Opinion: Diving without a DM (or instructor, etc.)

[Glotsalot]

My question is about diving without a DM (or instructor of the like): At what level of experience (generally) is it OK? That is assuming one is diving within one's physical means. I have friends getting their OW soon and they'd like to do some beach dives by themselves afterwards. The dives they have picked out are easy dives (they'd be good for OW classes), so it seems to me that it would be OK -- but I'm not sure what the general consensus is (I myself didn't do any dives without a DM or instructor until after my AOW).

Thanks in advance for the opinions!

 

[scubasean]

My question is about diving without a DM (or instructor of the like): At what level of experience (generally) is it OK? That is assuming one is diving within one's physical means. I have friends getting their OW soon and they'd like to do some beach dives by themselves afterwards. The dives they have picked out are easy dives (they'd be good for OW classes), so it seems to me that it would be OK -- but I'm not sure what the general consensus is (I myself didn't do any dives without a DM or instructor until after my AOW).

Thanks in advance for the opinions!

I think if they are OW-class type locations, it would be fine...Slow and sure, with education building each time is what I consider the right path. Keeping them focused, thinking about each step, learning, etc. is the right way to go.

In alot of cases, AOW is merely an extra five escorted dives.

 

[Gary D.]

My question is about diving without a DM (or instructor of the like): At what level of experience (generally) is it OK? That is assuming one is diving within one's physical means. I have friends getting their OW soon and they'd like to do some beach dives by themselves afterwards. The dives they have picked out are easy dives (they'd be good for OW classes), so it seems to me that it would be OK -- but I'm not sure what the general consensus is (I myself didn't do any dives without a DM or instructor until after my AOW).

Thanks in advance for the opinions!

Are you that unsure about your ability after the OW class that you still need a DM or Instructor around?

If you are it doesn't sound like your OW training was adiquate.

It just goes right back to knowing your limits and staying within them. Getting an AOW is just some additional training that should get you ready for a little deeper diving. You shouldn't still be holding hands by this point.

Gary D.

 

[OneBrightGator]

Theoretically speaking, you should be able to do dives without a DM or instructor right out of open water with the proper instruction. I suggest some very simple dives for my students after certification and to go easy, the dives they want to do will always be there.

Also, I would suggest you do some dives without a DM/instructor also (at least not in an instructional role) so you'll be prepared for your AOW. A mentor is a great thing, but hand-holding is not (I don't know what's going on in your situation, just making a point).

Ben

 

[Drew Sailbum]

To use the analogy, the Open Water certification is sometimes compared to a driver's license. We all hope that newly licensed drivers will use some common sense during their inevitible learning curve.

The newly licensed driver has no business heading out to drive the Indy 500 the next day. The new diver has no business solo cave diving the Florida springs on a CCR their first weekend out either.

Instead we hope that the new diver has taken one lesson to heart. Their experience is rather limited in scope. Ease into it. Take your time. Remind yourself to initially stay within all of the limits of your training. Expand your horizons slowly and don't be afraid to get advice or further training from more experienced divers.

 

[rab]

Gary D. and OneBrightGator are right. I just finished my first salt water dives this past week. The first four were shore dives that were no more than 20ft, but they allowed me to get my weighting/bouyancy pretty close. The second dive -- on the same tank -- showed that I was a few pounds underweight. Luckily another diver found a 3lb weight on the bottom and I was happy to carry it for him! :54:

When I did a 2 tank boat dive, the sites were a 72fsw sand-bottom wreck and a 35-45fsw reef. They were my first boat dives and the only other diver was a vacation diver who had been certified for 7 years, but only made about 10 dives per year. It seemed that we were both diving within our comfort levels.

The important thing is to limit the number of new elements. I did a few pool dives at the LDS with my full kit to figure out my fresh water bouyancy (6-8 lbs less than my OW certs!). Going from fresh to salt and from AL80 to E8-119 (steel) was almost a wash (+8 for salt; -6.5 for steel), but I was slightly off anyway. IF your friends take things step by step and LEARN from each dive, then there's no reason they can't dive right afterward. Heck, go with them and see for yourself how they do.

-Rob

 

[Michael Schlink]

You are certified to dive in similar conditions as you were trained, so if you were trained in those conditions you shouldn't need to dive with an Inst. or DM. I do think that you should take your AOW as soon as possible after your OW training. Follow your training and go for a dive w/o an Inst. and just be careful, have fun.

 

[MikeFerrara]

My first dives after certification were in the very place that I did my training dives. We didn't have an easy time, I'll tell you. During class we knelt on the bottom demonstrating skills and then followed the instructor or DM around in a gfroup for a few minutes.

While trying these dives alone we lost each other, suffered uncontrolled ascents due to poor buoyancy control and got hoplesly lost together. Some of these screwed up dives were after our AOW, BTW.

We survived it, sometimes had fun and we learned but we sure weren't ready at the time and there was a lot of luck (or some other intervention) envolved.

BTW, this was a 30 ft deep quarry. There were no waves, no current, nothing. You can't get much easier but we had some rough going for a while.

I wonder...years later now that I've been an instructor for two different agencies, hold full cave, trimix and about every other cert, do you think I could get my money back for those classes?

 

[xSandman3]

My wife, 1 daughter and I were certified on Saturday (the younger daughter has to do a make up dive next week), and we went diving yesterday by ourselves. We were trained very well, dived within our limits, and had a great time. I agree, diving in the same conditions as those you were trained in should be no big deal.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

My first dive without an instructor was the last dive of my OW class. The shop I dive with always does it that way in OW classes. Doesn't everybody?