In What Apparatus Do You Plan Your Dive?

[Ryan Neely]

As I progress upon my diver journey, I find myself wanting to log my dive plans -- time, depth, plans at depth. Partly, I want to do this to see how closely I'm able to match my planned dive profile. Partly, I want to dial in some of the more technical aspects of those dives that might revolve around search and recover or other activities.

My original thought was to find a way to make these notations in the notes section of my dive log prior to the dive, but I thought I'd ask what others are doing in this regard.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I don’t understand the question. Dive planning, as in depth and time? I get that. But logging a dive PLAN, as in before the dive? I’m confused.

 

[kafkaland]

I do it on a notepad, and then transfer the final plan to my wrist slate, which I have on me during the dive for reference.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Carrying the plan with you on the dive? Yes, slates and wetnotes are such “apparatuses.”

 

[TMHeimer]

I use a piece of paper with the standard old "dive profile" chart, whatever--what we were taught with doing tables in 2005. I keep it in a jar if on a boat, so my log book doesn't come along and get wet. Then I transfer the data into my paper log book. Most of my dives being very shallow shore dives, I usually do the whole thing after my second and final dive of the day, transferring info. from another piece of paper I take with me in the car. There is no chance of DCS if you're doing 45 minutes to 25 feet. On a boat, I do it all as I go, using my tables, as well as checking everything out on the DC of course.

 

[Ryan Neely]

Thanks everyone. @Lorenzoid, I'll try to clarify. I get the sense that for most typical rec dives divers "plan" by saying something like, "Okay. We're going to 50 feet and are going to stay for either an hour or when either of us (me or my buddy) use a third of our air first." In today's world dive computers, it doesn't seem like divers are putting much thought into the tables (if they're even being taught tables in the first place).

Maybe the point I'm trying to make here isn't as "beginner" as I first though, but what I'm forecasting for myself is a scenario like this:

My buddy and I are headed out for a dive on our lake. We discuss depth, time, and gas consumption as part of our "plan," but, aside from just swimming around and looking at stuff, while we're down there maybe we want to complete some practice drills (mask remove and replace, breathing from free-flowing regulator, helicopter turns, etc.) to keep those skills fresh. Putting that information on a slate is a great idea--something I hadn't thought about. I suppose it wouldn't take much to transfer that data to my log after the dive.

Let's suppose, then, during the previous dive, we have discovered a boat anchor lost by some fisherman. We've marked it's location and want to recover the anchor on the next dive. This would be a part of the new dive "plan," (what size of lift bag, for example).

I think, now that I've typed out more detail, what I was originally thinking was notating all of this "plan" information ahead of the dive in ... I don't know ... something like a "plan" section of a dive log. I didn't know if something like that existed, but it sounds like a piece of paper and a dive slate is likely what I'm looking for.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I'd recommend wetnotes. You can either use a graphite pencil to write and erase (the lead tends to break on wood pencils), or a Sharpie if you want a permanent template to reuse. Just don't use the Sharpie in the water .

 

[TMHeimer]

Most of my dives being solo and very shallow shore dives, there is no real plan other than which direction to go. Most of my charter dives have been pretty standard 2 tank dives. For an 80' dive, I plan 10 minutes out (to the end of the wreck perhaps), 10 minutes on the wreck/reef including return, and maybe 5 mins. around the anchor line. Then up with 5 minutes no stop time left. Adjust for different depths of course. I do check the remaining bottom time on the computer, though with most of those square profiles dives tables & analog work fine. The plan I propose to a buddy is like--first half I lead and we stay close to the wreck and the bottom while I hunt for shells. 2nd half you lead and do what you want. That plan has yet to fail.