Just hit my 100th dive—besides diving, what’s next for skill development?

[grantmac]

I'd agree with the Fundies recommendation, even though I'm not a GUE diver and I generally prefer sidemount.

Referencing trim:
You see a lot of divers who can dive in trim when they are "locked" in but struggle with managing big departures from trim. That's where really solid skills lie. So you can peak under that ledge then back out, or descend through that hatch on the wreck and realign with the passageway you end up in. Especially diving dry those are challenging skills.

 

[christ0phe]

A lot of great responses, thank you! Unfortunately, there’s no GUE options it seems in North Carolina. I’m definitely gonna take a look at doubles options.

 

[christ0phe]

How's your frog kick? Pretty simple skill to figure out the basics, sets you up well for later tech training, and you can practice it on nearly every dive. Taking your time in the glide part of the kick cycle will give you a lot of kinetic feedback on your buoyancy + trim too.

Lance

Frog kick is my norm and locked in, but definitely need to dial in back finning.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never come across someone here that didn't say Rescue was something every diver should do.

 

[CWK]

Just keep diving different places - Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, Maldives, Philippines, etc., and take the SDI Solo and TDI AN/DP along the way. 100 is not a very large number, and 4 years is not a long time.

 

[gregbenson314]

A lot of great responses, thank you! Unfortunately, there’s no GUE options it seems in North Carolina. I’m definitely gonna take a look at doubles options.

It's definitely worth travelling the course. I flew from Scotland to Poland to take mine (including a 7 hour drive to and from the airport!) and still considered it worth it.

There's a massive GUE presence in High Springs, FL, so could that be an option?

 

[happy-diver]

I’ve really grown to appreciate the diver that NC conditions have made me.

Seems as though you are squared away in your mind through the varied diving you have experienced
where as people suggesting fundies, maybe needed an extra boost, to feel as confident in their diving

I would say keep doing what you are doing

Diving with two tanks only requires an extra tank regs and hoses, then the rest is up to your capability

 

[happy-diver]

Being horizontal is what you do while you are doing something else that is interesting to you.

Anticipating what may be around the corner to at least be partially ready for things I haven't anticipated
beats concentrating on how I get there, as no matter what in whichever style you dive you will get there

Otherwise it's not diving

Go and find yourselves a horizonal fish, unless it's asleep or dead

 

[happy-diver]

I've never come across someone here that didn't say Rescue was something every diver should do.

Paying $1000 to be tortured for a couple of weekends for something vigorous diving will bring anyway is not me

Although making divers aware of their perhaps lack of strength or capabilities regarding rescuing people for real
and from somewhere find the huge strength and discipline to rescue only themselves, must be quite educational

 

[boqurant]

Paying $1000 to be tortured for a couple of weekends for something vigorous diving will bring anyway is not me

Although making divers aware of their perhaps lack of strength or capabilities regarding rescuing people for real
and from somewhere find the huge strength and discipline to rescue only themselves, must be quite educational

There’s no substitute for experience, but there’s a reason in any discipline why people make the time and space to study, and do focused learning from more experienced people