why go below 30'???

[ScoobyDave]

Sheesh people - The man has placed a comfort limit on his diving, why in the world are you trying to exclude him from the water entirely? "Stay out of the water", "Go Golf". Why can't someone dive to different level of comfort and skill as you?

Yes, there's much to be seen beyond his limits, but so what! That's his comfort level, let him enjoy it.

 

[Windwalker]

Despite that, That is an Interesting Statistic, I would like to know the source. That is a lot of Coconut attacks!!!

Imagine Duking it out with a Trigger fish, Noticing that a shark is becoming agressive, so you leave the area, Swim through a School of sea wasps, Dodge some Salt water croc's stagger to shore to get nailed by a coconut.. That would be the worse day of Aussie diving.

 

[FFMDiver]

Ok. I'm currently pushing my diving.
Have done my first boat dives around 35' here on Oahu.
I'm getting used to the water column at this depth. The only thing that really makes me nervouse is loosing site of the anchor line. I'm working on navagation with my compass so if I got too nervous I could follow my landmarks back to the boat. I'm logging dives so thats the main thing right?

 

[munkispank]

hey bmuise, glad to hear you are having fun in the water. Relax and don't stress, and don't feel you are missing anything by staying shallow. Most of my fondest dive memories come from shallow diving.

enjoy the water.

 

[DiverColt]

DennisS once bubbled...

From what I've read, 15 times as many people get killed by falling coconuts worlwide as from shark attacks! Staying out of the water and playing golf is no guarantee, huh?


ironically My class actually did a study on that "survey", and found out that was not correct.

what we did find out was... That you have a bigger chance of being bitten by sharks then by a Poisoness snake.

but hey im just a thirteen year old

 

[DandyDon]

bmuise once bubbled...
Ok. I'm currently pushing my diving.
Have done my first boat dives around 35' here on Oahu.
I'm getting used to the water column at this depth. The only thing that really makes me nervouse is loosing site of the anchor line. I'm working on navagation with my compass so if I got too nervous I could follow my landmarks back to the boat. I'm logging dives so thats the main thing right?

Hey, I didn't mean to give you a hard time about shallow water diving. Maybe tease just a little... :egrin:

If you're logging your first dives in Hawaiian waters, things may be a little intimidating there, say - as compared to shallow reefs around Key Largo, a great place for a newbie. I will agree that you should not dive deeper than you feel comfy, and pleasxe do not feel antagonized. You initial statment sounded a little rigid, but then - posting by keyboard can lead to misunderstandings. But, too - don't assume your safe at 35 feet; just keep working on safety skills, like the other guys suggested.

I do have to find where I read that stat about falling coconuts. I know I read it in a dive magazine, but can't find it right now.

 

[DiverJP]

Bmuise,
In reading your original post, it seems that your reason for not wanting to go deeper than 30ish feet is because of the risk of DCS. If this is indeed your reasoning, I think you should re-evaluate your decisions. As others have said in this thread, between 0-30 feet and specifically between 0-15 feet is in my opinion the most dangerous time underwater. This is due to the fact that the most rapid changes in pressure occur in this range. Everytime you go into the water, you potentially risk things such as POIS & AGE at these depths. Those two in particular concern me far more than DCS. The risk of DCS is rather easily mitigated by careful dive planning, use of a dive computer, and not doing stupid things before & during the dive. Stay in good physical condition, well rested, well hydrated, and don't push NDLs and you should be fine. If you're not comfortable going deep, that's ok. But do realistically consider all the risks of diving instead of focusing on DCS. A really good alternative for you might be to consider taking a Nitrox class. Not only would this lessen the risk of DCS in shallow water for you, especially if you continued to dive air tables/computer, but it would be additional training in the water that would increase your comfort level & confidence. My own personal feeling on the subject is that you will lose out on a great deal of diving experiences by staying above 35', and I suspect that you might have trouble finding steady dive buddies if you refuse to go below 35'. Just my thoughts on the matter...

JP

 

[DandyDon]

Still don't know which dive magazine I saw this in, but I found the source: UniSciNews

Falling Coconuts Kill More People Than Shark Attacks

"Falling coconuts kill 150 people worldwide each year, 15 times the number of fatalities attributable to sharks," said George Burgess, Director of the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File and a noted shark researcher.

"The reality is that, on the list of potential dangers encountered in aquatic recreation, sharks are right at the bottom of the list," said Burgess who was one of three scientists participating Tuesday in a National Sea Grant College Program and NOAA Fisheries sponsored press briefing on sharks and the risks of shark attacks at the National Press Club.

The event served to put the risk of shark attacks in perspective, provide resources on how to reduce the chance of a shark encounter, explain the scientific value of sharks to the coastal ecosystem and discuss fisheries management and conservation issues.

:sharky: Believe it or not...

Reminds me of how South American natives are not particularly afraid of piranahs, but do greatly fear a tiny, parasitic carfish that follows the smell of urine until it lodges inside the urinary tract of the unfortunate mammal that peed in the water!!

 

[chrispete]

Just dive, as you get some experience under your belt, you will start to become more comfortable with your skills. Keep getting dives under your belt on a consistent basis and your skills will become nearly automatic. Your navigation skills will improve as you find that you can distinguish landmarks underwater, use the environment to tell you the way back towards the boat, etc. These will give you the confidence to work on other things that you want to do underwater, i.e. getting a little farther away from the anchor line, getting into deeper diving, etc.

Good luck!

 

[scywin]

Since you have only been on 12 dives in two years, I don't blame you for being conservative. If you can dive more often you will become more comfortable and more proficient.

I agree with the post suggesting a Nitrox course. You'll learn a lot and be safer at recreational depths. You might also consider an Advanced course, which will allow you to dive under the supervion of an instructor as you build confidence and skills.