when is a diver "experienced"?

[AggieDad]

There are a lot of great replies here on this subject. I am in the middle of my rescue class now and last night we discussed the number one reason for diver accidents....Poor Judgement. In my business we measure experience by the number of hours in the air, which in some cases means absolutely nothing. Just as in flying, diving requires a continual updating as you go along because sometimes there just isn't a checklist for the problem. I have flown with guys that freak out over things not going exactly as planned and others who look up and go "The engine just failed, well I guess we had better do something". We say that and I have seen it here in someone's signature line that at 100 hours I thought I knew everything, at 1000 hours I realize how much I didn't know. I have almost 20,000 hours in the air now. I learn something or see something every flight that I have never experienced before.

Experience (judgement) means that you use your superior mental skills to keep yourself out of situations that will require your superior physical skills. Flying or Diving.
But it also means that you can stop, breathe and then act. My instructor last night said that divers get into trouble when they react.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I agree with most of the posts on here. It's one of the reasons I've delayed my instructor path. I was all set to do it right after DM. The more I do as a DM though and the more I see from an "experienced" viewpoint I have realized that while I may be ready after just a little more training to be an instructor I do not have the experience that I would want MY instructor to have. Therefore I've decided to keep assisting and at the same time diving for fun in as many different environments as possible and also get some deep tech and deco training before going taking my IDC and IE. I have just completed my first set of ocean dives in 78 degree water and they were great. This is after doing my first 2 freshwater deco dives in a dry suit in 40 some degree water a few weeks prior. I'm experienced in the lake where we train and could probably do the night/no light nav there. And did very well on the reefs off of key largo as well as on the Duane and Spiegel and the current was nasty the last dive on the Grove. Next major trip will be Lake Erie wreck diving hopefully in June. As for roger roger's post saying fairweather divers suck I know a few who do it now because they can. And they do not suck. Recreational diving in 6m swell is not IMO a sign of experience. It's a sign of not knowing when to call the dives and may be indicative of serious mental problems. Commercial is one thing in those conditions. Recreational is another. And for the rapid descents they are common on the Duane and Grove due not only to depth but also you at some times don't want to be on that line any longer than necessary!

 

[Alaska_diver]

Scuba diving conditions can be very diverse. No one, should think they've seen it all. I have done most of my diving in cold water - which is very gear intensive, and most of the time I've dove in less than 25 feet of visibility. When I have traveled to warm water to dive it seems easier, but I do have to remind myself to check my depth because in cold, turbid, northern waters we just dont have the visibility and sunlight penetration. It's easier to exceed the no-deco limits. The enviroment we are diving in and what we are used too defines for most of us how experienced we are.
I have learned you can't go by the statement "I've been diving for 10 years" as a way to measure a divers experience. Unfortunately, there are those persons who will risk thier lives because of thier ego's. For sure, if a person who has 10 years of active, progressive diving experience under thier belt that is a positive thing. But I have met (Probably everybody has) the guy who was certified 10 or so years ago and hasn't dove in 5 years and thinks he's an expert. Be careful when chosing a dive partner.
Thats my 2 cents worth.........
I think its a good question, very "deep"!

 

[blueeyes_austin]

You know you are experienced when..........after your check-out dive they'll take you wherever you want to go with no problem!

(OK...there's more to it than that...but it's a good starting point! )

I kinda like this definition...it implies assessment against a standard.

 

[fairybasslet]

a diver can be experienced in one environment (open, warm water) and a total
newbie at another (open, cold water). even a night dive can take an experienced
diver (during day hours) and turn him into a newbie (for a night dive)

likewise, a diver can be experienced with one gear configuration, but a newbie
with another gear configuration

a diver is experienced in a particular environment after sufficient dives to become
proficient in all the skills needed to dive safely in that environment

likewise, a diver is experienced in a particular gear configuration after sufficient
dives to become proficient in the safe and effective use of that gear

What he said.

 

[all4scuba05]

how about this one....(like the redneck jokes)

you know you're experienced when posters here no longer look at your dive numbers before telling you to get some more divetime first.

 

[Darnold9999]

Lots of good posts.

There is a level of experience however where you are able to take on a new task and master it very quickly. i.e. a dive you have never done before and have the required skills mastered almost immediately.

I compare it to music. My teacher will play through a piece of new music, making exactly the same mistakes and fumblings that I make. It might take me several hours or more to work all the issues out to get it to the point where I feel I can play the piece. He will have it to that point the the third time through. (Depends on level of difficulty but you get the point)

This level of experience allows you to transfer knowledge and skills from one kind of diving to another quickly.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I think that experience is something we continue to gain, whether in a new environment, with new equipment or more advanced training. I don't think we ever run out of new things to learn.

 

[Christi]

I agree with all of thoese that said something along the lines of "experience is relative," or "depends on the environment," etc.

I am a perfect example. I have close to 2000 dives in warm, tropical water in slow to high current. I've done night dives, shore dives, boat dives, drift dives, navigation dives, baby wreck dives, deep dives, and photo dives in this environment. I consider myself an expert in this type of environment, but if I were to go to the Great Lakes, or Northern CA, etc. it would be an entirely new set of rules for me. I would be a "newbie" in those conditions and I woud respect the local experts and be open to their guidance and to give me instruction where needed, etc.

This is no place to have ego...instructor with 2000 dives or not.

 

[ntt]

Agree with everything. This is an awsome thread for sure!

Being expierenced in my eyes, personaly, would have to be when you are confident in yourself. Granted, I think have a good number of dives helps. If your on your third book and your confident with your skills and feel it, youll know, then id say your expierenced.
Having some dive buddys or fellow instrustors tell you your pretty smooth is always a bonus too though, lol.