How often do you need to dive to maintain skills?

[carolrose]

Once you get your certification, I understand that you need to continue to dive regularly to maintain your skills and learn more. But how often would you consider 'regularly' to be? Obviously vacation once or twice a year would not be 'regular', but what about maybe a couple of dives a month? Would you be able to maintain the stuff you learned and continue to become a better diver with that amount of dives? What would you consider to be the threshold for continuing to be a safe and continually improving diver?

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I try to dive 2 times a month (Job gets in the way of diving more often) Sometimes more. Not sure about your threshold question the responses should be interesting.

 

[eckybay]

One of the instructors I know tells new divers to aim for atleast ten dives a year...This is probably a good place to start. But, if you go on a dive vacation, it would be easy to get these all at once and not dive the other 11 months out of the year. That doesn't really seem like the best option as far as keeping skills fresh.
This is my first summer as a diver, and I've been trying to go every few weeks, schedule, weather, and budget permitting. I'm planning on hoping in the pool a time or two over the winter just to keep familiar with stuff. For the "average" rec diver, this seems like a good idea. Once or twice a month during the summer and if your location doesn't readily allow for winter diving, hop in a pool to stay sharp.

 

[Trixxie]

I was out of the water for 6 yrs and was right back into the 'swing of things', buoyancy and all after a couple of pool sessions. Would not recommend this route however. I am just very comfortable in the water and scuba seems natural to me even though it really shouldn't since we don't live/breathe underwater.

I have been going to the pool 2 weekends/month working on my DM, plus 4 - 6 ow dives/month. Going to get in at least 10 dives by the end of the month.

 

[suthnbelle]

I try to get in the water at least two days every month (even in the winter) and with my schedule that is pushing it some months. The days I get to dive I get in 2-3 dives and I'm usually working on different skills. Depending on where you live and what is available you can hit quarries, lakes and/or the pool to work on skills throughout the year. That way when you do go on a dive vacation you aren't feeling rusty on skills or run the risk of becoming overly stressed if an incident happens and you need to keep your wits about you. If you are practicing as often as you can it will definitely help when you are put in a situation where you need to stop, think and take action.

How about feeling out your profile so we know what region you are in and a little more about you.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Same as the others, my goal is once or twice a month pretty much year 'round. Quarries if I can't find the time for (or get blown out of) a charter trip.

More is obviously better, but life often intrudes.

I don't always make the goal, but thats the goal...

 

[cmalinowski]

It also depends on what you do when you dive. If you just go down, look around, and don't work on anything you run the risk of having rusty skills no matter how much you dive. Take your mask off. Practice out of air drills with your buddy. Get task loaded while trying to maintain buoyancy and trim. If these things get routine, it's harder to lose them. I was amazed when I stopped taking off my mask at least once every outing. The next time I did it I noticed my breathing sort of freak for a minute or so. Imagine if someone kicked off my mask: the stress added situation could have been bad.

Anyway, I try to get out at least one to two weekends per month. Weather is usually not an issue as rain doesn't impact it and I have a dry suit for winter worries. I guess a snow storm could make getting to the quarry difficult, but there is a pool not too far away... and always some skill to work on.

Chris

 

[Meng_Tze]

I dive every weekend..... try to.

 

[tstormdiver]

This is kind of on & kind of off the subject, but living here in the mid west, I pretty much have to sit out diving Oct.- late May (yes, I'm a big coward to the cold). I'm researching dry suits right now, but have to wait untl the ol' pocket book can accomodate such a huge investment. I do not have a pool of my own & I will be joining a local family Y in a week or 2 to get & stay in shape anyway. My LDS uses the pool there for confined water training. I am planning on asking if I might be able to bring my gear in every now & again to practice basic techniques & to stay sharp. There is a chance that I'll be starting in a Dive Master course at the first of the year, so hopefully there'll be some chances to get into a pool here & there until the quarry waters warm up in the spring. Does anyone else use this same type of method to keep skills up? Or does everyone just use a privately owned pool? Just curious.

 

[eckybay]

I've asked my local Y if I can use the pool for practice during the winter/early spring and they didn't have an issue with it. But since I don't own my own tank yet, I have to go to the LDS anyways to pick one up, so I'll probably use their nice heated pool instead.