Reality Check after years

[Maximillion]

All,

As I mentioned in my Intro notes, I'm a diver back in the water after, well in reality almost 20 years out of the water. That said, I was recreational only back in the day, dove with a horse collar BC and home made weights on a canvas belt, and a wetsuit I used to surf in!

All that said, I want to make sure I get back in the water safely. I feel like my swimming skills are excellent, I am in good shape physically at 48 and from a safety perspective, nothing lacking physically (or mentally - but you'd have to ask my wife to clarify that point!) My concern is that equipment and technique, procedures, etc have drastically changed over those years and I want to be not only well equipped but smart about my re-entry.

I appreciate your thoughts on taking "refresher" classes, completely recertifying, taking an advanced class, or doing nothing but buying new gear. All are options I have considered and short of an "intro" class I took the other day just to get my feet wet again, I thought a brush up class to go over Decon, gear and the basics once again might be smart.

I'd like to get into diving wrecks off the east coast where I live and now own a boat. Nothing much over 125 feet or so, but I know at basic open water I was trained for 60 feet and not much more.

Appreciate your experienced thoughts and advice!

Maximillion

 

[vshearer]

I am doing the same thing after a 10 year lapse. I think the biggest mistake is thinking I could just pick up where I left off. I would suggest at a minimum making the first couple of dives very shallow "refresher" dives just to re-familiarize yourself with the equipment. It hasn't changed that much except more emphasis on back floatation, whether you want that or not is I suppose a personal choice... and then whether to go the whole BP/W route, which I am. (Not to be a techie just I like the configuration, and for wreck diving it would be suggested) Also, I would strongly suggest, if you haven't already, read "Shadow Divers" and "Deep Descent", those two books at least gave me great pause as to what I need before jumping in deep. Oh, you probably will at least need a Nitrox cert if you don't have that..then dive some before getting in too much deeper with the cert classes. Just start out slow and careful, there is no rush.

 

[Willuw]

Since you are just getting back into diving after a long break - I would not jump into the deep or more advanced diving. Spend some time doing nice, easy, leisurely dives where you can focus on the basic skills so you can touch up on them and get them rock solid. Just spend a couple of months working on the skills and then you could start looking into AOW to further the skills you now have fresh and are able to perform with ease. Don't rush things - just relax and dive - the deeper and more advanced dives will come - I think your first step is just retuning your skills to an optimal level before beginning higher training or more advanced dives. Enjoy and be safe!

 

[tc]

Gear has changed quite a bit in the time you've been out, probably be worth it to go through a refresher course just to ease back in.

 

[diver 85]

never hold your breath & come up slowly....also, on the navy tables, cut them back about 4 minutes.....(some things never change)........Oh, & get you a computer, best thing since sliced bread(then you can throw the navy tables in the can).........good luck, If you've ever rode a bike, you'll know what I'm talking about...............GEAUX TIGERS.................

 

[Rick Inman]

A few years back, I returned to diving after a 20+ years hiatus. In retrospect, I did some things wrong.

I assumed the "refresher" course would be all I'd need. In truth, the knowledge and skills that best re-acclimated me to diving came from making dives with other divers who were actively diving, not from the class.

I bought new gear based on assumptions that were 20 years out of date. Therefor, I ended up buying it twice.

If I could go back in time and re-design my reentry into diving, I would have taken the full open water courses again up to Rescue, done as many dives with local active divers as I could, and then taken a DIR fundamentals class as soon possible. Actually, I eventually did all this stuff, but I wasted a lot of time and money first.

 

[robint]

Both you guys need to do at the very least the Refresher course. You might want to go through the whole course again though for a couple of reasons. BIGGEST reason is that soooooo much has changed, even in the past 10 years. Not just the gear, but also things that were considered safe a few years ago, are no longer considered safe.

I had no idea some things used to be taught until speaking with a diver recently who was certified 20 years ago. He told me things that scared the ever lovin' crap out of me - he thought they were safe! Also, he had no idea about "safety stops" at 15' and refused to do them even thoug the DM told him he must. He thought it was perfectly okay to go from 95' deep to surface as long as he did it slow. Wrong! But it is just the way he was taught 20 years ago - no one did safety stops. My husband is an instructor and tried to explain it to him but he wouldn't budge. He wasn't taught it was necessary to off-gas at stages so he didn't do any. He didn't get bent so he thinks he is okay. He also didn't want to do Nitrox - didn't think it was important (even though he is over the age of 50 and only dives once a year).

Okay, enough of my rambling..... Please, do a Refresher or even a full course again. Tables have changed, everyone uses computers now, gear has changed....

just my 2 cents.

robint

 

[Maximillion]

NitroWill and Rick,

Great advice - thanks. I plan on waiting on equipment until I have a chance to borrow or rent lots and try it first! Not sure about the back flotation option, but I will definitely give it a try in the pool and open water via rental if I can (after the pool). As for going back through a full course, I have thought of doing that if for no other reason, to get the full gambut of retraining on "tables" or computer use, books and keeping a log, gear, etc, etc. A refresher - if tought correctly SHOULD do all of that, but I really need to explore with the LDS what they plan to go over in their class. If they are just happy to get you in the new gear and in their pool without much training, then I'm not really interested. I feel like I need to get the full review to be safe again.

Certainly a lot to consider, but you both have great advice and I appreciate it!

MAXIMILLION

 

[robint]

NitroWill and Rick,

Great advice - thanks. I plan on waiting on equipment until I have a chance to borrow or rent lots and try it first! Not sure about the back flotation option, but I will definitely give it a try in the pool and open water via rental if I can (after the pool). As for going back through a full course, I have thought of doing that if for no other reason, to get the full gambut of retraining on "tables" or computer use, books and keeping a log, gear, etc, etc. A refresher - if tought correctly SHOULD do all of that, but I really need to explore with the LDS what they plan to go over in their class. If they are just happy to get you in the new gear and in their pool without much training, then I'm not really interested. I feel like I need to get the full review to be safe again.

Certainly a lot to consider, but you both have great advice and I appreciate it!

MAXIMILLION

sorry but a Refresher Course is only designed for a person who has been out of diving for 1-2 years. It is only a 2 hour course, most of which is in the water doing the skills over again. Only about 1/2 hour is spent in classroom going over how to do tables, hand signals, etc. YOu have been out of diving waaaay too long for that.... gear has changed, tables have changed, safety factors and rules have changed. At the very least, you need to buy a new table, the OW book and read it cover to cover, do all the exercises, and then do the Refresher.

 

[Maximillion]

COpy - thanks RObint. I had thought that would be the best course of action, but thought I'd let the voices on the board confirm or deny that thinking. SOunds like a fair proposal. I think the LDS I heve been visiting may work a special deal for me too - they talked about letting me "audit" their course if I was to buy some of my new gear from them. Not bad I thought - will save me a few hundred bucks. ANyhow, lots to consider.