Ideal diving conditions for new divers?

[teecup]

Hi everyone

Can you describe the kind of dive spot/diving conditions best suited for new divers? Will diving in freshwater be as safe as diving in the sea? Generally, what factors do you consider in deciding whether a dive spot is appropriate for novices?

As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[tplyons]

Depends how you define "new". For us, our local quarry is great for building skills before you head off to the ocean; if you screw up navigating you run into a wall and just have to swim back. Not to mention, no current.

Even 100 dives later, I still like to begin my year here as I work out all the kinks I developed over the winter.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Fresh water is likely without current, but may be cooler water than the ocean and visibility in the clearest water is limited compared to the ocean. My ideal conditions (ocean) for new divers: no current or minimal current; visibility 50 feet or greater; visible bottom no deeper than 50 feet;
Comfortable water temperature (78F or warmer); calm surface conditions. Frankly, Key Largo Pennecamp park meets these terms most of the year and is a great place for your first ocean dives. Similar condition can be found at Grand Cayman, Riveria Maya; and many places in the Caribbean.
DivemasterDennis

 

[teecup]

Thanks, Divemaster Dennis and typlyons!

New divers - First timers, people on their first few dives after finishing a scuba class

 

[TSandM]

Your certification card most likely says you are certified to dive in conditions similar to or better than where you got certified.

Our local divers certify in 50 degree water (if they're lucky) so saying that a novice should dive in water warmer than 78 degrees would mean none of our Seattle newbies would ever get to dive without getting on an airplane . . .

I think the bottom line is that a beginner site should not pose any problems that a novice diver can't solve. That means it should make it very easy to keep depth within the OW range (hard deck at or shallower than 60 feet). Entries and exits should not be more difficult than those managed during the OW dives, whether that's diving from a boat in calm seas, or a shore diving entry with minimal surf. Current should be mild enough to allow a diver to go upcurrent to help a buddy, and to allow easy return to the exit (not an issue with some boat dives). Visibility should be equal to or better than what the diver experienced in the class dives.

And, sad though I am to say it, the site really shouldn't involve any delicate structures that would be irreparably damaged by the inevitable loss of stability in the water column.

 

[jord1990]

Your certification card most likely says you are certified to dive in conditions similar to or better than where you got certified.

Our local divers certify in 50 degree water (if they're lucky) so saying that a novice should dive in water warmer than 78 degrees would mean none of our Seattle newbies would ever get to dive without getting on an airplane . . .

I think the bottom line is that a beginner site should not pose any problems that a novice diver can't solve. That means it should make it very easy to keep depth within the OW range (hard deck at or shallower than 60 feet). Entries and exits should not be more difficult than those managed during the OW dives, whether that's diving from a boat in calm seas, or a shore diving entry with minimal surf. Current should be mild enough to allow a diver to go upcurrent to help a buddy, and to allow easy return to the exit (not an issue with some boat dives). Visibility should be equal to or better than what the diver experienced in the class dives.

And, sad though I am to say it, the site really shouldn't involve any delicate structures that would be irreparably damaged by the inevitable loss of stability in the water column.

You described the place where I got certified. The problem that I have now is that I do not have any boat or real current experience. I'm thinking that the northern sea is an overkill for a beginning diver. So I would've liked current training and a boat dive.

Jord

 

[Agility]

If you cannot dive in conditions you already know from your course, find someone with more experience who will gradually lead you to rougher conditions. Do not underestimate the task loading of navigation an experienced buddy can relieve you of this.

 

[TMHeimer]

If you cannot dive in conditions you already know from your course, find someone with more experience who will gradually lead you to rougher conditions. Do not underestimate the task loading of navigation an experienced buddy can relieve you of this.

It's a tough question. Conditions similar or better than training--how do you get to being comfortable in more challenging conditions? I also would suggest gradually. A little more surf, surge-- a little less visibility. Maybe find a spot that has a weak current. A shore dive that gets you to 60' (20m) to simulate a boat dive, at least depth-wise.

 

[drrich2]

Can you describe the kind of dive spot/diving conditions best suited for new divers? Will diving in freshwater be as safe as diving in the sea? Generally, what factors do you consider in deciding whether a dive spot is appropriate for novices?

High viz. will help buddies stay together. There's one small danger with it, though. I've heard 2 accounts where northern divers, accustomed to light levels declining with depth, nearly ran into trouble in high viz. tropical waters, where viz. remains high well past 100 feet, and there's often no thermocline to alert you, either. I watched a student in an OW class in Bonaire zip off down the reef without realizing the depth she was headed into, and one recently certified in Nitrox head down for a close look at a big hawksbill sea turtle at around 130 feet (below the MOD for Nitrox EAN 32), without realizing it.

Also, it's been said some northern divers used to wearing heavy exposure protection requiring a lot of weight may over-weight themselves in the tropics, with little exposure protection. Somebody posted about someone getting ear damage from jumping in like that...

Returning to your question, I think a dive guide in the water so you don't have to task load with navigation would be good. High viz; being able to see the bottom, reef or walls can help you maintain your depth; blue water diving with no visible bottom is another story. Warm water is nice but not critical. Minimal current if any.

Richard.

 

[tracydr]

PADI has a course called Discover Local Diving which can be perfect for divers in a new environment, unsure of local conditions. This can get you out into colder waters, surf,current,lower vis, whatever the area has that you may not have experienced before.
Another option is to just take a specialty that you might be interested in,Peak Performance Bouyancy, Deep, AOW, whatever. This gets you into the area's water with a professional until you're more comfortable, instead of fumbling around with a buddy who is as novice as you are.
I say this from experience. I moves to WA state after certifying in TX. Warm lake water to the cold Puget Sound. Plus, my ex- husband hadn't dived in 15 years or more and refused to take a refresher. Imagine a brand new,OW diver with no dives outside of OW class, learning how to dive in the cold water of Puget Sound, plus teaching somebody who hadn't done anything but tropical diving and hadn't done that since before BCs with auto-inflators! Let's just say it was a pretty scary first few dives and I felt more comfortable solo diving at times than I did diving with my ex. Glad I survived and wish I could have done things differently.