Newbie Diver - Diving MA/RI - Diving with a DM/Instructor??

[sunshinemusic]

Hi ScubaBoard! My first time posting!

I am a VERY new diver - have 2 dives under my belt since my OW in December and I live in Boston currently, but may be moving to Providence. I want to keep diving but I have never dived cold water before but I am willing to try. But my issue is I am definitely not comfortable not diving without an instructor or DM yet but most people in the NE forums seem to be super advanced and cool and for little newbs like me, I am intimidated and a lot of the shops I've seen do not really cater for newer divers with their charters I see offered. Am I just wrong? Any shop recommendations for charters? Should I do a dry suit cert to prepare myself?

 

[Steve_C]

I have not used them but have heard that there is a shop just north of Boston ( about am hour) that will run guided shore dives. Also, many charters will have an arrangement to rent a DM if you want a skilled buddy. Note that renting a DM for a boat charter can run from cheap, say $40 to you having to buy half an extra ticket (if they get an instructor discount) to you buying a full extra ticket plus paying the DM. If some one else does not chime in I can look up the name. PM me.

 

[Tug]

If you're looking for a charter boat, Boston Scuba runs a great one. All of the local boats don't put a DM in the water, but if you give them a call, I'm sure you can hire a private one. If you want to shore dive, my recommendation is to hit up the people at East Coast Divers in Brookline. They have a very active group of people that shore dive (including plenty of new divers).

I always recommend a dry suit to those people that think they will be diving locally. Most shops will throw in a drysuit class when you purchase a suit from them which gives an added bonus. There are a few shops around that have rental drysuits, but they might require a drysuit card.

I dive frequently around here so don't hesitate to ask any more questions.

EDIT: I know Cape Ann Divers had free guided shore dives, but I believe you need to have taken a class from them.


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[sunshinemusic]

Thanks guys! That was super helpful. I guess I'm just kind of nervous. I'm not very confident in my skills yet and I feel like I don't have enough dive experience to be a good buddy to someone else when I still am not great at bouyancy or have my own dive computer yet but I guess we all have to start somewhere right? I also did not get a massive amount of practice doing my compass skills during my OW dives. I also have never done a shore dive, only boat/giant stride entries so far.

 

[large_diver]

We've all been newbies and all felt outclassed before. Don't let that stand in your way! The best way to start building comfort and skills is to get out diving as soon as things warm up around here.

Multiple shops in greater Boston run guided shore dives or at least organize group dives almost every weekend June-August. This takes different forms depending on the shop and sometimes the day =

Cape Ann Divers: Photo Gallery

Mass Diving, Inc. - Shore Dives

East Coast Divers | Shore Diving Schedule - East Coast Divers

What I mean is sometimes this is truly a guided shore dive with a certified DM; sometimes it is a group of people that meet up to dive and you are paired up with a buddy and sent off as a buddy team alone after being given a briefing. Most shops try to evaluate the abilities/comfort level/experience of each diver and pair you up with a buddy or small group that is an appropriate match for who you are. This is the way I started out diving locally after my cert class. If you are completely new to cold water and aren't feeling comfortable, you could call one of these or another shop and see if you can hire a DM for the day....or at least confirm that you would be able to dive with an instructor/DM in one of these larger group settings. Most charter boats in New England do not usually have a DM in the water, but again you might be able to hire one.

Cape Ann Divers and Boston Scuba are worth a call = both have shops, do instruction and run charter boats...full service operations.

Boston SCUBA

Definitely give it a try - there are plenty of resources around to help new divers...and all are pretty welcoming.

Chris

 

[sunshinemusic]

Hey Chris, thank you so much for the encouragement! I will definitely reach out to the shops once it gets a bit warmer. I just get so intimidated but I know that as a sport, you just have to keep diving to get better.

 

[FaithC]

Hi There!
I got my cert two years ago and in order to really practice what I learned, I committed to local shore diving. I'm in CT but two of the shops I frequent host picnics/drive & dives once a month in the summer at Fort Wetherill in Jamestown, RI. I did at least 10 dives this way and they pair you up with someone responsible and experienced enough to be a good buddy.

Through ScubaBoard I've met Jordan (After Dark) who knows all the ins and outs of RI shore diving. I can't wait to go diving with him again. So don't limit yourself to boat dives, RI has a lot of great shore dives that will allow you to practice your new diving skills in some safe locations. In my opinion save your boat diving for the Keys. [emoji4]

-Faith

 

[drunkendiver]

I still am not great at bouyancy or have my own dive computer yet but I guess we all have to start somewhere right? I also did not get a massive amount of practice doing my compass skills during my OW dives. I also have never done a shore dive, only boat/giant stride entries so far.

I wouldn't worry about a computer at this point. After 25 years I still don't have one but think it would be nice. My buoyancy isn't spectacular either because nearly 100% of my dives I'm heavy on the bottom chasing bugs. I do make sure my basic compass skills are adequate because if I'm out in the early a.m. and the fog rolls in I want to know which way back to shore if I have no visual.

On the Cape divers used to gather at Town Neck beach for Sunday morning dives organized by dive shops so you could get paired up with a compatible buddy if you wanted one. Large_Diver gave you some good links to check out. I'm sure they have something like the Sunday shore dives up at Folly Cove or similar. The nice thing about places like Folly Cove or Stage Fort Park is that you can mess around and practice your skills at a beginner friendly dive site. I'm not familiar with Boston's shore dive sites but I'm sure they have similar places.

 

[AfterDark]

Hi ScubaBoard! My first time posting!

I am a VERY new diver - have 2 dives under my belt since my OW in December and I live in Boston currently, but may be moving to Providence. I want to keep diving but I have never dived cold water before but I am willing to try. But my issue is I am definitely not comfortable not diving without an instructor or DM yet but most people in the NE forums seem to be super advanced and cool and for little newbs like me, I am intimidated and a lot of the shops I've seen do not really cater for newer divers with their charters I see offered. Am I just wrong? Any shop recommendations for charters? Should I do a dry suit cert to prepare myself?

If you get to RI shoot me a PM. I'll hook you up with the best LDS near Providence, full service, large inventory and charters for all levels. If you'd like you can dive with me later this summer. My start will be delayed this year due to health issues (sorry Faith) but as soon as I am able I'll be back in the water.

You need to think of your skills more confidently, you did after all pass the course. Buoyancy is just a matter of doing the more you dive the better you'll get heck all of diving is like that. Sometime I have trouble explaining the mechanics of a skill because it such a second nature thing I don't give it much thought. After 2000+ dives you'll see what I mean. Good luck and safe diving.

 

[divin'dog]

Hi ScubaBoard! My first time posting!

I am a VERY new diver - have 2 dives under my belt since my OW in December and I live in Boston currently, but may be moving to Providence. I want to keep diving but I have never dived cold water before but I am willing to try. But my issue is I am definitely not comfortable not diving without an instructor or DM yet but most people in the NE forums seem to be super advanced and cool and for little newbs like me, I am intimidated and a lot of the shops I've seen do not really cater for newer divers with their charters I see offered. Am I just wrong? Any shop recommendations for charters? Should I do a dry suit cert to prepare myself?

As a new diver, there are a lot of skills to remember and a lot of skills to hone. It's a lot of work as a new diver. That's why it's nice to find someone else who is of similar skill level as yours or find an experienced diver who has the patience to mentor you. They're out there but you need to do the dirty work to find them. There are many Boston/Metro dive clubs around. If you visit, I'm sure you would find them to be friendly and welcoming. We all had to start with our first dive... Go to a club meeting. You just might find the right buddy there.

As for cold water diving, there is a learning curve to getting used to it, esp if you did not get certified in it. There are tips and tricks to making it easier. My advice for a dry suit is to wait but there are others who probably say go ahead... I just think you need to build up some basic skills of diving before adding another skill to the list to learn.

There are many very easy dive sites in the NE area. Use them to build up your confidence. As a new diver, a shore dive will let you get in and slowly increase the depth and difficulty as you get more comfortable in the water. You can dive in 10' of water along the shore until you feel like venturing out further. Stage Fort Park, mentioned above, is such a site. Hiring a DM to dive with you is one approach to overcome your intimidation if you can't find anyone to dive with. Just don't make it a crutch. I felt intimidated on my first dive in the ocean. Find a good group of divers/club who understand your situation and will be supportive of your growth. It's so much easier to learn from an experienced diver than to learn from your own mistakes. By all means, take up AfterDark's invitation to dive with him.

Above all, have fun and be safe. It's supposed to be enjoyable (whether you like it or not!).