|
Crunkjuice posted:Why would you not want to be more trained and educated? This is why I keep going up the chain of diving education, I want to be as trained and educated as humanly possible. If something goes wrong (which will happen, sooner or later) I want to be able to respond intelligently and if not make it better, at least keep it from getting any worse.
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 01:26
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 12:37 |
|
|
It's a lot of money to spend on doing a course that honestly has little bearing on diving. I understand if you want to be a divemaster or instructor but it's not like any shop will want to hire a 'rescue diver' as a staff member and if there's any emergency there's always going to be an instructor or a divemaster close by. I also agree it's a fun course, although the divemaster course is a lot more fun in my opinion.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 06:24
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:if there's any emergency there's always going to be an instructor or a divemaster close by. Are you sure about that? No one ever goes diving without a DM present? Interesting call to make.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 06:41
|
|
|
I wish I could take this course but I'm not going to even be in the states in October  Rescue is the next class on my to-do list and I'm looking forward to it because it's always good to know what to do in case things go wrong because yeah, might not be diving with a DM or instructor or they might be the ones in need of rescuing 
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 07:41
|
|
|
Frogmanv2 posted:Are you sure about that? No one ever goes diving without a DM present? Interesting call to make. I've only ever dived in areas where DMs and instructors were a dime a dozen. I'm not sure why you guys want to jump down my throat about this, I was just asking a question because it really baffled me. If you're saying you dive regularly with no DM, no instructor and no one else who is better qualified to rescue a diver than a 'mere' rescue diver, I accept that this is technically possible but I thought it would be exceedingly rare.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 08:03
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:I've only ever dived in areas where DMs and instructors were a dime a dozen. I'm not sure why you guys want to jump down my throat about this, I was just asking a question because it really baffled me. If you're saying you dive regularly with no DM, no instructor and no one else who is better qualified to rescue a diver than a 'mere' rescue diver, I accept that this is technically possible but I thought it would be exceedingly rare. Well, I dive with a dive shop that takes out dives for free every weekend. Every dive has a DM or two. Even so, if I know the dive site, I prefer to go with my buddy on our own than dive with the DM, and about half the people there are the same. So getting a rescue diver cert (which I don't have yet, but I'm a relatively new diver, only around 50 dives) can be useful even if there is no shortage of DMs. Not trying to jump down your throat, as you put it, but it seems to me to be one of the most important things you could learn and I definitely intend on doing it this year or next. I guess most people who replied don't see it as you seem to, i.e. something that someone in the group has to know, but rather as a more basic set of knowledge and skills that anyone serious about diving should have eventually. That's the way I see it. Also, on a tangent, if you always dive with a DM, you should definitely start diving some easy sites without one. You see the sites very differently when you're navigating and leading a dive. The whole dive experience is different (better).
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 11:26
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:I've only ever dived in areas where DMs and instructors were a dime a dozen. I'm not sure why you guys want to jump down my throat about this, I was just asking a question because it really baffled me. I'm not really a PADI qualified diver (did my OW a long loving time ago now) but I've progessed a bit as a British Sub-Aqua Club one and the basic progression model for diving with them is 1) Learn to look after yourself underwater 2) Learn to look after your buddy 3)Learn to look after trips 4) Learn to look after trips where more poo poo can go wrong. Of course that's only the contingency/rescue side of the training but I'd imagine PADI has some similar elements. I can understand not seeing any definitive need for it if you assume there will always be a DM nearby but if you've got the diving experience necessary, you enjoy the sport and you have the money; why would you not want to learn to be able to help out in an emergency situation? Also the fact that there are DMs on the boat doesn't equal them being there to assist if something goes wrong. Personally I'm aware that the sport is safe but if things go wrong it can be bad and being as well prepared as possible is the best approach.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 17:26
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:I've only ever dived in areas where DMs and instructors were a dime a dozen. I'm not sure why you guys want to jump down my throat about this, I was just asking a question because it really baffled me. If you're saying you dive regularly with no DM, no instructor and no one else who is better qualified to rescue a diver than a 'mere' rescue diver, I accept that this is technically possible but I thought it would be exceedingly rare. I'm not trying to jump down your throat, but i do think its important to go diving with as highly trained divers possible. When i lived in austin, i had multiple dive sites i could visit and did not have a divemaster present. My scuba club would go out, and groups of certified (OW and AOW) would go lake diving all the time, with no divemaster present. Two of us were rescue certified and it made me much more comfortable in the water knowing i was trained enough to hopefully deal with an emergency situation correctly. Vacation diving on boat charters? Yeah, theres a divemaster but he may not always be the closest person to an emergency. In cozumel we had 12 divers on the boat, one DM in the water, and a LOT of space between divers. If an emergency hit, I absolutely would have been closer to about half the group than him so i was also glad i was rescue trained (i was a DM at the time too). I think for local divers who dive regularly at various lakes, rivers, quarries, ocean shores, etc there isn't alway a DM or a scheduled dive event so there aren't always professionals around. I had a few hundred dives before i was a DM and maybe 120ish of those were just me and other recreational divers diving by ourselves. Another reason why i love the course is I became much more comfortable in the water. After the course i knew i was as self reliant as i could be recreationally, and that comfort level helped me enjoy the dive more and get better air consumption. That may not be the case for everyone, but it was for me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 18:34
|
|
|
MrNemo posted:1) Learn to look after yourself underwater 2) Learn to look after your buddy 3)Learn to look after trips 4) Learn to look after trips where more poo poo can go wrong. This is about how i see it. If i can recognize and pull myself out of trouble before it becomes a serious problem, thats better for everyone involved. If i can recognize my buddy is having trouble and bring them back to the surface before their issue becomes life-threatening, even better. If it saves you or a dive buddy from death or injury even once, the course paid for itself a hundred times over.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2014 18:39
|
|
|
jackyl posted:Right on, I've read in this and previous threads about the scenarios you get doing that. Looking forward to it, actually, I was lifeguard, WSI, all that poo poo and had no issue with my real life saves and the tests, but that was a lot if years ago. Curious to see how all that plays out with diving. Everyone enjoys diving for their own personal reasons, and if a diver is content diving with just an OW cert, more power to them. And while I think training is a great idea and would never discourage anyone from upgrading their certs, I think it is way more important that a diver feels comfortable under water and knows their limitations (re: zero to hero training programs discussion).
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2014 00:25
|
|
|
I'm finishing out my Advanced Open Water dives tomorrow  I only owed 2 more after the trip to Key Largo, Navigation and one other (it's going to be PPB). Heading up to Fantasy Lake (outside Raleigh, NC) tomorrow morning, and I can finally be done with it. Took the class initially in 2005, never did the dives, took it again last fall, and just now getting around to finishing  e, since no new posts: bailed on the dives. Water was too cold, and I didn't have gloves to put on for it. There was a hood I could have borrowed, but no gloves in water that's 55F at the surface and 43 at the bottom translates into a big pile of "Hell no." Icon Of Sin fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Mar 30, 2014 |
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2014 02:12
|
|
|
Hello chaps. So winter's on its way here in Australia and since my girlfriend froze in a 7mm suit on a dive where I was in boardshorts the other day we're going to invest in a drysuit for her for when the water gets down to a 'freezing' 16C/60F degrees(!). Does anyone have any experience with the Whites suits? She tried on the fusion essence yesterday and it seemed a pretty good deal all up. Any pro's or cons anyones aware of?
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2014 08:10
|
|
|
Tomberforce posted:Hello chaps. Don't know about the dry suit, and this may be irrelevant to you. But, if you're looking for cheaper (and non specialty-course-requiring) drysuit alternatives, a semi dry 7mm will make a big difference, and you can get a really good hollis 7mm semi for around 600AUD. Also, another thing to try is a lavacore full body suit that you wear under the 7mm she has already. It's neutrally buoyant so you don't end up carrying even more weight and it is pretty good warming you up. Just thought I'd throw those in.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2014 08:57
|
|
|
Unimpressed posted:Don't know about the dry suit, and this may be irrelevant to you. But, if you're looking for cheaper (and non specialty-course-requiring) drysuit alternatives, a semi dry 7mm will make a big difference, and you can get a really good hollis 7mm semi for around 600AUD. Also, another thing to try is a lavacore full body suit that you wear under the 7mm she has already. It's neutrally buoyant so you don't end up carrying even more weight and it is pretty good warming you up. Just thought I'd throw those in. Yeah I have a Hollis Neotek 8(!)mm semi dry and it is absolutely awesome, but she'll get probably get too cold even in that. She's already wearing a lavacore top and hood under her 7mm and getting cold in 75 degree water when I'm in lavacore and board shorts. Also we want a drysuit for diving back in the UK in actual proper cold water. She's a drysuit instructor so we don't need to worry about further training. She used to teach dry in 39 degree water back home, not quite sure how she survived.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2014 12:29
|
|
|
Whites make solid suits. I'm a dui fanboy myself and love the everliving poo poo out of my cf200. Semidrys are great but they require a perfect fit to be effective, whereas I think drysuits are more comfortable.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2014 13:51
|
|
|
Scuba divers talking about wetsuits makes me so sad. Yall dont know what youre missing not using open cell suits. Those $500 semi-dry suits dont hold a candle to a nice open cell freediving wetsuit in either comfort or warmth. Infact, they are just normal scuba suits withopen cell seals. The neoprene is softer and therefor compresses easier so it wont last as long, esp if you dive deep. But you could buy 2-3 nice suits for the price of a "semi dry" offsetting that factor a lot. You also need to use lube to get it on. But once you feel what a soft open cell suit feels like every other wetsuit becomes literally a joke. Even the ones that cost 600$ and are supposed to be ultimately comfortable and warm dont come close. An open cell wetsuit doesn't exchange ANY water. The only way new water can get in the suit is if you open a seal and flood it. Combined with the fact that you can get the best 7mm suit on the market for under $300 the scuba suit industry needs to pull its head out of its rear end. IM FROM THE FUTURE fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Mar 31, 2014 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2014 15:11
|
|
|
Tomberforce posted:
I dive a Whites Fusion Sport and I love it. I know the Essence is supposed to be a better fit for women, but I am not really qualified to tell you how well that works. The one problem I had when I first got my suit was a minor amount of leaking on the chest inflation valve, but I tightened it a bit and haven't had any issues since.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2014 15:20
|
|
|
What's that? you'd like some terrible video from my trip to mozambique? here you go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NEwryKUfAU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw4IzJPsubI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35z_HxCaYkE Launching the boat was pretty good fun. The landy reverses and breaks throwing the boat off then you have spin it out and push it through the surf  Also swam with a whaleshark which was incredibly cool but didn't take my camera as we were rushing to get in and i didn't want to lose it (like the guy who did take it and didn't do his lanyard properly in the race to get in the water) Loving Africa Chaps fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Apr 2, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2014 18:32
|
|
|
My last trip to the Philippines was one where I opted for mostly video. I can sympathize with the sheer difficulty of it. (I still haven't gotten around to editing it). Your videos also remind me that I really ought to get a red lens filter.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 00:32
|
|
|
Trivia posted:My last trip to the Philippines was one where I opted for mostly video. I can sympathize with the sheer difficulty of it. I think the fact you can't see what you're filming with a gopro makes it worse plus the little grenade grip I was using exacerbated shakiness.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 11:40
|
|
|
I've got a full case for my digicam, so I have the luxury of a display. However, that doesn't make getting still footage easy. The reason it's taking so long is because I'm spergy and have to learn how to stabilize the footage using after effects or premiere.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 11:43
|
|
|
Yeah, I also have a bunch of GoPro footage that I need to go through and hopefully post in here. Loving Africa Chaps posted:I think the fact you can't see what you're filming with a gopro makes it worse plus the little grenade grip I was using exacerbated shakiness. Using an underwater camera/gopro tray really helps to stabilize the footage, as opposed to the grenade grips or poles. I'm still on the fence about getting the lcd bacpac since many divers who have them say they don't really add value underwater and getting properly framed stable shots is all about practice. The fact that it sucks through battery life is a turn off for me.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 15:57
|
|
|
I just hold my GoPro in my hand. This has the added bonus of forcing me to not use them and thus improve my self control and buoyancy awareness.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 00:16
|
|
|
That's why I ended up buying an EVIL camera, housing and strobe. We went back and forth on a gopro vs point and shoot (which we already had) vs camera upgrade. We ended with thinking stills were the way to go. I love seeing nicely edited gopro dive videos, but I know that'll never happen from either of us. So, we went for stills.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2014 05:24
|
|
|
Has anyone here converted from PADI to NAUI? I'm probably starting my NAUI instructor training in a few weeks time. I'm currently a PADI DM. I've heard the theory side of things is much more in depth with NAUI? I was actually kind of disappointed how basic the dive theory component of the PADI DM course was.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2014 10:52
|
|
|
What kind of stuff do I have to do when using gear that hasn't been used in a long time (~3-4 years)? I bought this gear used 3 years ago but never used it (I went diving, just not with the gear).
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2014 16:38
|
|
|
stratdax posted:What kind of stuff do I have to do when using gear that hasn't been used in a long time (~3-4 years)? I bought this gear used 3 years ago but never used it (I went diving, just not with the gear). Take it to a dive shop and make sure the inspections on everything are all up to date, and ask if they can do a quick check to make sure everything is still as functional as it should be (like with a BC or a regulator that you aren't sure the last servicing date was). I had to do this with a BC that hadn't been used in about 10 years, along with a regulator and a tank.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2014 16:51
|
|
|
Tomberforce posted:Has anyone here converted from PADI to NAUI? Not your exact situation, but I am in the midst of crossover from PADI to SDI as a PADI DM into SDI's IDC/IEC and I have had no issues. From my understanding of crossovers at the professional level: each agency is going to have a short blurb about their training protocols and teaching methods and then an evaluation to make sure your skills are at the level they want before you begin the next iteration of training. One caveat to that is that once you are deemed a course director under PADI I believe you are ONLY allowed to teach PADI and nothing else. I don't know if other agencies have similar restrictions in place. Although since NAUI isn't a member of the RSTC they may have slightly different standards than everyone else. I do know that our shop also offers crossover certification from SDI to NAUI so I am guessing the two can't be terribly different.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2014 01:14
|
|
|
Figure I should post, I no longer live in Hawaii I am living in California. I will be diving soon enough hopefully again. Currently battling some debilitating breathing issues will see how all that goes. Moved to just outside Sacramento huzzah for land locked.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2014 14:09
|
|
|
Just got me a Hollis Neotek Semidry suit and a Hollis M-4 mask. Still have to try the mask but the suit feels really good; a friend of mine who already owns it speaks of it with nothing but praise.
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2014 08:12
|
|
|
SlicerDicer posted:Figure I should post, I no longer live in Hawaii I am living in California. I dive in Monterey pretty regularly, shoot me a PM if you're looking for a local dive buddy.
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2014 06:12
|
|
|
DeadlyMuffin posted:I dive in Monterey pretty regularly, shoot me a PM if you're looking for a local dive buddy. I'd be up for a dive too, I'm in east bay and I was just looking at local dive clubs today to try find some upcoming trips to Monterey. I want to go diving but cold water and non-guided dives scare me I just have no idea how it's done here.But I'm going to be doing some dives when I'm up in Seattle soon so I'll get some cold water experience there. After that, I'll be taking a GUE Primer class sometime in May (still waiting for the instructor to sort out dates)  Looking forward to trying out a BP/W rig and improving skills!
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2014 08:43
|
|
|
Cippalippus posted:Just got me a Hollis Neotek Semidry suit and a Hollis M-4 mask. Still have to try the mask but the suit feels really good; a friend of mine who already owns it speaks of it with nothing but praise. Oh man I love my Neotek so much! I'll be getting some good use out of it this coming week! Not tried the M4 mask - I have an M1 and it's the best mask I've ever used by an absolute mile. I reckon I'm going to pick up some fourth element booties tomorrow - they're ridiculously comfortable compared to my Oceanics. Seems great gear in general! http://www.fourthelement.com/
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2014 14:28
|
|
|
Can any of you dive masters chime in on these pieces of gear? I'm going snorkeling in hawaii and will use them again in the future. Anything better for mask, snorkel and fins for under a hundred dollars? Anything particularly wrong with these? Fins: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PR12YU/ Mask and snorkel: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XAA23Y
|
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2014 17:00
|
|
|
Those fins are unusable as diving fins.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 08:15
|
|
|
And if you're serious about snorkeling, I would suggest buying the mask in person so you can find one that fits your face well.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 09:47
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:Those fins are unusable as diving fins. Yeah, dive fins are huge, a totally different breed. Going to Costa Rica on Saturday! So excited, my first blue water in several years. That said... weather report calls for a thundershower EVERY day. When I planned this trip, everything I read said that the rainy season doesn't start until the END of May, so I'm feeling a little gypped. Am I wrong to assume that rain means poor visibility due lots of particles in the water?
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 18:49
|
|
|
Tomato Soup posted:And if you're serious about snorkeling, I would suggest buying the mask in person so you can find one that fits your face well. General tip for a mask, even if you're set on getting it as cheaply as possible off the internet, try it on in person. Put the mask on your face without the strap and see if you can create a seal by breathing in with your nose a little bit. If you can create enough of a vacum seal this way then the mask fits you well enough to consider.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 20:33
|
|
|
Hello friends, stumbled across this thread yesterday and have been slowly chewing my way through it. I got my PADI open water scuba certificate late last year (in the Puget Sound, which makes me feel pretty hardcore even though it's mostly unjustified) and I'd like to follow up by continuing to dive before I get rusty and die of an embolism from making an idiot mistake. My problem: I recently moved, and I don't know any divers in my area(Portland, Oregon). As I mentioned earlier I'm not eager to die of an idiot mistake and diving alone is like, wow, number one on that list. I didn't follow up immediately after getting my certification but I don't want to fall out of practice and to do that, I need more divers. Are there any nation-wide (I'm an American) scuba clubs for beginners that I might be able to find a local chapter for? I'm eager to go scuba diving again relatively soon. The visibility on my first dive was pretty poor and the water was pretty cold (neoprene is Poseidon's gift to man), but even so I had a blast. I picked up a crab and it pinched me before scuttling off! Underwater, you guys!
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 02:11
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 12:37 |
|
|
illrepute posted:Hello friends, stumbled across this thread yesterday and have been slowly chewing my way through it. I got my PADI open water scuba certificate late last year (in the Puget Sound, which makes me feel pretty hardcore even though it's mostly unjustified) and I'd like to follow up by continuing to dive before I get rusty and die of an embolism from making an idiot mistake. My problem: I recently moved, and I don't know any divers in my area(Portland, Oregon). As I mentioned earlier I'm not eager to die of an idiot mistake and diving alone is like, wow, number one on that list. I didn't follow up immediately after getting my certification but I don't want to fall out of practice and to do that, I need more divers. Are there any nation-wide (I'm an American) scuba clubs for beginners that I might be able to find a local chapter for? Go to your local dive shops and tell them exactly that. Most shops have clubs that do monthly/weekly/whatever dives locally. You can always post here looking for dive buddies (long shot), or try scubaboard. I think they have a personal section to meet other local divers.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 03:00
|
|