Top 10 things I learned on my first dive trip

[verybaddiver]

nah its just the padi manual seems to mention "cool people" about a million times on their course :]

 

[RonDawg]

If you were thinking of taking up SCUBA, would you be more or less inclined to do so if PADI (or any other certifying agency) were to say "Don't talk to the people on the boat with you, they're just cranky, boring ol' farts anyway." :11:

 

[kent_1848]

1. Letting the DM know that you're a newbie is a good thing. They'll probably figure it out on their own, but telling them opens a dialog in which they know that you know that you may need some guidance at times.

On about our 5th ocean dive, we had to back roll in. There were 6 of us, and none of us had ever done one. I asked the divemaster how to do one, and told her we were all new. Since she had already had a good dose of our senses of humor, she picked up my feet and flung me overboard!

 

[jholley309]

That's actually one of the better bits of advice I got from my PADI OW class.

OMG! You mean we're actually going to admit that PADI may have actually gotten something right? Heresy! Off with their pointy little heads!

:bang: :bang: :bang:

Cheers!

 

[verybaddiver]

"Don't talk to the people on the boat with you, they're just cranky, boring ol' farts anyway."

NO , honesty is never the right way to go . nah but saying they are like minded and interesting people, is alot different and acceptable than using the term "cool" :/

 

[StSomewhere]

OMG! You mean we're actually going to admit that PADI may have actually gotten something right? Heresy! Off with their pointy little heads!

Compared to learning to drop my weights at depth and do a CESA, yes, talking to other divers is excellent advice.

 

[ZenDiva]

I can't wait to get certified and meet all these really cool people you're all talking about

*wink*

ZenDiva

 

[theskull]

6. Training in a quarry is awesome, because the worst vis in the Carribean is probably better than the best vis in the quarry. We were having a great time while other folks on the boat were grumpy & whiny.

Great report!

"Oh, it's so stirred up, the viz is only 40 ft.! Yeah, and cold, it must only be 80 F in the water today. And where are the sharks?, there are only hundreds of those boring angelfish and moray eels today."

I agree, to be trained in the silty quarry and THEN make ocean dives rules!

theskull

 

[Wristshot]

Roblogic,

Excellent list! May I steal . . er. . . I mean may I benchmark your list? I would like to borrow liberally from your list and some of the other suggestions to generate a list for first time boat divers.


Wristshot

Other thoughts for RonFrank
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roblogic
4. Air integrated computers with audio alarms default to "really annoying" mode, and should be set to "only beep when something's really wrong" mode if possible. Our computers were beeping all over the place. It reminded me of when pagers first became popular - all of the other divers were looking at their computers like, "is that me"?

Think hard about which alarms to turn off. Most of the default alarms on my Atmos II are things that one wants to be aware of, like breaking ascent rules.

Actually I agree with both of you. Rob's comment about only beeping when something is really wrong and your comment about things that one wants to be aware of track pretty darn close.

However, some of the alarms could be turned off or at least set to appropriate settings. I have a buddy that is too lazy to reset his depth alarm (etc). It is really annoying on a planned 90 foot dive to have his 60 foot depth alarm going off continuously.
===================
Quote:
Originally Posted by roblogic
5. Ignore the sizing chart that wet suit manufacturers give you. By the chart, I wear a XXL. My L fits me perfectly. I think that's why 1/2 the people I saw had suits that were waaay baggy.

I'd suggest this may not be good advice. None of the people I have dove with have ill fitting suits with the exception of some tend to be a bit long depending upon body type. I wear the same size in EVERY manufacture I've tried with the exception of my drysuit with runs large for the sizing, but I still fit right on the chart (Bare). I've dove Henderson, Oneil, Tilos (which I own), and Bare, and I size out exactly as all those manufactures recommend.

Fit should be determined by trying suits on, and if one is planning on buying online, I'd suggest rather than going into the LDS and taking up their time if you plan on purchaseing elsewhere, instead rent a suit from them to get your sizing down as that at least is an honest way to determine what sizing one can expect from a given manufacture.

I agree with Rob on this one, I think that it is good advice. If you wear the same size in every manufacturer, then you are lucky. I have tried a few different brands of wetsuits, and there can be quite a range of fit within a size for me. Also for a two-peice wetsuit, my upper body fits a different size than my lower body does. Unfortunately, not everyone will sell them that way.

I think the size charts should only be used as a rough guideline, not a hard and fast rule. They should be used to get you in the ballpark, but you should definitely try things on before committing.

When I was buying my Parkway wetsuit, I tried on several sizes and I swear that one had to be mismarked. I found a black and grey Medium that fit me, and a black and blue (preferred colors) Medium that was way too big. Two wetsuits marked M/L (the next size larger than the black and blue) were a little too big, but not as big as the black and blue one. One wetsuit marked the size smaller than the black and grey was (as expected) too small. So what I wanted was one the same size as the Medium Black and grey, but in black and blue. They got another black and blue Medium, and you can be sure that I tried it on before buying. BTW, it fit perfect, and I love it.

The point is that you can't trust the size charts, and you shouldn't blindly trust the size labels in the items. For those reasons I agree with Rob, but I give you partial credit for suggesting that things do need to be tried on for fit.
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This is good advice, however the DM SHOULD be providing information on time to the site, and how they expect people to gear up. Every Op I've dove with gives a 10 minute warning. I'd add when drift diving it is especially imporant to be timely in gear setup because there is a limited amount of time to drop, and then hit the reef or wreck at the right spot.

I agree wholeheartedly with the advice. I wish it were true that every dive op gave a 10 minute warning. On the Monterey Express and Horizon Divers in Key Largo are real good about that. In Bonaire, they were not good at all about letting us know how long the boat ride would be or giving any warnings. I was surprised and disappointed.



Wristshot

 

[roblogic]

Roblogic,

Excellent list! May I steal . . er. . . I mean may I benchmark your list? I would like to borrow liberally from your list and some of the other suggestions to generate a list for first time boat divers.


Wristshot

...

Absolutely! Good stuff here from everyone.