How to tell the DM you're not a disaster underwater?

[happy-diver]

yeah when you gain confidence just swim away

 

[The Chairman]

What's really the difference between an "experienced" and "inexperienced" group when it comes to quality of the diving? In actuality, the quality of the dive is often inversely proportional to the depth. There's an initial fascination with depth that overlooks this reality. Many new divers buy into talk by a few bloviating wannabes trying to look badass that "real" divers go deep. Avoid the macho trap and never catch a ride on the ego bus. Really seasoned divers are just as happy, and some times more so, doing a 30 ft dive over a 130 ft dive. It's brighter, usually more fish, we get to relax in regard to gas usage as well as deco obligation and so forth. Besides, noobie divers make me look really good!

A noobie diver is quick to try to convince everyone just how experienced they are and how deep they've been. A seasoned diver will probably be embarrassed by their deepest dive and talk more in generalities like "I've been to the bottom" rather than a specific depth. So chillax. Enjoy each dive on it's own merits. Don't buy into this experienced/inexperienced dichotomy. Stop worrying about how others view you, and just have fun.

With the greatest of respect, why should they?

Because they were the first Scuba agency in the world. Look into the history of the sport. It's not complete without a huge nod to the pioneers of Scuba Instruction.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Because they were the first Scuba agency in the world. Look into the history of the sport. It's not complete without a huge nod to the pioneers of Scuba Instruction.

Debatable. Actually BSAC was formed a few months earlier and ScotSAC was formed a little before BSAC so to say they (LA COunty) were the first in the world is technically disingenuous. In the USA certainly

However what is interesting that in an era where the main communication was stil via letters etc, groups of people 6000 miles distant all had a similar idea.

But I digress. Apart from the mainstream agencies, how can you expect a DM in say French Polynesia to recognise each and every agency and their certs?

I only heard about LA CO. and NASE or SEI etc from SB If someone showed me one of those cards I'd still have to look up the equivalencies as you would with a BSAC or CMAS cert

 

[MrBigfins]

What's really the difference between an "experienced" and "inexperienced" group when it comes to quality of the diving? In actuality, the quality of the dive is often inversely proportional to the depth. There's an initial fascination with depth that overlooks this reality. Many new divers buy into talk by a few bloviating wannabes trying to look badass that "real" divers go deep. Avoid the macho trap and never catch a ride on the ego bus. Really seasoned divers are just as happy, and some times more so, doing a 30 ft dive over a 130 ft dive. It's brighter, usually more fish, we get to relax in regard to gas usage as well as deco obligation and so forth. Besides, noobie divers make me look really good!

A noobie diver is quick to try to convince everyone just how experienced they are and how deep they've been. A seasoned diver will probably be embarrassed by their deepest dive and talk more in generalities like "I've been to the bottom" rather than a specific depth. So chillax. Enjoy each dive on it's own merits. Don't buy into this experienced/inexperienced dichotomy. Stop worrying about how others view you, and just have fun.

I couldnt agree more. Deep for deep's sake is of no appeal to me. I can have a longer and better dive by staying shallower? Yes please. That being said, if there is something to see at depth that I cant see in the shallows, I am comfortable at recreational depths.

 

[markmud]

Stop worrying about how others view you, and just have fun.

Hi Pete,

I am going to reread the opening post. I did not sense the context that you are writing about. I did not sense that he wanted to follow "experienced" divers down to 130 fsw (or thereabouts). I thought he wanted to get more quality diving for his money,

Last week we dived with some newbs and they were really nice. Mostly a large family. It was fun. I am glad we did not have to dive with them for 10 straight dives. Some of them were train wrecks--but really fun people. My wife got "dropped in on" a couple times. I was OK with the bumping and grinding.

I do enjoy diving with seasoned divers who are somewhat independent. I assumed the OP was hoping for the same thing (I hope I did not rationalize and project). Also, a relatively new diver can learn a lot by diving with better trained and more experienced divers. You have taught me a few things even though you were not "training" me.

dive on,
m

 

[swimlikethefish]

thought he wanted to get more quality diving for his money

Last week we dived with some newbs and they were really nice. Mostly a large family. It was fun. I am glad we did not have to dive with them for 10 straight dives. Some of them were train wrecks--but really fun people. My wife got "dropped in on" a couple times. I was OK with the bumping and grinding.

I do enjoy diving with seasoned divers who are somewhat independent. Also, a relatively new diver can learn a lot by diving with better trained and more experienced divers

As a DM my perspective to this is quite simple. This is rationalizing "chartered trips on a boat."

1. Everyone paid an equal amount to be on the boat. My job is to be the eyes in the back of the captains head. I will do everything in my power to ensure everyone walks away a happy customer. While making sure any potential liabilities are addressed before they become a contributing factor to something. Sometimes that means choosing your buddy for you. Or seperating the boat into groups based upon experience/skill.

2. If someone paid more, it is usually for my individual service. All of the above still pertain. But, now I am your buddy. I have DM'ed for some excellent divers. Not because of their lack of skill. It was because they just were not familiar with the site or had less experienced members with them and wanted someone to assist so they could enjoy their trip as well.

With the above said:
Just because I have a DM cert does not by any means make me better than you. I made the choice to take on diving in the professional realm. I have met many a diver whom was better than myself. I see many people reference DM's like some diving guru or know it all. Which is very far off. I am just a regular diver, like everyone on this board. I just happen to get paid (sometimes) to be conscious of other divers. I have never had a "bad" buddy. Just some that spend less time in the water than others. To me, you can dive horizontally or vertically, have a low or high sac rate, do a 60 minute or 60 second dive. As long as you are safe and happy that is all that matters.

 

[The Chairman]

But I digress. Apart from the mainstream agencies, how can you expect a DM in say French Polynesia to recognise each and every agency and their certs?

Vraiment? C'est le "interwebs", n'est pas?

I thought he wanted to get more quality diving for his money,

Again, what makes one dive a more "quality" dive than another? Do you think they take noobs to the crappy side of the ocean? I don't care who I dive with, my dive is my dive. No, I don't ever feel obliged to stick with a group, experienced or not. More often than not, my buddy can't stand how slow I dive and swims away with the group. I'm OK with being abandoned.

 

[stuartv]

Sometimes the quality is inversely proportional to the depth. Sometimes it is directly related to the depth.

In Coz, I would take the 90 foot reef dives with swim-throughs over the 30' reef dives all day every day.

In Key Largo, I would take the 130 foot dive on the Spiegel Grove over the 50' dive on the Benwood every time.

When possible, best to be (qualified to be) in the group that can do the best dive, rather than be limited to "the best dive in less than XX feet".

Edit: Obviously "best" is purely subjective and up to each diver to decide what it means to them.

 

[The Chairman]

In Coz, I would take the 90 foot reef dives with swim-throughs over the 30' reef dives all day every day.

My favorite dive in Coz was the 2:15 dive on Hotel Cozumel's house reef. Bone crushing 20 depths, 4 seahorses, octopi, splendid toadfish, squid, blennies out the wazoo, nudis and so much more.

In Key Largo, I would take the 130 foot dive on the Spiegel Grove over the 50' dive on the Benwood every time.

Put me on the Benwood, Snapper Ledges, Pickles any day. Shoals of fish compared to the Grove, In addition the Benwood's a screamer (a real WWII wreck) while the Grove is a an artificial reef. However, my favorite dive was a shore dive on the Bayside. 3 hours of snorkeling and I saw over a hundred lobster, a few seahorses, a half dozen nurse sharks, two reefies, a bull and much, much more. I even saw the shy and elusive Sargeant Major! Max depth was probably two fathoms but most was in the 4-6 ft range. At dusk the fireworks start on the very shallow reefs and the bayside that you'll never see deep.

I get that there's no adrenaline rush like you get when you plumb the depths, but there's so much to see in the shallows. Slow down. Take time to smell the Christmastree worms. Whether you enjoy your dive, deep or shallow, is up to you. No matter the depth, the Ocean holds amazing wonders just waiting for you to discover.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Too historical no interest
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