WANTED: Inexpensive diving on Izu

[Mar Scuba]

To clarify what Thomas said, some dive sites like Osezaki permit diving in buddy pairs or buddy teams, but none allow solo diving. If you show up alone and say that you want to dive solo, they will make you dive with one of their guides.

At almost all sites, you sign a waiver stating that you will adhere to the buddy system, going through the checks, evaluating the dive site conditions, planning the dive, etc. and you will be a safe diver, adhering to the accepted safety practices.

 

[CanadianSushi]

You seem to be a new comer here in Japan thus you are getting the skill at this particular time.

Newcomer to diving: yes. Newcomer to Japan: no. I've lived here with my wife for just over four and a half years to date...

 

[jagfish]

Hey
Just back from a month in the US....

On solo diving, the major dive sites will let you do so once they know you. Instructors and DMs are not questioned at all in my experience (once they have seen you once or twice) and experienced photographers do it all the time.

As an alternative, you can check out our group, but we do a lot of weekend trips, and thus the overnight stay fee (with or without meals) kicks in. However, like you observed, many dive sites have camping...

dive safe...

 

[Abbo]

The cost of diving in Japan is tightly linked to the strength of the local Gyokyou fishing cooperative. Around Tokyo, this is strongest in Eastern Izu. Legally, the sea belongs to everyone, but in fact the fishermen's cooperatives run a kind of protection racket. In some diving shops the portion of the money you pay going to the cooperative is actually broken out, if you are able to read the Japanese bill. Fascinating subject, but not for an open discussion on the internet.

Ohsezaki, being on W. Izu, is relatively free from such interference, so the prices are much lower. The fisherman in Ohshima operate quite a long way away from the island, and leave the diving operations relatively well alone. Some people get away with filling their own tanks over there. Once the dive shops and boats know you they will cut you a lot more slack: I sometimes cut costs right back by diving solo and providing my own gas - all I need is the boat, and they charge me just for that.

The good dive guides are the best I've seen in the world by light years, and I've dived the world over for 25 years. Open books on Japanese sea life and you will see the names of some of the guides from Izu Kaiyou Kouen (IOP) and Yawatano credited for the pictures. They will give you a debriefing for an hour at the end of the day giving you a wealth of information about the things you have seen. Some of them have discovered new species. Since they are global-level photographers, they can teach you a ton about photography. And they can be a ton of fun too. Most of these people endure being paid a pittance because they love what they do: they're the salt of the Earth and should be treated accordingly. I doubt many of them speak English, though. They're worth what they cost, but I'll grant that if you're diving every weekend you won't want to pay for their services that often.

 

[bill22]

I'm in a local dive club at the US Navy base in Yokosuka. The club is planning a trip to Izu the end of this month. This will be my first trip there. The only money I expect to pay is for accomodations. The club is paying for vans to take everyone and their equipment. A friend of one of the divemasters in the club will take all the tanks down in his truck. Probably at least half the club members are civilian Japanese employees at the base. We dive over at Hayama a lot and it's a nice dive when the vis is good. Not as good as Izu I hear but still a nice dive

Don't they have any dive clubs in Japan? It seems that people could try and get together and form one. I pay a $100 bucks a year and get use of the clubs tanks and unlimited air.... and no the club is not subsidized at all.

Don't know how many military members there are here, but club membership is open to all military members and civilian employees (have to have base access). We have visiting members from Yokota AFB and Okinawa. When we go to Hayama (about 20 minute drive from Yokosuka) we typically pay 500 yen for parking (except in August). That's our only costs to dive in Hayama.

 

[Mar Scuba]

Bill, one thing that you have to remember is that US military and SOFA have access to the bases, but us civilians do not.

Hayama is good because there are no ocean entry fees charged by the fishermans association.

Also, there are different "rules"...for example, your tanks have DOT but no KHK (Japanese High Pressure Gas Association) stamp. The Japanese hydro on the tank costs about US$ 100. Your compressor and fills are not regulated by the strict Japanese laws (i.e. more frequent inspections, etc.), so the fills are much cheaper.

Thus, I would estimate that our costs just for tanks and fills alone are about 3 to 4 times that of your prices...

There are various dive clubs, called circles, which dive in locations such as Osezaki where you can get some preferential pricing for groups.

Now, the real question is...are you willing to bring some extra tanks to Hayama and let the general public dive with you?

 

[bill22]

Bill, one thing that you have to remember is that US military and SOFA have access to the bases, but us civilians do not.

Hayama is good because there are no ocean entry fees charged by the fishermans association.

Also, there are different "rules"...for example, your tanks have DOT but no KHK (Japanese High Pressure Gas Association) stamp. The Japanese hydro on the tank costs about US$ 100. Your compressor and fills are not regulated by the strict Japanese laws (i.e. more frequent inspections, etc.), so the fills are much cheaper.

Thus, I would estimate that our costs just for tanks and fills alone are about 3 to 4 times that of your prices...

There are various dive clubs, called circles, which dive in locations such as Osezaki where you can get some preferential pricing for groups.

Now, the real question is...are you willing to bring some extra tanks to Hayama and let the general public dive with you?

I do remember that . I DID say "Don't know how many military members there are here, but club membership is open to all military members and civilian employees (have to have base access)" Maybe I should have explained a little better. When I said "Don't know how many military members". I meant military members of SB who might be stationed in or visiting Japan. Non-SOFA who have base access can also join. Probably why roughly 50% of our members are Japanese.

I agree Hayama is good. It's a nice dive. Good fish life. I've seen everything from lobster, to octopus, to lionfish :14:. Visibility is not always the best in the summer (I've seen 8-10 feet), but it was actually very good the last time I dived there 4 days before the typhoon. Probably 30+ feet. The best I have seen there so far. I just started diving here in July. I'm told that in the winter it will get much better.

Actually our tanks all have been hydro'd here in Japan. You're right it's very expensive here (isn't everything in Japan ). All the club members had to pay a surcharge in addition to regular dues this year to cover the costs. We have our own compressor and the air quality has to be checked periodically by the Japanese.

We don't have "prices". We have "dues". A club member can dive as little or as much as they want. If you dive once a week it works out to about $2 bucks a dive. If you only dive once a month, then it would work out over $10 dollars a dive.

It's not really a question... Tanks are for members. Why would I bring tanks over and loan them to complete strangers? Thats a better question Seriously though, I'm sure that you have insurance for your tanks in case someone who rents from you has an accident. We have insurance also and of course only club members are covered.

I can ask about civilian members who do not have base access. As I've said, I don't think so, but I'll check to make sure and let everyone know.

 

[japan-diver]

Also, there are different "rules"...for example, your tanks have DOT but no KHK (Japanese High Pressure Gas Association) stamp. The Japanese hydro on the tank costs about US$ 100. Your compressor and fills are not regulated by the strict Japanese laws (i.e. more frequent inspections, etc.), so the fills are much cheaper.

Damm, I know Tokyo's expensive but hydros here are only Y4,000, cheaper than that if you bring alot. Also after the original cert keeping a compressor legal is quite cheap. You also might want to talk to a lawyer found out ocean usage fees outside of a very limited area are illegal in Japan- just never questioned in most places.

 

[The Mushroom King]

Ahhh Japan does love their rules.
At my gym pool in Tokyo I had a lifeguard flip out because I was wearing my wedding ring. I just got back from England where I used a local pool and when I asked what were the rules, the lifeguard said "just don't bump into anyone else"

Of course this applies to diving as well. Plenty of rules, not a lot of logic. <sigh> but shoganai ne.

 

[bill22]

Damm, I know Tokyo's expensive but hydros here are only Y4,000, cheaper than that if you bring alot. Also after the original cert keeping a compressor legal is quite cheap. You also might want to talk to a lawyer found out ocean usage fees outside of a very limited area are illegal in Japan- just never questioned in most places.

I checked with my Japanese dive buddy. I asked how much we were paying for hydro's he said Y3000 in Yokohama. Probably got a discount though since we have over 60 tanks. I also asked about the fee that gets paid to the Japanese Fishing Association in some areas. He said that it's true that theres not a law saying we have to pay, but it is a custom to pay and people alway pay it. Don't know how much someone would want to rock the boat. He tells me in Izu it's normally only around Y300. I'll find out if there are any recent changes when I dive there next weekend.