Tips for novice divers

[Cheizz]

In my case, we also did a lot of 'regular diving', and only 50% or so of underwater time was reserved for practice and demonstration of skills.
But to use the car analogy again - getting certified is like getting your driver's license: only when you start to drive regularly in the real world, on your own (no instructor next to you, ready to act), you actually learn how to drive.
Come to think of it: two weeks after I got my driver's license, my mother and I went on holiday to Rome and Naples, Italy (in her car). I can tell you, in Naples, you do learn how to drive (and how to use the claxon). There is something about me going to Italy every time I want to get some experience in...

 

[Dan]

Welcome to SB.

BTW, claxon is horn in English.

 

[lowwall]

Welcome to SB.

BTW, claxon is horn in English.

Claxon (more common spelling is "klaxon") is perfectly acceptable in US or British English.

 

[Dan]

Claxon (more common spelling is "klaxon") is perfectly acceptable in US or British English.

I haven’t seen or heard being used here in Texas. May be that’s old English word?

I grew up in Indonesia and we use the same word (“klakson” in Indonesian as there is no native word with “x”. So “x” would be replaced with “ks”, for example, the word “taxi”, we would use “taksi”) because Indonesia was Dutch colony for 350 years.

 

[RyanT]

Any 20+ degree body of water where you don't have to wear gloves or a 7 mm hood (which is not easy to tuck the skirt of your mask under, especially with said gloves) would be a breeze to practice or demonstrate those skills in - relatively speaking.

Not really. I've done lots of dives in the ocean with 65' (20 meters) of visibility and 80F (27C) water temps. Sounds great right? But sometimes those conditions can include 1.5 meter seas and going up and down line in. a 2 knot current. Those conditions are challenging for even experienced divers.

 

[Cheizz]

In my opinion, and in general, the OP's statement regarding training conditions and environment is accurate. With all other considerations being equal, the same diver trained in COLD water, low vis, low light, full exposure with hood's gloves, additional weight, etc..... is going to be better prepared to dive ALL conditions than a diver who has only been exposed to warmer and clearer tropical waters would be.......

I would equate the difference as learning to drive a car with a clutch vs learning on an automatic transmission. Much easier and safer for the person who learned on the clutch to transition to the auto transmission.

^^ this

I am sure there are always examples to be found within that 10%-of-cases area.

 

[ginti]

^^ this

I am sure there are always examples to be found within that 10%-of-cases area.

@Cheizz , I am not sure if I was clear. I didn't want to bash you, your writing is nice But I pointed out that:
And I can tell you: if you can do them in those conditions, you can more or less do them anywhere. isn't true.

You quoted a post that is saying something very different: an OW diver trained in "worse" conditions is overall better prepared.

What you wrote, and the last concept you quoted, are two completely different things.
I highlighted that point in your first post just because I don't want people to build false expectations; that said, peace and dive!

 

[Dan]

2 diving skills that were important for me in my rookie diver days are:
1. Equalizing
2. Buoyancy control

When I splash into the water, I would start equalizing my ears continuously for the first 5m of descent. Once I reach the bottom, then I adjust my buoyancy to make sure I am not slowly sinking or rising while motionless (without finning or waving my hands).

I noticed many rookie divers hurting their ears after a few dive days in liveaboard with poor buoyancy control (yo yo diving and only equalizing when their ear drums felt the pressure, which is too late & over flexing the ear drums).

 

[Edward3c]

Training
I did my Open Water course in the Netherlands, where I live. I signed up at a PADI dive school and did all the things you are supposed to do during an Open Water class. The four open water dives we did in May, in murky waters (visibility 3-5 meters) of about 11 degrees (Celcius). In a thick and cumbersome 7 mm wetsuit, 5 mm gloves we did all the required skills. And I can tell you: if you can do them in those conditions, you can more or less do them anywhere.

I don't hold with a cold water trained diver can just do everything in a warm water environment. However, it shouldn't take long for them to acclimatise.

First is the buoyancy requirements are totally different. Many cold water trained divers carry too much lead when in the tropics.

Second visibility, whilst normally much better in the warmer climes, the light penetration is better. therefore a diver will sense they are getting deeper because of the darkness, doesn't work in warmer climes. I've know many go deeper then planned for this reason.

Air/gas consumption, when a cold water diver is used to running low on air/gas within the NDL limits, they can sail past in warmer waters and end up with a mandatory deco obligation without the air/gas to complete it.

The specialities you referred to are core skills for a BSAC Ocean Diver, (except the 30m bit).

 

[Cheizz]

Second visibility, whilst normally much better in the warmer climes, the light penetration is better. therefore a diver will sense they are getting deeper because of the darkness, doesn't work in warmer climes. I've know many go deeper then planned for this reason.

Air/gas consumption, when a cold water diver is used to running low on air/gas within the NDL limits, they can sail past in warmer waters and end up with a mandatory deco obligation without the air/gas to complete it.

This is what I meant by 'planning and executing dives' as a basic skill. This is all part of that, for me. If you sail past your DNL because you don't get low a=on air first, it means that you're not paying attention and not executing your dive plan properly. Or you have a faulty dive plan. Either way, your situation would not be 'planning and executing dives' [well].