diver 85
Contributor
I can see you've never heard of/read about the Nocturnal Creature of the Deep......I would do a little digging 1st.......
New to Night Diving
- Thread starter Blackrock
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CamG
Contributor
My best recommendation would be to at least grab the AOP material and if time permited start with the night dive portion. I might be possible to complete the night dive portion on site on your planned trip. But atleast read the material and brush up on your basic skills. I had the privilage of a incredible night dive this summer at local dive spot! Two hours and 2 min. latter I could not believe the life that come out after dark. It has actually become one of my favorite times to dive! I cant think of any better advice than find a good instructor or divemaster and follow their guidance. Have a incredible time! Keep diving, keep training, keep learning!
waynel
Contributor
I did not night dive until I had AOW. However, at the very least you should get a DM to make your first night dive with you. Don't let anyone fool you, night diving is different. Your reference points, how you might respond to an emergency, reaction times, etc. are always different in the dark. Want proof? Try this. Walk around your house or apartment with all the lights on, and then turn all the lights off and walk around with a flashlight. If you can't just "feel" that it's different even though you know that space like the back of your hand, then congratulations, you've evolved to a higher level above humans. You'll navigate the rooms just fine, but there is definitely a different feeling. Book falls off the shelf with the lights on: one response. It happens in a dark room: a hightened response. Just human nature.
Now imagine doing the same thing undewater. Anytime you do something new in diving without additional training, get a DM. Yes, night diving is way cool...but not worth risking your life over to save the cost of a guide.
Now imagine doing the same thing undewater. Anytime you do something new in diving without additional training, get a DM. Yes, night diving is way cool...but not worth risking your life over to save the cost of a guide.
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
Blackrock,
You'll really love Bonaire. I was there last year around Christmas...and will be there again this year. 2 weeks there will enable you to get a really good feel for the island. Last year I brought a novice diver college roommate along. He had only completed his OW dives prior to our trip. To make a long story short, he did great. He gradually increased his max depth during the course of our stay and even did a night dive. I'm sure you'll do fine, too. I really don't buy into the hogwash of getting the AOW certification to become "certified" to do a night dive. For certification purposes, PADI AOW requires students to read 17 pages in the book and do a grand total of one night dive. In my mind, a lot of night diving is really just common sense:
(1) Use a dependable primary light source (fresh batteries are good)
(2) Have a working backup light with you (test it before the dive)
(3) Take along a compass and know how to use it
(4) Do the identical dive site in the daytime FIRST
(5) Review communications/hand/light signals ahead of time with your buddy - some helpful signals are: (a) slowly make a large circle with your light to indicate "OK", (b) move the light back and forth horizontally rapidly get your buddy's attention in an emergency, (c) shine the light onto your other hand to give the usual dive signals, (d) be careful never to shine your light into your buddy's eyes - it could blind him!
(6) Scout out the site on a previous night to see what kind of lights will be shining to help guide your exit.
Having done some night dives on Bonaire, I can tell you that you don't need to plant some lights on the beach ahead of time to help guide your exit. You should be able to figure out where your truck is parked on the beach relative to the street/house lights on shore. (This is where surveying the site on a previous night helps.) I realize that the PADI AOW book recommends leaving lights on shore to mark entry/exit, but I've always thought that this is a great way to get your lights stolen. As divers who visit Bonaire know, petty theft is an issue on the island.
Tank marker lights are useful to differentiate you and your buddy from the other divers enjoying the same dive site at night. I wouldn't say that they're required, though.
As has been mentioned, one of the challenges of night diving can be orientation. Know how to use your compass and ensure that you're heading east (toward shore) at the end of your dive. If you follow the contour of the bottom as you swim in, you'll be sure to do a 3 minute "safety stop" while still swimming in and checking out the cool night critters. Pretty much all of the dive sites in Bonaire allow one to swim right up onto the beach if necessary. The only bit of cautionary advice I would give is to be careful during the exit. The "ironshore" is laden with potholes. I gave my buddies a good laugh when I inadvertently turtled myself. Hard-soled booties are a must in Bonaire.
I would encourage you to listen to the helpful advice of Damselfish, dwallace, sjspeck and TSandM. All of them made excellent points in their posts. Conditions are so good (viz, sandy bottom) in Bonaire that I can't think of a better place to learn how to do night dives.
I wasn't able to do the Town Pier night dive last year. I'll definitely be doing it this year.
The only other bit of advice I have is to get Nitrox certified beforehand. The outfit that rented us tanks/weights for the week offered a free nitrox upgrade during our stay. We're looking forward to taking advantage of this deal again.
Enjoy your dive trip and be safe.
You'll really love Bonaire. I was there last year around Christmas...and will be there again this year. 2 weeks there will enable you to get a really good feel for the island. Last year I brought a novice diver college roommate along. He had only completed his OW dives prior to our trip. To make a long story short, he did great. He gradually increased his max depth during the course of our stay and even did a night dive. I'm sure you'll do fine, too. I really don't buy into the hogwash of getting the AOW certification to become "certified" to do a night dive. For certification purposes, PADI AOW requires students to read 17 pages in the book and do a grand total of one night dive. In my mind, a lot of night diving is really just common sense:
(1) Use a dependable primary light source (fresh batteries are good)
(2) Have a working backup light with you (test it before the dive)
(3) Take along a compass and know how to use it
(4) Do the identical dive site in the daytime FIRST
(5) Review communications/hand/light signals ahead of time with your buddy - some helpful signals are: (a) slowly make a large circle with your light to indicate "OK", (b) move the light back and forth horizontally rapidly get your buddy's attention in an emergency, (c) shine the light onto your other hand to give the usual dive signals, (d) be careful never to shine your light into your buddy's eyes - it could blind him!
(6) Scout out the site on a previous night to see what kind of lights will be shining to help guide your exit.
Having done some night dives on Bonaire, I can tell you that you don't need to plant some lights on the beach ahead of time to help guide your exit. You should be able to figure out where your truck is parked on the beach relative to the street/house lights on shore. (This is where surveying the site on a previous night helps.) I realize that the PADI AOW book recommends leaving lights on shore to mark entry/exit, but I've always thought that this is a great way to get your lights stolen. As divers who visit Bonaire know, petty theft is an issue on the island.
Tank marker lights are useful to differentiate you and your buddy from the other divers enjoying the same dive site at night. I wouldn't say that they're required, though.
As has been mentioned, one of the challenges of night diving can be orientation. Know how to use your compass and ensure that you're heading east (toward shore) at the end of your dive. If you follow the contour of the bottom as you swim in, you'll be sure to do a 3 minute "safety stop" while still swimming in and checking out the cool night critters. Pretty much all of the dive sites in Bonaire allow one to swim right up onto the beach if necessary. The only bit of cautionary advice I would give is to be careful during the exit. The "ironshore" is laden with potholes. I gave my buddies a good laugh when I inadvertently turtled myself. Hard-soled booties are a must in Bonaire.
I would encourage you to listen to the helpful advice of Damselfish, dwallace, sjspeck and TSandM. All of them made excellent points in their posts. Conditions are so good (viz, sandy bottom) in Bonaire that I can't think of a better place to learn how to do night dives.
I wasn't able to do the Town Pier night dive last year. I'll definitely be doing it this year.
The only other bit of advice I have is to get Nitrox certified beforehand. The outfit that rented us tanks/weights for the week offered a free nitrox upgrade during our stay. We're looking forward to taking advantage of this deal again.
Enjoy your dive trip and be safe.
I do not know how a facility can say going in LI Sound is a "waste of time"..I find it more enjoyable than Dutch..You can get lobsters-blackfish-fluke etc or go for antique bottles,dive on 3 different sunken intact tug boats in the western end of the sound,night dive..Yes there are times of no visibility but the usuall is 5' and we have many days this past season of 8'-12'..You do have to go out on a boat as the shore diving is very limited as to access.
caseybird
Contributor
Hi,
I don't have access to my own boat, do you know any charter ops? I would like to try something a little more local. I see you have your own shop, are you in Westchester?
Thanks,
sold the facility a while ago.Yes in Westchester and teach both independent and for a local facility.Orbit marine has a boat up in CT and I sometimes take people out on a local chartered boat out of New Rochelle.
Excuse me if I offend but with 25 dives you do not know what you do not know. Night diving is not hard but it adds a significant complication and some people freak the first time. Please do not do your first night dive unguided. If you cannot afford a guide do not do it. I do not think hurting yourself is as likely as hating it and not doing it again because you were not ready.
pediatron
Contributor
We had some great night dives in Bonaire last July (and are planning our next trip for June!). Where are you staying? We were at Den Leman and had the well-lit pier with real steps for exit right outside our room. You could just swim right around the pier at shallow depth for your first "night dive" and branch out from there. We did our last night dive at oil slick leap and it was fabulous. For extra comfort we tied a small tank strobe to the mooring line and kept it in sight. (don't flame me - it was on the rope!) Another dive couple placed a light on the stairs which we appreciated when we went to exit. Bonaire is a great place to do night dives and I hope you find a way to make it work out for your situation.
nereas
Contributor
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If you have a really bright light, then night diving is no different than day diving. But I would also recommend an AOW course, in which they normally cover night diving and take you on a few night dives.
My light is a SARTEK HID 21 watt. Cost is around $1000. Well worth it!
My light is a SARTEK HID 21 watt. Cost is around $1000. Well worth it!
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