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

[HammerNoMore]

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!

Diving is a learing process and as many have said, babysteps are the way to go. I wouldn't recomend jumping out of open water and going off on a challenging dive on your own but if your friends finish their OW class and don't feel confident in doing an "easy dive" then they need to talk to their instructor about it.

The biggest concern for many when they go off on their own the first time is navigation. If they have the navigation down then I'd say go for it.

James

 

[Walter]

AAAHHHH and people wonder why I rant about the quality of training.

 

[HammerNoMore]

AAAHHHH and people wonder why I rant about the quality of training.

Actually I've found that as long as you get your training local (for those that live in the US, in other places YMMV) you a likely to find good quality training, with a few exceptions. Though I also believe you get out of your training what you put into it. If you are able to put the right answer down on the test but really don't "get it" and fail to mention this to your instructor that is your own fault.

My beef is more about the quantity of training, not the quality. OW should be far more extensive than it is. Can't blame this on the instructor though....

James

 

[BigJetDriver]

I also believe you get out of your training what you put into it. If you are able to put the right answer down on the test but really don't "get it" and fail to mention this to your instructor that is your own fault.

My beef is more about the quantity of training, not the quality. OW should be far more extensive than it is. Can't blame this on the instructor though....

James

James, Mike, et al,

Both James and Mike make very good points here. James hits the nail on the head when he points to the student's personal responsiblity to make every effort to maximise his or her own learning.

Mike makes the point that his original training was perhaps not all it should have been, and backs it up with a very good: "I learned about diving from that!" story!

Smart divers realize that Basic Open Water is just that, "Basic", and that there is much more to learn. They then begin, as some of the other writers here have specified, to try things out cautiously on their own. They also seek out further training when they are ready.

Some of us remember the days when training involved push-ups on the beach WITH tanks on, diving with "horse-collars" while practically strapping weights to our naked bodies with barbed wire, and the "devil take the hind-most" attitude!

Thankfully, that "SEAL WANNABE" mentality has faded out, but, as Mike has often pointed out, there ARE differences in the quality of training available, even within agencies.

It is incumbent upon each student to seek out good instructors, through references and reputation, and to make every effort to maximise each training opportunity.

 

[ChrisA]

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!

In theory if you passed the OW class then you are OK to dive
with another OW diver in conditions that are like those where
you did your OW dives. I'm a new diver also. My plan is to
stick with easy dives for a while until everything becomes
completely second nature. and sign up for AOW soon.

 

[DeputyDan]

My last dive in OW training was my last dive with a DM.

I have never dove since with a DM. Why would I want to?

I do agree that navigation can be an issue.

 

[Damselfish]

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?

Mine too, small class and we were done with all the skills. Guess instructor decided we weren't going to kill ourselves, declared us certified, told us to plan a dive and do it on the site we had just dove. He watched and and told us everything we did wrong afterwards.

 

[PolsVoice]

My first post-OW dive was with a buddy from the class and we just went to the same pond where we did our checkout. No boats, no real hazards, it was cool.

Shortly after that I got acquainted the with magic of Cozumel and was diving with my buddies down there... first with a DM and later with just me and some friends. 80F water... 100+ ft. vis... yeah!!!!

I agree with the consensus that a slow progression is good. Push your limits but push them lightly. It's also good to push them with someone who has more experience than you.

NAUI recommends that their OW cert qualifies you to dive in environments similar to those in which you were trained. To me this is a "well... duh" comment but is a good guideline.

Just have fun and don't do anything you are uncomfortable with.

Peace.

-PV.

 

[BobRussell]

My O/W training dives were in cold (55) water with 4-6 feet of vis. My first dives without an Inst/Dm were in tropical water with 100ft vis and 80 degrees. It was easy.

 

[cobaltbabe]

If I am diving with a group that has a DM then I use a DM because it is a club and that is what they do but for the most part I do not dive with one at all.

As far as diving alone. NEVER. Even in a shallow dive there can be things that can keep you from surfacing and if you are a new diver and panic you may not be calm enough to evaluate the situation and get yourself out of it. I am talking fishing line and the such. I always dive with people I trust and know their equipment as well as I know my own. Granted this is my opinion and how I choose to dive.