MikeRiley
Registered
Hey guys,
I'm a new diver with 13 dives under my belt. On my last trip I had my first taste of being a 'diver on the boat' and I have some questions.
Up until that part I had been diving in close proximity to my instructor during my certification. My first trip after my OWD I went in low season to a company that really deals well with new divers. I ended up one on one diving with my dive master for the whole week. It was awesome but I'm a little nervous when I end up on a boat with strangers and don't know anyone. My spouse can't dive and I have not been able to convince any friends so far to come with me!
My two main questions are around safety...
1. Buddy System
- It seems that when a buddy gets randomly assigned it all goes out the window once you're in the water. In some cases the boat wasn't even assigning buddies. If that's the case, what are my best practices to stay safe? I make sure I stay with the group but I would love to always know I have that other person beside me and vice versa. I've considered buying a SpareAir or something along those lines just in case. I'm not really assertive enough to demand a buddy on a boat of strangers. I'm also concerned about if I get buddied up with a group and hold them back which leads me into my next point...
2. On the last trip I ended up on a boat with three experienced divers and the dive master. The two ladies paired up, one guy was a lone wolf and the dive master did his own thing. I tried to stick with the dive master but it ended to no avail. We were in Cozumel at Santa Rosa Wall and when we hit the current I got sucked away. I was really frustrated because there had been no briefing and until we went through the swim through I had no idea what was happening. in hindsight I see the importance of making sure I know what I'm getting into; up until then i had just followed my instructors lead.
I'm looking for some confidence building tips and safety practices. I feel that I'm safe and controlled under the water. i do worry about gear breaking or rough conditions someday putting me into a dangerous place though. I feel confident that in a one on one with my instructor I could stay calm and we could safely fix a problem that either of us had. But when I'm diving on vacation and don't know anyone on the boat I can see this happening more and more often. it's fine until there's a problem. Would a redundant air supply be a good way to fix these problems? If my buddy takes off at least I've got a backup if the group is a bit too far to get to me if my air goes? (I ensure I stay close to the group, but if my tank malfunctioned and I was 20 feet away I can't promise myself I wouldn't panic. I'm an air hog so a held breathe wouldnt last me very long if I was stressed and knew it was my last one..)
any help would be appreciated!!
I'm a new diver with 13 dives under my belt. On my last trip I had my first taste of being a 'diver on the boat' and I have some questions.
Up until that part I had been diving in close proximity to my instructor during my certification. My first trip after my OWD I went in low season to a company that really deals well with new divers. I ended up one on one diving with my dive master for the whole week. It was awesome but I'm a little nervous when I end up on a boat with strangers and don't know anyone. My spouse can't dive and I have not been able to convince any friends so far to come with me!
My two main questions are around safety...
1. Buddy System
- It seems that when a buddy gets randomly assigned it all goes out the window once you're in the water. In some cases the boat wasn't even assigning buddies. If that's the case, what are my best practices to stay safe? I make sure I stay with the group but I would love to always know I have that other person beside me and vice versa. I've considered buying a SpareAir or something along those lines just in case. I'm not really assertive enough to demand a buddy on a boat of strangers. I'm also concerned about if I get buddied up with a group and hold them back which leads me into my next point...
2. On the last trip I ended up on a boat with three experienced divers and the dive master. The two ladies paired up, one guy was a lone wolf and the dive master did his own thing. I tried to stick with the dive master but it ended to no avail. We were in Cozumel at Santa Rosa Wall and when we hit the current I got sucked away. I was really frustrated because there had been no briefing and until we went through the swim through I had no idea what was happening. in hindsight I see the importance of making sure I know what I'm getting into; up until then i had just followed my instructors lead.
I'm looking for some confidence building tips and safety practices. I feel that I'm safe and controlled under the water. i do worry about gear breaking or rough conditions someday putting me into a dangerous place though. I feel confident that in a one on one with my instructor I could stay calm and we could safely fix a problem that either of us had. But when I'm diving on vacation and don't know anyone on the boat I can see this happening more and more often. it's fine until there's a problem. Would a redundant air supply be a good way to fix these problems? If my buddy takes off at least I've got a backup if the group is a bit too far to get to me if my air goes? (I ensure I stay close to the group, but if my tank malfunctioned and I was 20 feet away I can't promise myself I wouldn't panic. I'm an air hog so a held breathe wouldnt last me very long if I was stressed and knew it was my last one..)
any help would be appreciated!!