I’m looking to improve my dive skills this year, would like comments from any and all

[Jay Cohen]

I’m looking to improve my dive skills this year, would like comments from any and all.

OW PADI 9/2008
AOW 5/2009-Bimini w my dive master

Spent most of summer diving White Star Quarry, once at Gilboa. 10/2009, great trip to Scuba Club in Cozumel. During the summer, took the Rescue class, along with getting a Dry Suit and becoming familiar with buoyancy, again….
I have about 40 dives.

While diving Quarries is a great way to work on skills, I have the Great Lakes within 2-4 hour drive, hence I’m pretty excited about Wreck Diving, as that adds not only a purpose to the dive, but more interesting goals and objectives, then just Quarry Diving.

I plan to take a PADI or comparable Deep Dive and Wreck Dive course to learn and understand the basics of being comfortable and safe at depth along with basic skills needed to “survey a wreck” as wreck penetration will come later, maybe much later, depending on my skill and comfort level.

I’m considering taking an NAUI Intro To Tech, as a primer to understand and practice some of the skills that are needed in that deeper range, though I have no desire at present to go any deeper the 120-130 and get into Deco Stage dives, though I might at some point.

Again, more dives, more education and when I feel really good with my buoyancy control, along with the skills need to be safe at depth, I’ll move on.
I’m probably going to move to some of the basic Tech equipment, Steel Tank, long primary, secondary around neck, at some point a basic BP/W, along with better lights.

So, I’m thinking that if I dive with a quality local dive shop, meet and travel to some other great shops along with meeting new divers on guided trips(think North Carolina this Fathers Day), get in as much diving as possible, work on the basics, I should be on my way to some great diving, and by this time next year, skills will be advancing to a higher level.

Any and all comments appreciated, sorry for long post, it’s a snowy Sunday morning in Western PA. --- Thanks in advance.

 

[idocsteve]

Remove weight in one or two pound increments every time you dive, until you cannot hold a safety stop at 15 feet with a near empty cylinder. Make sure your BCD is completely devoid of gas when doing the weight check.

 

[101recon]

I think it would be more prudent to stop removing weight BEFORE you cannot hold a safety stop.

 

[paddler3d]

The obvious answer, as you said, is to dive. Dive, dive, dive.

Expand your dive buddies. If you always dive with the same buddy, you learn that buddy and then that is it. If you dive with more people you will see behaviors and techniques that you will like and some that you will like.

Dive different rigs and configurations. Borrow your buddies rigs and try them. Again, you'll learn how different things impact you, but you won't know what will impact you until your try it.

If you haven't started all ready, start tracking and paying attention to your SAC/RMV. You'll be amazed out how you can quantitatively measure how much you've positively or negatively change something by paying attention to you gas usage.

Start saving money for expanding your gear.

Get more books about diving such as the Vance Harlow books and the NOAA Dive Manual.

Personally I have really enjoyed the VH Oxygen Hacker's Guide.

When you can and are ready, go for your DM cert. Working with new divers is an amazing experience.

Good luck!

 

[TSandM]

I would highly recommend considering an Essentials class. There is a UTD instructor in Detroit, James Mott, who has a fantastic reputation as a teacher. Here's a recent review of the class he taught in Florida.

Becoming a DM certainly hones your situational awareness and gives you practice helping other divers with problems, but it won't really improve your personal diving skills.

 

[idocsteve]

I think it would be more prudent to stop removing weight BEFORE you cannot hold a safety stop.

Let me clarify for the intellectually challenged.

Once you have removed a lb or two of weight and you can no longer hold a 15 foot safety stop with a near empty tank, go back to the prior weight configuration.

 

[101recon]

Let me clarify for the intellectually challenged.

Once you have removed a lb or two of weight and you can no longer hold a 15 foot safety stop with a near empty tank, go back to the prior weight configuration.

You are the one who made the "intellectual" statement suggesting that you blow a safety stop in order to get your weight right.And then you repeat it in your clarification.
I think it is much smarter to enter the water with a low tank to adjust your weight,instead of missing a stop after a dive in the first place.But maybe this is too simple.
Along with your superior intelligence,you have also demonstrated your advanced maturity in clarifying for the "intellectually challenged".Be assured that my dumb ass anxiously awaits the next bit of higher knowledge that you deign to bestow upon your underlings.

 

[idocsteve]

You are the one who made the "intellectual" statement suggesting that you blow a safety stop in order to get your weight right.And then you repeat it in your clarification.
I think it is much smarter to enter the water with a low tank to adjust your weight,instead of missing a stop after a dive in the first place.But maybe this is too simple.
Along with your superior intelligence,you have also demonstrated your advanced maturity in clarifying for the "intellectually challenged".Be assured that my dumb ass anxiously awaits the next bit of higher knowledge that you deign to bestow upon your underlings.

Who said anything about blowing or missing a safety stop? Besides YOU of course.

I said decrease weight in 1 to 2 lb increments. At worst you're going to be 2 lbs light when you've removed too much weight, so you hold the anchor line on that one dive.

 

[Jay Cohen]

Thanks very much for the solid suggestions. I'll look into the UTD courses, and will consider adding dive books to my library, as of now, I have just the basic PADI stuff.
I'll try to figure out how to compute SAC. As to DM, I might pass on that course this year, catch it again later, but I really have not interest in teaching, though I know it improves your skills, rather spend the money AND time on specialty classes, or more gear, or just more dive trips.
As to add/deleting weight, good idea, will practice in pool over the next month or so, and fine tune when I get into the Quarries, which I'm hoping will be end of March or first week of April.
Again, thanks very much.

 

[AfterDark]

Who said anything about blowing or missing a safety stop? Besides YOU of course.

I said decrease weight in 1 to 2 lb increments. At worst you're going to be 2 lbs light when you've removed too much weight, so you hold the anchor line on that one dive.

What do rock hoppers do? We have no to line to hold onto?