Top 10 "Don'ts" for Newbies

[diverdoug1]

Dont let your wife forget to take her wet dive gear out of the trunk of your BRAND NEW 3000GT the day before you both leave on a 2 week fishing trip to canada, in July parked in Florida. Not that this ever happened at our house. Oh no!

 

[RubberDucky]

Sorry to quibble but I do not necessarily think this is the best way to ensure your air is turned on properly. It's probably something you need to test first with your SPG and with tank in different valve positions to see when this starts to occur. I did an entire dive the other night with my tank on one turn only (was a shallow dive, only about 5m), and didn't notice. I had checked my SPG before the dive and so had my buddy, as we do before every dive - it did not move at all. My old air integrated computer didn't move when the tank was only turned on slightly either. I am sure if I had been diving deeper it would be a problem. I usually check my tank valve just before entering but not all of the time. I will do this from now on.

Very interesting and very good point about checking to see at which point this problem would actually appear! Thanks for posting that and about your own experience. This is why I find scubaboard to be such an invaluable resource. It's impossible not to learn something new around here.

 

[Sas]

Very interesting and very good point about checking to see at which point this problem would actually appear! Thanks for posting that and about your own experience. This is why I find scubaboard to be such an invaluable resource. It's impossible not to learn something new around here.

No worries. I don't know how common it is for SPGs not to show easily a drop in pressure when breathing from a tank partially turned on. Just my experience with my current SPG and the (hosed) air integrated computer I had. It might be rare but yes, it won't hurt to check this

 

[BonaireDan]

9. don't just sign up to classes such as AOW, or Master Diver or whatever. Most PADI-style specialties are quite bare of information and generally unnecessary. You'll often learn more diving unsupervised with a buddy or with a mentor. Just dive as often as you can and it always helps if you are enthusiastic about local diving.

Overall great suggestions. However I strongly believe that specialty classes can be extremely valuable in building experience and skills properly rather than bad habits learned from buddies. Of course this assumes the instructor does a proper job in your training and experience. One can certainly obtain a rack of c-cards fairly easily but mean little in increased ability.

I say pursue AOW, specialties such as deep, navigation, buoyancy, night, nitrox and others of interest to you. Get rescue diver training. By that time you will qualify for Master diver. BUT do this with an instructor who will truly give you training and experience and not just sign you off on minimum standards.

 

[DevonDiver]

I guess you can only speak for your PADI courses BonaireDan

That being said.... I would say...

9. don't just sign up to classes such as AOW, or Master Diver or whatever. Without first researching and evaluating the skills, professionalism and personal interests of the instructor providing that course. Most PADI-style specialties are quite bare of information and generally unnecessary, but a well motivated and broadly experienced instructor can run those courses with extra training and knowledge that the 'basic requirement' do not call for.

10. Don't assume that all instructors are created equally. Some instructors are little more than glorified, ignorant, beach bums. Some are long-suffering alchoholics. Others are passionate and dedicated professional educators, who strive to create safe and well skilled scuba divers. Other instructors have areas of specialized knowledge that means they can provide hugely superior speciality courses in their area of interest.

 

[Sas]

I say pursue AOW, specialties such as deep, navigation, buoyancy, night, nitrox and others of interest to you. Get rescue diver training. By that time you will qualify for Master diver. BUT do this with an instructor who will truly give you training and experience and not just sign you off on minimum standards.

MUCH easier said than done I have found. I think these days, after my own experiences in my first 18months of diving, a mentor is a much better person to learn these skills with than nearly all of the specialty instructors I have seen.

 

[teddyg04]

So many great suggestions. I'd like to emphasize one: don't be afraid to ask questions or state that you're new. Experienced divers are almost always happy to help out new divers who want to learn. Act as if you're already in the "I'm a fish!" category before your gear loses its new smell, and be prepared for a different reaction.

One I haven't seen: if you're boat diving, do respect other divers' space. Don't spread your stuff all over hell and beyond. Keeping your gear together, all neat and tidy, not only makes sure everyone has room for their gear, but also lessens the chance of something getting lost.

Do have fun. Do allow yourself to grin like an idiot at the first sight of something really cool.

 

[SeaCobra]

Plan your dive; dive your plan.

Inhale, exhale. Repeat as often as necessary.

Always bring your "A" game, the ocean can be a harsh mistress.

Stay in your comfort zone. It's OK to nudge your comfort level, challenge yourself, occasisionally, but do it under the guidance of training or a highly competent mentor.

Stay within the scope of your training. When Sheck Exley wrote Cave Diving; A Blueprint for Survival, 83% of cave diving fatalities we divers that went outside the scope of their training. Even if you are not cave diving, this stat transfers over.

Read Sheck Exley's Cave Diving; Blueprint for Survival.

Get training from more than one source.

Don't forget to have fun.

Never piss off the bartender.

Jeff

 

[mheaster]

- Find a mentor. They can be male or female, older or younger. Find someone who will show you stuff without paying them, as they probably have your best interests at heart. . . .
DO NOT: - Be a loner. Divers are social animals. Join a club, expand your social circle. You'll dive more and you'll have more fun when you do.

Like Slonda828 Said: Find a Mentor & Join a Dive Club!

These are two biggies to me! Changed Diving for me when I did these two!

 

[jscott099]

Don't be in such a all-fired rush to become a 'tech' diver.