My husband and I got our open water certifications a few weeks ago and have the good fortune to be going to Grand Cayman next week. I was talking to one of the instructors at my dive shop, who said to be sure and get in a night dive while we're there. He gave me names of some dive shops he's used there, but said we didn't need a DM to dive with us. I said, "Even on the night dive?" He said, "Nah - you'll be fine... Diving in Cayman is pretty safe, even for beginners..." I was pretty surprised, because I've never done a night dive... In fact, I've only done my five open-water certification dives. Is it really safe to do this on our own? If not, please tell me what I need to ask for... Thanks!
Night Dive for Newly Certified OW Diver?
- Thread starter Happy2BMe
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jonix
Contributor
IMHO, i think it would be better if you have a DM with you. everything is different at night.
I'm not an experienced diver by any means but one of the dives on my course was a night one, and although we had dove the site 4 times before it was VERY different on the night one!
I would say make sure you have someone who knows the place or you may end up losing each other like I did!
I would say make sure you have someone who knows the place or you may end up losing each other like I did!
The night dive is well worth the extra organization needed.
Go with a group or take a dive master. Tell the divemaster that this is your first night dive, they will look out for you.
Some ideas;
Buy a pair of flashing tank lights; it is very easy to loose your dive buddy on a night dive. The tank lights make them easier to find again.
Either clip you light to your BC or wrist or get a backup. In the melee of entry or exit it is easy to have it knocked out of your hand. If you need to adjust your mask, gear etc you don't have to worry about loosing your torch.
Get in the water first that way you don’t get caught up in the crowd and it gives you more time to get comfortable before the descent.
Do NOT take a camera or anything else you don’t want to loose.
You don’t need 10 million candle power lights, something that’s small and clips to your wrist, takes 4 C cells or the equivalent.
When you have descended watch the divemaster, he will find things that your inexperienced eye never will. However if everybody else charges is to see then hold back. That’s the sort of melee where masks get knocked off and you don’t need that on your first night dive.
After all the excitement of the dive remember to inflate your BC when you get back to the surface. I know it is obvious but you would be surprised how many seem to forget it.
Have a fantastic first night dive, it is a magic experience.:shades:
Go with a group or take a dive master. Tell the divemaster that this is your first night dive, they will look out for you.
Some ideas;
Buy a pair of flashing tank lights; it is very easy to loose your dive buddy on a night dive. The tank lights make them easier to find again.
Either clip you light to your BC or wrist or get a backup. In the melee of entry or exit it is easy to have it knocked out of your hand. If you need to adjust your mask, gear etc you don't have to worry about loosing your torch.
Get in the water first that way you don’t get caught up in the crowd and it gives you more time to get comfortable before the descent.
Do NOT take a camera or anything else you don’t want to loose.
You don’t need 10 million candle power lights, something that’s small and clips to your wrist, takes 4 C cells or the equivalent.
When you have descended watch the divemaster, he will find things that your inexperienced eye never will. However if everybody else charges is to see then hold back. That’s the sort of melee where masks get knocked off and you don’t need that on your first night dive.
After all the excitement of the dive remember to inflate your BC when you get back to the surface. I know it is obvious but you would be surprised how many seem to forget it.
Have a fantastic first night dive, it is a magic experience.:shades:
By all means make the night dive(s), they are truly a window into another world.
By all means either have a DM escort you or enrole in a night dive specialty but do not just wander out alone as 2 very new divers.
Night diving is not difficult at all but the simple act of holding a light does represent significant task loading. Try reaching for your back dump valve with a light in your hand. It's easilly dealt with but while still geting familliar with things it adds to the task load. Communications is also different. There a few light signals you should know.
* A rotating beam is the OK question/response
* Waving the beam vertically is come here, come closer,
* Waving the beam horizontally is the HELP needed signal
For most hand signals you will need to shine your light on your own hand for it to be seen. Do not shine your light into another divers eyes since that will botch up the acclimation of their eyes to the darkness.
You will need to flash your instruments with light to see them or to keep the luninescent dials glowing. Being brand new divers be sure to study yopur gear, especially the BC carefully since you will be more reliant on touch. this will apply to your own or rental gear since you are so new.
Ideally you will enter the water at dusk so you get set-up in daylight and have dim light when you go down. A little depth and the setting sun will soon take you into the night.
Be sure to each have 2 lights, one as a back-up. They need not be huge for clear water diving.
If it gives either of you the creeps do not make the dive, you need to be relaxed. Excitement is OK, being creeped out is not worth it. I loved night diving from the first moment. My wife has made a few and enjoyed none of them even though whe really liked what she saw.
Do a search here for threads on Night Dives" and you will find more info than any text you can buy.
Have a great & safe time!
Pete
By all means either have a DM escort you or enrole in a night dive specialty but do not just wander out alone as 2 very new divers.
Night diving is not difficult at all but the simple act of holding a light does represent significant task loading. Try reaching for your back dump valve with a light in your hand. It's easilly dealt with but while still geting familliar with things it adds to the task load. Communications is also different. There a few light signals you should know.
* A rotating beam is the OK question/response
* Waving the beam vertically is come here, come closer,
* Waving the beam horizontally is the HELP needed signal
For most hand signals you will need to shine your light on your own hand for it to be seen. Do not shine your light into another divers eyes since that will botch up the acclimation of their eyes to the darkness.
You will need to flash your instruments with light to see them or to keep the luninescent dials glowing. Being brand new divers be sure to study yopur gear, especially the BC carefully since you will be more reliant on touch. this will apply to your own or rental gear since you are so new.
Ideally you will enter the water at dusk so you get set-up in daylight and have dim light when you go down. A little depth and the setting sun will soon take you into the night.
Be sure to each have 2 lights, one as a back-up. They need not be huge for clear water diving.
If it gives either of you the creeps do not make the dive, you need to be relaxed. Excitement is OK, being creeped out is not worth it. I loved night diving from the first moment. My wife has made a few and enjoyed none of them even though whe really liked what she saw.
Do a search here for threads on Night Dives" and you will find more info than any text you can buy.
Have a great & safe time!
Pete
Damselfish
Contributor
I've seen some people do their first night dives on their own off a boat in the Caribbean. The briefing would practically turn into a whole night dive class. If you had more experience and were very comfortable it might be ok to try it that way, especially if you had dove in some low viz at home. But without more experience than you have I think a DM would be a much better idea. At the very least do it later in your trip if you feel good about it, not the first night you're there! You might even consider doing a night dive specialty class and you'll get a couple night dives with a DM that way, I don't think alot of the specialties are that worthwhile but this one can be if you haven't done it.
If your bouyancy is not very good than maybe better to get that nailed better first. You will find this more difficult at night without as much visual reference. Getting in the water while it is still a little light is a good way to get used to things. You might also practice using a light during the day to get used to handling that, they are good for peeking under ledges and such anyway.
I disagree with the suggestion for flashing tank lights - tank lights are fine and some places require them, but I prefer steady on types. If there are other divers around the flashing can be annoying to them..
If your bouyancy is not very good than maybe better to get that nailed better first. You will find this more difficult at night without as much visual reference. Getting in the water while it is still a little light is a good way to get used to things. You might also practice using a light during the day to get used to handling that, they are good for peeking under ledges and such anyway.
I disagree with the suggestion for flashing tank lights - tank lights are fine and some places require them, but I prefer steady on types. If there are other divers around the flashing can be annoying to them..
jonix
Contributor
victor:
true for me as well. i just love doing night dives.
btw, on the flashing tank lights, i agree with Damselfish...they're quite annoying. try using those luminescent tubes. they don't strain the eyes as flashing ones does.
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In Cayman, aint nobody gettin' in the water without a DM. Not during the day, a for sure not at night.
More likely a "dusk dive" so the pre-dive thrashing around on the boat has a bit of illumination.
The briefing will be about "how to night dive" with an explanation that the ladder of the boat being marked with a flashing strobe. (This works pretty well until my buddy, that doofus from Chicago, jumps in with his newly acquired strobe going blink-blink-balink tied to his tank so everybody starts swimming after him at the end of the dive thinking he's the ladder. I seen it.)
Czyalume Glow Sticks are equally useless and they pollute the island with trash. They are a marketing gimmick at dive shops and serve no useful purpose. My LDS sells a lot of them to the girls at the local "Vegas Style Dancers Club" and they smear the glow juice all over themselves so the patrons can better see them in the dimply lit club... I guess- I wouldn't know. (But it just won't come out of my Polo Shirts) Glow sticks are absolutely a waste, some dive ops require them- it adds to their profits. Buy a battery powered version http://www.diversdiscount.com/resources/frameset-search.asp and be done with it.
The other excellent use for glow sticks is to attach them to the ceiling fan, turn off the lights and try and remember the sixties. If you can remember the sixties, this probably won't work for you, however.
Some think that they can "mark" their dive buddy with them. They are sure to stand out from the other twelve divers with the glow sticks. The red ones disappear visually, all the others look to be the same color. That doesn't work, either.
Go to Cayman, sign up for a "night dive". It will be the calmest easiest no-brainer night dive you'll ever have. It will be fun, no matter what!
Subsequent dives in other locations with more training will open up a whole new world to you. Turn out the lights and look at http://www.cocoviewresort.com/frontyard.html I do it at 8 and 11 p.m. whenever I'm there.
More likely a "dusk dive" so the pre-dive thrashing around on the boat has a bit of illumination.
The briefing will be about "how to night dive" with an explanation that the ladder of the boat being marked with a flashing strobe. (This works pretty well until my buddy, that doofus from Chicago, jumps in with his newly acquired strobe going blink-blink-balink tied to his tank so everybody starts swimming after him at the end of the dive thinking he's the ladder. I seen it.)
Czyalume Glow Sticks are equally useless and they pollute the island with trash. They are a marketing gimmick at dive shops and serve no useful purpose. My LDS sells a lot of them to the girls at the local "Vegas Style Dancers Club" and they smear the glow juice all over themselves so the patrons can better see them in the dimply lit club... I guess- I wouldn't know. (But it just won't come out of my Polo Shirts) Glow sticks are absolutely a waste, some dive ops require them- it adds to their profits. Buy a battery powered version http://www.diversdiscount.com/resources/frameset-search.asp and be done with it.
The other excellent use for glow sticks is to attach them to the ceiling fan, turn off the lights and try and remember the sixties. If you can remember the sixties, this probably won't work for you, however.
Some think that they can "mark" their dive buddy with them. They are sure to stand out from the other twelve divers with the glow sticks. The red ones disappear visually, all the others look to be the same color. That doesn't work, either.
Go to Cayman, sign up for a "night dive". It will be the calmest easiest no-brainer night dive you'll ever have. It will be fun, no matter what!
Subsequent dives in other locations with more training will open up a whole new world to you. Turn out the lights and look at http://www.cocoviewresort.com/frontyard.html I do it at 8 and 11 p.m. whenever I'm there.
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