Local Dive Customs

[kayakguy]

I've seen these folks, they are usually the ones in full wet suits in the warm tropical waters.

I dive in a full wetsuit in the tropics all the time, but I don't have any excess body fat due to having a very active lifestyle. I get chilly if I do multiple dives for a few days in a row.

Maybe it does look funny, me not being overweight and wanting to be comfortable and all. oh'well if you have ever seen me glad I could make you smile.

 

[foles1972]

I do most of of my diving around Cape Cod. The LDS has a charter boat that requires a pony bottle on any dive deeper than 100'.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I also dive a full suit in the keys. Depending on the time of year it may be a 5 or 3 mil. Or my polartech which is like a 3 without the inherent buoyancy. Of course I plan on multiple dives (usually 4). Up here though I dive dry and agree that I'm probably not gonna see some of the keys folks at 130feet down in 40 degree water. I also never hand up my fins but slip em over my wrist. That way if I should fall it's slip em back on and swim back easily to the ladder. I teach my students to do the same. I also tell the DM, mate, whoever to not touch my gear, especially my air.

 

[String]

You'd be met with a real torrent of abuse here if you insisted anyone remove fins to climb a ladder. Again local conditions dictate for safety reasons you keep your full kit on until safely sat down on the boat - that includes fins.

RIB diving obviously different - you pass weights then BC up then fin onto it.

 

[String]

You'd be met with a real torrent of abuse here if you insisted anyone remove fins to climb a ladder. Again local conditions dictate for safety reasons you keep your full kit on until safely sat down on the boat - that includes fins.

RIB diving obviously different - you pass weights then BC up then fin onto it.

 

[dmmike]

kayakguy,
I'm the same way, I wear a dry suit in water up to the high 70's, then its a 5/7mm for water thats 80~84 degrees. After 42 dives in a 14 day period, I add a 1mm hood and vest.

Yes, I geta lot a grief from lots of people on the dive boat but, I hate being CCCCCOLD.

And I don't mind cold water, several dives in 38 degree water and 48 is pretty normal off the coast of Mass.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

In Maui, that's always the case. I think I've read it's a regulation there. Sometimes there's 2.

In Hawaii there is wording that is open to different possible interpretations. I don't believe anyone has asked for a definitive interpretation, for fear that the most restrictive one will become "law." I can not find it online now, but I have seen it before. The wording is something like "divers must be under supervision."

A more plausable theory is that many dive charters here have had many experienced divers make negative comments with regard to Hawaii diving being boring and barren. Compared to other dive destinations, the unique nature of Hawaii diving does not hit you in the forehead like a ton of bricks.

We have a higher percentage of endemic species than most (any), but the mostly hard coral landscape means you must search for the rare stuff and know what it looks like. Now even the bottom end of scuba charters go out of their way to point out the stuff we have here that you can't see anywhere else, as well as typical stuff that hides very well.

By paying for the extra expense of a instructor/guide, vs the lowly DM of other locations, less of the experienced divers bad mouth the diving in Hawaii. Photographers are especially visible now, with online photo posting. The guide that shows the photog many good shots garners many more word of mouth customers. The reason there is very little dive taxi service here is probably due those businesses going out of business. In order to survive, we give you a guide.

Those crotchety old dive taxi fans are also notoriously cheap, and probably complain about the price of resorts and restaurants as well. Better that they stay in a condo after stopping at Costco and only do shore dives. At least then they only complain about the boring diving.

As usual, I am exaggerating a little, and there are quite a few SB members who are condo/Costco/shore divers AND do like Hawaii diving. The above ramblings are typecast generalizations and only apply to 95% of the tourist diving in Hawaii.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I have no interest in a DM led dive unless the DM is going to lead me to a whale shark. Otherwise, see ya back on the boat in about 75 minutes.

 

[Garrobo]

Personally, I like diving with a DM. It eliminates the problem I have with navigation. Another aspect is the added safety/comfort features. Most of the DM's I've dove with have thousands of dives and are pretty calm if or when something would go wrong. Since I usially dive with only a couple of operators they have gotten to know me and my abilities so if I decide to wander off on my own they don't get all excited about it. My favorite operator puts a DM in the water with every six divers at no cost. No machismo-driven ego problems here.

 

[robint]

Garrabo - it isn't about macho ego, it is that we don't like a DM leading us around as we have our own agenda.... shooting video and photo. When a group of 6 people is being led by a DM, when someone finds something everyone rushes in to see it.... not good for photos and some people are hogs and won't let others get the shot at all. We like being on our own, finding things, relaxing while we dive, no rush.

Fins - it's funny about fins. Some boats make you put them on at your seat! stupid! Others make you put them on at the gate.
Returning to boat - In Calif, most boats have a metal platform partially submerged in the water, which you come up on on your hands and knees. You lift up a leg and the DM on the platform takes your fin off, you lift your other leg and he takes off the other fin. Then you stand up and climb the ladder. I get ugly bruises on my knees, but in those rolling and surgy waters, its the only way to get back on the boat.