I've called a lot of dives before getting into my gear -- for weather, or forgotten items. I haven't aborted many.
I can remember literally levitating out of the 43 degree water and back onto Phil Sammet's RIB, when my dry suit flooded on entry in Monterey. Peter and I thumbed a dive about ten minutes into it in the Channel Islands, when we realized we simply couldn't find any shelter from the ripping current. I cut a dive a little short in the BVI, when I developed a leak from the junction of the hose and second stage on my primary regulator. I called a dive on one of the NW's premiere wrecks because just too many things had gone wrong in the process of trying to get into the water and in position for the dive (and the current turned out to be much stronger than it was supposed to be).
One of the most important lessons I've learned is not to dive when I'm not on an even keel emotionally. I attempted a cave dive one day after a prolonged and heated argument with my spouse, and turned the dive after about ten minutes, because I was floundering around like a rank beginner. (I've seen the video; it was THAT bad!) A year ago, I bagged another one because I was trying to get back into my gear in the water and not doing very it very well, and realized my frustration level was just too high -- not mentally fit for that dive on that day.
I make most of my go-no go decisions on land, or on the boat. It's rare to be surprised by something that requires abandoning the dive once it has begun.
I can remember literally levitating out of the 43 degree water and back onto Phil Sammet's RIB, when my dry suit flooded on entry in Monterey. Peter and I thumbed a dive about ten minutes into it in the Channel Islands, when we realized we simply couldn't find any shelter from the ripping current. I cut a dive a little short in the BVI, when I developed a leak from the junction of the hose and second stage on my primary regulator. I called a dive on one of the NW's premiere wrecks because just too many things had gone wrong in the process of trying to get into the water and in position for the dive (and the current turned out to be much stronger than it was supposed to be).
One of the most important lessons I've learned is not to dive when I'm not on an even keel emotionally. I attempted a cave dive one day after a prolonged and heated argument with my spouse, and turned the dive after about ten minutes, because I was floundering around like a rank beginner. (I've seen the video; it was THAT bad!) A year ago, I bagged another one because I was trying to get back into my gear in the water and not doing very it very well, and realized my frustration level was just too high -- not mentally fit for that dive on that day.
I make most of my go-no go decisions on land, or on the boat. It's rare to be surprised by something that requires abandoning the dive once it has begun.