Tips for a few firsts?

[mrokern]

I have a trip to the Key Largo area coming up in a couple of weeks, and will be doing my AOW there. Any tips or thoughts would be most welcome...

16 dives in so far, all freshwater here in Minnesota. I'm used to colder water (heck, 73 is warm) and I haven't yet experienced viz over 15 feet.

I'm doing AOW in a one-on-one environment, through Conch Republic (they had excellent reviews here, on other sites, and from the resort owners).

These will be my first saltwater and deeper dives. I've done a couple of boat dives on the lakes here, but not a "real" dive boat.

We are currently scheduled to do the dives over two days. Eagle and a reef the first day, then a double-dip on Spiegel the next morning and reefs in the afternoon. I will be using nitrox on all dives (already have my cert).

I'm taking all of my own gear except weights and tanks...only real changes I've made were to add a true SMB (vs my normal little sausage) and spool.

Any tips on first deeper dives, first ocean dives, AOW in general? It will definitely be more intensive than what I have done thus far.

Thanks in advance,

-Mark

 

[Agility]

make sure to get your lead requirement dialled in before going deep
keep clear of the area behind the ladder as long as a diver is on it
have fun

 

[RJP]

While your instructor and the captain get paid, the boat crew works for tips exclusively.

 

[Steve_C]

The eagle is a deep dive. They will do the eagle first. You are talking about doing your first saltwater, first ocean dive to 100 ft or so. You have no experience with narcosis, faster air consumption, strong surface currents, etc. Personally not what I would recommend. I would suggest a couple of reef dives first, dial in your buoyancy and weighting, etc.

Your schedule has you doing 3 of your first 4 dives to 100 ft. Sounds very aggressive to me.

Have you practiced with SMB and spool? Good to do so.

 

[mrokern]

I doubt we would be heading to the sand on these (definitely not on SG, and definitely not on nitrox 32!!!). From what I understand the Eagle presents a 40+ foot profile off the sand, so you can hit the wreck at 65 feet. I'm not playing for numbers.

 

[Steve_C]

I doubt we would be heading to the sand on these (definitely not on SG, and definitely not on nitrox 32!!!). From what I understand the Eagle presents a 40+ foot profile off the sand, so you can hit the wreck at 65 feet. I'm not playing for numbers.

I have dove the Duane and the Spiegel. I was thinking that the Eagle was the same. I just checked and I see that it is a little shallower than those other two boats. 65 will put you at the top of the superstructure. So you can probably do an 80 ft dive on it. However, you will need buoyancy control to keep it at 80.

Personally if there is hard bottom within REC depths I choose my PO2 based on the hard bottom "just in case" something requires it. But that is just me.

One thing that is different on deeper dives is that it is more important to add some air to the BCD as you descend and not wait until close to the planned depth. With a 30 ft dive, I can drop and shoot some air close to the bottom and come to a stop off the sand. But once it gets deeper than that it takes more gas to get neutral and thus longer to get neutral if you have not been adding as you go down.

Have fun

 

[mselenaous]

In addition to what has already been stated above, The Eagle is on its side broken into 2 pieces. The mooring line is tied off at its highest point which is 70 ft. The wreck sits at 110 in the sand, most of this dive is 90-100ish feet. There can be current as well. I strongly advise against this site being your first ocean dive. Additionally, most agency standards do not allow a deep dive as the first training dive of AOW unless the instructor has already assessed the student's capabilities by diving with the student. It is best to go shallow for your first salt water dive, so you can adjust weighting appropriately first and make sure you've gotten your trim and buoyancy control in check in a new environment.
That being said, the Eagle is a fun wreck with lots of open spaces to explore.

Don't hesitate to call the good folks at CRD and ask to speak directly with your instructor at his convenience. If possible ask for Jason as your instructor. He has plenty of experience and will do a great job.

Feel free to PM me if you've got additional questions.


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---------- Post added October 21st, 2013 at 05:02 PM ----------

http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/shipwrecktrail/eagle.html
Here is info and a map on the wreck.

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[mrokern]

PM in your box.

 

[Steve_C]

Spiegel and Duane are 100 ft to the main deck.

 

[mrokern]

Thanks to everyone here for the advice, and one of you even taking the time for a phone call with me.

And a big kudos to Conch Republic for understanding and flexibility. Emailed to them today, and my dive plan has changed. 3 days instead of 2, and the first dives will be in a shallower environment to get the new weighting and other variables dialed in. Awesome...now I can be excited rather than overly anxious.

-Mark