Very strange thread -- would you dive with me?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I'd dive with you in a second Lynne. The big question is: Would you dive with me???

Ross and I were talking. He mentioned you are a very technique oriented diver. You're extremely detail oriented, very conscious about every detail of the dive. Your trim, the skills, eye contact, signalling, pre dive checks, post dive debriefings, etc.
I think this is very good BTW.

Take me. I have a mind of my own, I don't follow rules well, I absolutely butcher techniques, I zip around like a striped ass ape , I stand on my head, I chase after fish, I get tunnel vision when I find a glory hole full of scallops.
He was laughing at me because when he was diving up on the North Coast we were out diving on an off shore pinnacle. I was doing some testing on a new style aluminum plate. I had too much weigh on my belt, the plate was too light, the wing was pulling the rig up and over my head, and I wasn't using a crotch strap. It was driving me nuts!!!. Needless to say the test was usefull in that I learned what needed tweeking , Blah, blah, blah.
This is on a hundred foot dive. To me this is just a day at the office - no big deal. To anyone else seeing me going through this, they're thinking holy Sh_t this guy's out of control.
Ross, he was laughing his _ss off.

So if I promise to behave myself and be normal, would you dive with me?? :blinking:

 

[TSandM]

So if I promise to behave myself and be normal, would you dive with me??

I'd love to have you show me some of the Northern California sites that I knew so well from the land side, growing up! But you have to promise not to zip around, because one of the only things that spoils a dive for me is having to rush underwater

 

[ScubaSteve]

.......one of the only things that spoils a dive for me is having to rush underwater

+1 here

 

[Hoomi]

After his recent comments, I'm guessing there are quite a few people that would like to have Rush underwater, particularly if he's kept down there long enough to start turning blue...

Seriously, though, there is just way too much to see down there to be in any kind of hurry.

 

[Atom]

But you have to promise not to zip around, because one of the only things that spoils a dive for me is having to rush underwater

+1

.. diving is fun when you're relaxed and enjoying what you're doing (although I'd add that if it's -10C outside, hurrying up might make you enjoy the dive a bit more). Next time I'm in WA I'll PM you, I'd like to go diving there with some locals (please do the same if you ever get to On/Qc, I'll even offer free accommodation when I'm done with the 2nd room, but Mtl isn't that close to any dive site unfortunately...).

 

[themagni]

I don't like monofilament anywhere NEAR me!

But the rest of that post is exactly what I want to figure out how to dispel. It's actually quite FUN to go out with new divers. I get to piggyback on their excitement at what they see. I don't mind a short dive, or a simple or shallow one (I spent an hour the other night with a max depth of 20 feet, because that's where the cool stuff to see was). I get plenty of long, deep or complicated dives. I might feel differently about diving off a charter, if I had spent a bunch of money to go out on the boat, but for shore diving? It's all about getting wet, and if I can do that and encourage a new diver to keep at it, it's an awfully good day.

If it's a shore dive (which is all I do) and your existing plan is to go for a short dive, then it's great to go diving with more experienced divers. All the tricks I know are sponged off other people. You yourself taught me about using oral inflation on the surface, every time. (The aftermath of the fatality off Oregon last year.)

Otherwise I'd feel too self-conscious about ruining your dive. Even if you thoroughly enjoy diving with newbies, that nagging feeling is going to be there. I won't be as relaxed as I could / should be, and that's going to affect my buoyancy and air consumption. If I've come up with 500 and you're still there with 1200 or more, that's going to make me feel like an ass. I get a lot of mentoring at work, but those people are paid to pass on their knowledge, and maybe that's it, that to me it feels like I'm horning in on your off time to teach me how to dive. And yes, analytically I know that it doesn't make sense because:

a) I'd be safer diving with you than any other buddy I'd be likely to find, and
b) get a better learning experience from you, especially compared to an insta-buddy,

but I would still be extremely worried during the entire experience. I'm fairly certain that you're very nice and you're honest about your desire to play in the shallows with the newbies, but I wouldn't be able to shake the feeling that I'm a slummy dork diver that would ruin your day. I got that reception last week on my birthday dive.

 

[D_B]

Lynne,

Given your vocation for mentoring and guiding new divers, have you considered becoming an instructor?

I think a problem with the way the world learns to dive today is a major conflict of interests between the student and the LDS/Instructor/agency. If you were to teach, you probably wouldn't do it for the money or to forward the agenda of an agency. You'd probably do it for the right reasons.

Good question there ...

I know that not every good diver is cut out to be an instructor, but how about you???

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I'd love to have you show me some of the Northern California sites that I knew so well from the land side, growing up! But you have to promise not to zip around, because one of the only things that spoils a dive for me is having to rush underwater

I promise. I'll point you in the direction and you set the pace.
If it's a buddy dive, then that means it's a buddy dive.
I'll even put on the 7' if it puts you at ease.
You're our guest.

Hey, I heard that your hubby has a Royal Aquamaster.
Make sure he brings it if you two ever make it down here.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

How have I missed this thread? I'd love to dive with you. When are you headed back to Florida? Of course, you'll have to put up with a rebreather diver.

 

[Peter_C]

I'd love to have you show me some of the Northern California sites that I knew so well from the land side, growing up! But you have to promise not to zip around, because one of the only things that spoils a dive for me is having to rush underwater

Better yet, get Eric to take you out on his boat and show you some of the offshore sites. He took me out off the North Coast and introduced Ross and I to 80' of vis :shocked2:

You always have a spot on the tube of my boat Lynne/Peter :cool2: Monterey or North Coast.