I HATE cancelling dives

[Penopolypants]

I ask this because for sure, the sea looks more threatening when it's gray and dark.

Well.....our sea is pretty much always gray and dark. When you couple our (already) low-viz conditions with whitecaps, surge, heavy rain....it's a good idea to just go ahead and pick another day to dive. The situation ain't gonna improve.

The other thing about diving in whitecap conditions, is that there are a lot of old pilings and large tree trunks in the water here. When the waves are really going, those logs are going too. Not something you want to sneak up behind you and smack you on the head while you're waiting on the surface.

And I fully admit to being a SEW - surf entry/exit wimp. I have this horrible vision of me being rolled back and forth as the waves come in and out, unable to even get up on my knees to crawl out. Argh!

Ah, to dive every day in Belize! I'm so envious!

 

[Diving Doc]

This is one of the hardest bits of my job...i hate cancelling dives. Drives me mad when somebody cancels one of mine (see thread entitles AAAARRRRRGFGGGGHHHHH). But if im in the middle of a dive thinking 'should i or should i not have cancelled' im not doing anybody any favours at all. In fact probably putting them more at risk.

Then I find somebody has gone down to the site and had a s**t dive and i feel better. Then the smart *****e does the same and says he had a great dive cos he thinks that diving in mud is great. You cant win so dont second guess yourself.

Another old saying that i think Andy H2 is into:
"better to be up here wishing i was down there than down there wishing to be up there"

 

[TSandM]

And I fully admit to being a SEW - surf entry/exit wimp. I have this horrible vision of me being rolled back and forth as the waves come in and out, unable to even get up on my knees to crawl out. Argh!

Your vision is completely accurate. I had that lovely experience in my doubles at Monastery Beach in Monterey. It's a lesson in complete and utter helplessness, as you flop around, unable to get out past the surf to where you can float and try to stand up again, and unable to get on your hands and knees so you can crawl. What was really depressing was how small the waves were that did it . . .

BTW, my buddies are totally cool people and nobody ever gives me any grief about not wanting to dive. Not ever. Kirk just said my description of the conditions wasn't what he was seeing where he was -- and then he e-mailed me later and told me he stopped by a dive site near his house, intending to do a little camera dive, and looked at the whitecaps and went home.

Diving today wouldn't have been dangerous (although I hadn't thought about those danged logs rolling around) but I don't think it would have been as much fun as it would have needed to be to make it worth being out there

 

[shark.byte.usa]

I got no problem cancelling a dive due to conditions or not doing it based on my comfort level. It's alot harder when I'm at the ocean (I'm landlocked) and have driven down to the beach only to thumb the dive, but I do. I don't second guess my decision but I do get bummed about not being able to dive. It helps to hear a crappy dive report from someone else after.

-Garrett

 

[Hank49]

It's a lesson in complete and utter helplessness, as you flop around, unable to get out past the surf to where you can float and try to stand up again, and unable to get on your hands and knees so you can crawl. What was really depressing was how small the waves were that did it . . .

If you've not been in any kind of surf conditions before, maybe try going in with just your fins and get the feel of the surge going in and out and ducking under waves. It takes a bit of practice. Going in with dive gear on would be like.....(thinking of an example) learning to snow ski with someone riding piggy back on you.

 

[jeckyll]

TSandM: I've found the same reactions on canceling motorcycle rides. There are some days you shouldn't be out there. Listen to your gut, it's right.

Anyone who'd give you a hard time about that (including yourself ) probably isn't someone you'd want to listen to. Clear rule 2 violation.

The second guessing is natural, but best ignored.

 

[Charlie59]

Scuba means never having to say your sorry.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Was I on that boat with you?

Yup, that was the trip. As far as I remember, the weather forcast was 1-3 offshore. We were getting that in protected waters and offshore was looking worse. That was a trip. Way too many signs that said call it to ignore.

Still had fun at Jazz fest.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You didn't miss much, Lynne ...

Got the call from Randy this morning at 7:30 that he was calling our class dive due to conditions. Jay's staying at my house because he's doing the Fundies with Steve this week-end ... so I decided to just head up with him and see if Steve wanted me to video the class for him. We left the house in a downpour ... which had tamed down to just a hard rain by the time we got to The Office. The wind was also starting to die down, and conditions looked fairly diveable ... it was 9 AM.

We got into our suits first ... and by the time Steve had gone through all the skills demos and we were gearing up to get into the water it was barely even raining ... we hit the water around 10:30.

Videoing the class was an exercise in futility ... vis was maybe 5 feet. In order to get close enough to see what they were doing, I had to get so close that I was in the way. I doubt I got any decent footage ... but at least I got to blow bubbles for an hour. I don't think the students (Jay and Mike) felt quite that optimistic about it all.

By the time we got out of the water the rain had pretty much stopped ... which was alright by me, as I was headed up to Edmonds to hook up with John Rawlings and Cheng for a dive. Vis at Edmonds was a little better ... maybe 8 to 10 feet. We got in a 72 minute dive out to the dry dock and surrounding structures. I got badly beaten up by a cabbie with an attitude ... he hit me at least five times. I hit him back each time, but he was very determined.

Bottom line is conditions were diveable today ... but certainly not worth feeling bad about missing. Vis sux right now ... glad we've got Canada happening in a few days ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)