I realise the dangers of going deep solo but what about beach dives in 20 feet or so if I have someone on the beach keeping an eye on me?

Just keep asking around and you find somone to dive with. As the others have noted stick to what you are comfortable doing, build your skills and abilities and when the time is right i.e. you are ready take the next appropriate dive class. Since you live in Florida you should be able to go on some charters that are fairly easy diving and you should pretty much have no choice but to end up with a buddy. When you do buddy with someone the follow the very excellent advice given by voop.

 

[lamont]

Diving solo seems frowned upon. I realise the dangers of going deep solo but what about beach dives in 20 feet or so if I have someone on the beach keeping an eye on me?

I keep on wondering about doing solo dives like that, but I know I don't have the experience and as I get the experience I tend to be attracted to the idea less and less.

There's a lot of ways you can think of that an accident in a buddy dive can turn into a fatality in a solo dive. The obvious would be going in without your valve turned on; an alternative would be with your valve only a 1/4 turn on so that it works at the surface but quits at any kind of depth. Forget to connect your inflator and things get more fun.

I know I don't have the experience to prevent or prepare for these kinds of problems, so I stay away from solo diving.

 

[cornfed]

I'll dive with most any diver as long as we have the understanding between us that (i) we're being honest with each other, (ii) we plan a dive which we're both comfortable with, (iii) we dive the plan we've made and (iv) either of us should (not just "can" or "may") thumb the dive if at any time we're not comfortable -- no questions asked.

I tend to make the newbie plan the dive. I found that if I suggest a plan they're eager to go along with it and I can't tell whether they're comfortable with it or not. Instead, I make them plan it and if they have any questions or trouble I'll help them. This is a good way of gauging whether they're being honest with you or not.

 

[voop]

I tend to make the newbie plan the dive. I found that if I suggest a plan they're eager to go along with it and I can't tell whether they're comfortable with it or not. Instead, I make them plan it and if they have any questions or trouble I'll help them. This is a good way of gauging whether they're being honest with you or not.

Yeah, what cornfed said That's a very good way to go about this....

 

[Quarrior]

Not trying to hijack the thread here, but let's look at this in another light. How many new divers are comfortable diving with a new diver? I know myself I choose not to dive with other new divers for the simple fact, I'm still working on becoming comfotable in the water. I like to plan the dive, but feel better about doing the dive with a more experienced diver. While I still have the same buddy responsibilities, I don't feel the same pressure as I would with a new diver, at least I think that way in any case.