riiiiight...

[theslyfox01]

as quoted at www.learntoscubadive.com.au


How deep can I go?
With an open water ticket, you are qualified to go to a depth of 18 meters. Later, with more training you can dive deeper. However, it must be said that the best diving is above the 18-metre mark. Colors are more vivid and marine life is most abundant above this depth.



ut: hummmmmm.. I wonder what reason they give for bothering with doing the AOW.. after-all theres nothing but sand and rocks below 18..

 

[norcaldiver]

Actually, I'd have to agree. Altho there IS stuff down there (metridiums, crabs, etc.) There isn't kelp, grass, sand dollar beds, there's fewer sea stars, fewer crabs, snails and nudies, fewer seals.

For the most part, you don't have to go past 50-60 ft. 90% of my time is less than 40

 

[theslyfox01]

I was thinking more along the lines of wrecks which always seem to be in deeper water, I guess it does depend on which bit of the world your in, the website is based in Australia and I think you'd be hard pressed to make that arguement around here, most dives are in the 18-30 metre region.

I guess it comes down to what is your interest underwater, for natural wonders I'd agree -18 is probably best, im just personally big on great big hulks of steel underwater

 

[norcaldiver]

Point taken. Wrecks usually are deeper but I'm not wreck certified. I'm too much of a wuss to go into an overhead.

 

[Cave Diver]

norcaldiver once bubbled...
Point taken. Wrecks usually are deeper but I'm not wreck certified. I'm too much of a wuss to go into an overhead.

You dont have to penetrate a wreck to enjoy them. There are tons of things to see on the outside as they tend to collect abundants amount of marine life.

 

[slowdiver]

I think diving is great at any depth. Every dive I seem to see and enjoy something new.

 

[SwimJim]

In lake michigan most of the really cool stuff(IMO) is in 90 to 130 fow or 30 to 40 meters. Penetration is not necesarry to really enjoy them. We have upright intact schooners that have been down well over one hundred years you can look down in their hull. Seems to me their cabins usually blow off when they sink anyway and are generaly found next to the wreck.
I would highly recommend getting at least AOW certified before exploring these wrecks

Keep divin'

Jim=-)

 

[MikeFerrara]

SwimJim once bubbled...
In lake michigan most of the really cool stuff(IMO) is in 90 to 130 fow or 30 to 40 meters. Penetration is not necesarry to really enjoy them. We have upright intact schooners that have been down well over one hundred years you can look down in their hull. Seems to me their cabins usually blow off when they sink anyway and are generaly found next to the wreck.
I would highly recommend getting at least AOW certified before exploring these wrecks

Keep divin'

Jim=-)

In fact most of the good wrecks a WELL below 130 and to go see them you'll need a good deal more than AOW.

Wreck diving is generally better deep. Some of the caves I like are also on the deep side.

In the ocean there are lots of fish at all depths. Richard Pile spends alot of time at 400 ft just because of the fish that are present at those depths.

There are plenty of reasons to go deep.

 

[Sebastian]

Yeah here in Australia standard dives are generally between 12m - 22m.

I just came back from Narooma (about 8 hours south of Sydney). I did two shark (Grey Nurse Shark) and two seal dives there.

The sharks were found in about 22m depth compared to the seals who could be found in about 12m depth.

It depends what you want to see.