My first wreck dive!!!

[rottielover]

*Stupid Newbie question alert*

I'm confused on something.. If you go on a "wreck dive" is that going inside the wreck (requiring special training) ? Can you "visit" wreck sites as an Open Water diver, just looking on the outside?

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

*Stupid Newbie question alert*

I'm confused on something.. If you go on a "wreck dive" is that going inside the wreck (requiring special training) ? Can you "visit" wreck sites as an Open Water diver, just looking on the outside?

A wreck dive is whatever you want it to be. Nobody is going to be down there telling you what you can and cannot do - you can penetrate or not. Penetrating a wreck w/o the proper training, equipment, and skills can kill you. I think once you see your first wreck that you will understand - there will/should be things that you can immediately tell that you are comfortable or uncomfortable with - you should listen to these things. Just going on a wreck dive does not mean you have to 'enter' the wreck.

 

[Big Jay]

A wreck dive is whatever you want it to be. Nobody is going to be down there telling you what you can and cannot do - you can penetrate or not. Penetrating a wreck w/o the proper training, equipment, and skills can kill you. I think once you see your first wreck that you will understand - there will/should be things that you can immediately tell that you are comfortable or uncomfortable with - you should listen to these things. Just going on a wreck dive does not mean you have to 'enter' the wreck.

Exactly.

A wreck dive is whatever you want like what was said.

However, penetrating a wreck without knowing what you are doing is a BAD IDEA. I'll admit, I said to myself whats so hard about that? Then i went on this dive, even though the wreck was broken up, there was a larger shaft tunnel for the propellar sitting on the bottom. I took one look down this 50' long tunnel and said to hell with that! I am not going in there.

The amount of disorientation, possibilty of getting actually lost inside a wreck, and becoming entangled is downright SCARY! Not to mention alot of the penetrable wrecks around NJ (ie: Great Isaac) are falling apart. Getting pinned in a room inside a wreck that collapsed on you 90' down is probably not that fun.