Newly certified, wondering what the next step is

[j3rmzh]

Hey all, so far I have been plaguing the boards with newb questions but as of yet I haven't said hi to anyone on here.

I realize this is most likely in the wrong forum but wanted to also just say hi to all you PNW divers (I am located downtown BTW)

I recently was planning to get certified with some buddies so we can start diving together, however when it came time to sign up for the class it ended up being just me!

So here I am, newly certified, wondering what the next step is. I ended up accumulating some gear (BCD, Reg/octo/gauges) and am thinking the next thing I need to do is start to get acclimated to diving my own gear, I imagine this means things like learning proper weighting etc.

I know the only way to truly judge weighting is in the water, but when I did my OW cert dives (Mukilteo) I had a 7mil wet suit, al80 and I am 5' 9" 245# I had 36 pounds, my plan was to put 20# in my BC (OMS bp/w with weight pouches and 5# steel plate) and get belt with smaller 1 and 2# weights, dive with 36# and try the whole neutral buoyancy at 15 feet with 500psi at the end of my dive to "dial in" my weight.

Does this sound way off base? Should I be doing this with an instructor?

 

[nereas]

36 lbs of lead is about right for a thick wetsuit like that on a diver your size.

If you graduate to a drysuit, it may go down a little to 32.

You next step may be a drysuit class, which is usually some pool diving with a trip to the ocean and with an instructor. Some drysuit classes are pool only.

You may want to think about a nice SUUNTO wrist compass next as well. The console models are awkward.

A diving light and backup light would be a good purchase too.

Once you have a decent compass and light, you can then plan to take an AOW class, where they will take you on some night dives, and more navigation dives, as well as boat and deeper diving. In the meantime, if you go to the dive shop and buy the AOW kit, you can read the booklets in advance. A really great AOW class would have a nitrox segment as well, but normally you need to specially request this, and then you would be lucky to get it.

Then after your AOW course, which normally takes about 2 weeks, you would be ready for a rescue class. These are a lot of hard work. Once again, you can get the book and read it in advance.

In terms of long term gear purchases, here is what happens next in many cases:

Computer $400
Drysuit $2000
Steel tanks $350 each new / $75 used
Backplate/wing & STA $600
Photography $$$$
Spear fishing $100 to $1000
DPV $1000 to $5000

In terms of long term training, here is what often happens next:

AOW
Rescue
Nitrox
DM or DIRF
Technical diving

In terms of destinations, from the USA West Coast, here are some good places to go for warmer waters:

La Paz & Cabo BCS Mexico
Kona Hawaii
Florida Keys
Cozumel Mexico
Tahiti
Palau
Fiji
Cairns Australia

Your C-Card will allow you to make the world your oyster. This is priceless.

For everything else there is MasterCard, as you shall see!

Enjoy.

 

[TSandM]

j3rmzh, welcome to Puget Sound underwater!

The next step is to dive. There are a bunch of options for doing that. If the dive shop through which you got certified has an e-group, you can post on that to look for buddies (that's what I did). Most shops also have shop dives. Northwest Sports Divers, my LDS, usually has at least two a month. They'll make sure you're hooked up with a buddy. The bulletin board at nwdiveclub.com is also a good place to find buddies. We still have a fair amount of weather that's hospitable enough for wetsuit divers -- get out and use those skills!

As far as your weight goes, to begin with, I'd stick with what you wore in class. You can read any number of descriptions of how to do a formal weight check on this board; after your first couple of independent dives, do a formal weight check and see if you are correctly weighted.

I suspect that you may actually want to move some of that weight up onto your back. Rather than adding a belt for the weight you can't put in your integrated weight pockets, you might want to put weights in a couple of small weight pockets that you thread onto the cambands of your BP/W (congratulations on making THAT good decision, BTW). You're looking for a weight distribution that allows you to keep a horizontal position without effort.

One of the best ways to improve your skills and fun is to hook up with a mentor. There are several of us on this board who truly enjoy diving with new divers. I am one of them. Although my schedule has been crazy this summer, and I haven't managed to hook up with some of the new divers I've wanted to, things are getting a little quieter this fall. PM me if you'd be interested in going out and doing some dives with an experienced buddy. Believe it or not (and I didn't, when I was new) we really don't mind short dives or anything else -- We love the joy of new divers, and it makes the whole underwater scene new for us again, too.

 

[nereas]

j3rmzh, welcome to Puget Sound underwater!

...One of the best ways to improve your skills and fun is to hook up with a mentor. There are several of us on this board who truly enjoy diving with new divers. I am one of them. Although my schedule has been crazy this summer, and I haven't managed to hook up with some of the new divers I've wanted to, things are getting a little quieter this fall. PM me if you'd be interested in going out and doing some dives with an experienced buddy. Believe it or not (and I didn't, when I was new) we really don't mind short dives or anything else -- We love the joy of new divers, and it makes the whole underwater scene new for us again, too.

If you would be his mentor, TS&M, then I would agree that the next step is to dive.

However if not, then the next step may actually be the next class, AOW.

These days, it is possible to certify with only 4 open water dives. Four open water dives is not enough to train a safe diver. Therefore in those cases, an additional class, such as AOW, is highly warranted.

If he came through a reputable NAUI, YMCA, or SSI etc program AND was given 2 weekends and 8 dives in the open water, then that would be different. But stores that follow such a routine are rare these days in the 21st Century.

It all depends!

 

[TSandM]

Oh, nereas, I totally agree with you, that many OW classes don't send students out with the tools to dive, especially in Puget Sound.

Where we disagree is the idea that AOW fills in the gaps. I tried that myself. It didn't do much of anything. Finding a mentor is what ended up keeping me diving.

 

[nereas]

TS&M if you are going to start mentoring yourself out as a mentor, you should be aware of the D/M and/or instructor qualifications that such a person needs to be proficient in. This is because ANYTHING can happen with a novice buddy. This is different than is the case with a completely well trained buddy.

What if your novice buddy starts to bolt to the surface? What are you going to do then?

What if your novice buddy reaches for and takes your primary reg? What are you going to do then?

What if your novice buddy descends below 130 fsw? What are you going to do then?

What if your novice buddy wants to return to the sea for a repetitive dive with less than a 1 hour surface interval? What are you going to do then?

Have you decided in advance?

Have you practiced? These are what is called "combat conditions" and you must be able to react reflexively. (In this case, what is being combatted is panic in another diver, and the outcome could be death for one or both of you.)

Next time you go diving with your lucky hubbie, ask him to practice each one with you, unannounced.

1) Have him start to bolt to the surface (stopping half way, of course), and see if you can catch his leg or fin, and pull him down, then grab his waist belt, and shake your pretty finger in his face, and shake your head, and then motion him to rise slowly not bolting. And accompany him closely during the ascent.

2) Have him grab your reg out of your mouth, by surprise. Then tuck your chin, and back away from him, the full distance that your long hose allows, and then put your necklace-reg into your mouth, and be ready to curl up your legs and push him away with your feet.

3) Have him start to descend below 130 fsw. Then get down there and grab his tank valve and pull him back up to 100.

If you dont practice, then your novice buddy might be gone and dead before you can react. It is of course better to learn these skills in an ITC. But if you don't have time, you can practice on your own. That is called visualization and self-discovery. It is a variation of trial and error. Hopefully you won't make any errors.

 

[nereas]

Oh, nereas, I totally agree with you, that many OW classes don't send students out with the tools to dive, especially in Puget Sound.

Where we disagree is the idea that AOW fills in the gaps. I tried that myself. It didn't do much of anything. Finding a mentor is what ended up keeping me diving.

Not especially in Puget Sound. Everywhere. Everywhere that someone can put another dollar in.

AOW does not need to fill in the gaps. It simply needs to finish the initial job. The basics. Although AOW may be a misnomer, it is at least a completion of the initial open water process.

These days, a diver is not truly a proficient diver until he/she has completed either a D/M program or else one of JJ's or AG's fundamentals courses. And not even a safe beginner until she/he has completed about 8 to 10 dives.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

The AOW class / Night/limited visibilty diving is a definite must in the PNW!

 

[TSandM]

nereas, your list of things is the reason that I periodically consider doing a DM course, simply because I really enjoy taking newer divers out, and you're right -- anything can happen.

Although after AOW, I don't think you can say that all those issues are resolved, and those people go diving all the time with one another, without the skills you're talking about. I've had Rescue; how much more is really morally required to go diving with another certified diver? I'm not talking students, here.

Actually, I think I'll start a thread about it.

 

[nereas]

nereas, your list of things is the reason that I periodically consider doing a DM course, simply because I really enjoy taking newer divers out, and you're right -- anything can happen.

Although after AOW, I don't think you can say that all those issues are resolved, and those people go diving all the time with one another, without the skills you're talking about. I've had Rescue; how much more is really morally required to go diving with another certified diver? I'm not talking students, here.

Actually, I think I'll start a thread about it.

In rescue they teach you how to rescue. They do not teach you how to complete the instruction process for an undertrained diver. That is why a D/M course would indeed be excellent.