Elonna
Contributor
Is the concept any different then finding a more experienced dive buddy to dive with? It probably isn't extremely prudent for two new divers to go off on their own. Myself, being a new diver, I'd want an experienced diver diving with me. If the only dives the OP is experienced with outside of class is guided dives then a DM is what they know.
Educating the poster on finding a more experienced dive buddy local to them, doing some quarry/lake dives with said buddy to become more comfortable with diving, etc would be a lot more helpful here than being rude and disrespectful and perhaps scaring them away from being able to come here and ask questions and get good answers.
I consider myself a relatively intelligent person. If I was going to jump off a boat in an unfamiliar dive site without a guide, I'd at least want my dive buddy to be a lot more experienced than I am. Only having recently gotten my OW, I doubt I could navigate my way out of a bucket underwater at this point. Navigation is only barely covered in OW and the straight line navigation required for certification hardly reinforces anything.
Those who suggested additional training...good job. That is my plan. It amazes me how easily experienced divers forget what it was like when they were new divers. It's exciting and you can't wait until your next dive. But the first time you get into water without an instructor/DM...whatever...doesn't matter how much you might trust your buddy, it's also a bit scary. I haven't even done it yet...and I can't wait, but it is also daunting.
I do agree that if your doing a non-guided boat dive then if you want the comfort of a guide then yes you have to pay for it. But I think the OP expected ALL boat dives to be guided so really they should be given the information to be sure to find out what they are paying for upfront. Not all boat dives are guided tours for tourist divers, etc. Still no need to be big, bad and mean to us newbies )
Educating the poster on finding a more experienced dive buddy local to them, doing some quarry/lake dives with said buddy to become more comfortable with diving, etc would be a lot more helpful here than being rude and disrespectful and perhaps scaring them away from being able to come here and ask questions and get good answers.
I consider myself a relatively intelligent person. If I was going to jump off a boat in an unfamiliar dive site without a guide, I'd at least want my dive buddy to be a lot more experienced than I am. Only having recently gotten my OW, I doubt I could navigate my way out of a bucket underwater at this point. Navigation is only barely covered in OW and the straight line navigation required for certification hardly reinforces anything.
Those who suggested additional training...good job. That is my plan. It amazes me how easily experienced divers forget what it was like when they were new divers. It's exciting and you can't wait until your next dive. But the first time you get into water without an instructor/DM...whatever...doesn't matter how much you might trust your buddy, it's also a bit scary. I haven't even done it yet...and I can't wait, but it is also daunting.
I do agree that if your doing a non-guided boat dive then if you want the comfort of a guide then yes you have to pay for it. But I think the OP expected ALL boat dives to be guided so really they should be given the information to be sure to find out what they are paying for upfront. Not all boat dives are guided tours for tourist divers, etc. Still no need to be big, bad and mean to us newbies )