New Scuba Diver

[Strmchsr]

My DS8 was certified as a scuba ranger (certified down to 25 ft) last summer and since I've lost 130 lbs in the last year he convinced me to try it, too. So, I've finished all the course work for the open water certification and am doing my certification dives next weekend. :woohoo:

Two quick questions for any of you experienced divers...

1.) Any advice for a new diver beyond don't get eaten by a shark and don't drown?
2.) Any recommendations on an inexpensive dive computer (less than $300). I'll talk with the local dive shop about it, but I'd like to get a variety of takes since I'm pretty much clueless on brands and what I need/can afford.

[MNNHFLTX]

Well, it's been some years since I've made a dive, but I'm certfied. Some things to remember are:

1. Remember to keep your breaths slow and even. Besides saving your air it keeps you calm and focused.

2. Make sure you're totally familiar with your equipment before you dive. This is especially true if you are borrowing or renting it.

3. I don't know where you are going to do your open-water dives, but if it's in the ocean, be prepared for the water surge. I did my training in pools, two open water dives in natural springs (in Florida) and two open water dives in the Atlantic. After the relative calm of the springs, the back and forth surge of the ocean underwater made me a little queasy at first. I will never forget my instructor telling us that if we had to up-chuck during a dive to make sure and keep our regulator on and use the purge valve continuously to flush it through. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Anyway, I thankfully never had to try this out, and with the second ocean dive I took meclizine beforehand.

I don't have any recommendations on computers as I'm not up on the latest technology.

Enjoy your dives!

[Tick-Tock]

I will never forget my instructor telling us that if we had to up-chuck during a dive to make sure and keep our regulator on and use the purge valve continuously to flush it through. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Anyway, I thankfully never had to try this out, and with the second ocean dive I took meclizine beforehand.



My DH has tried that out, and says it wasn't that fun. It does work, though. :sick:

If you're in the ocean, really watch out for currents. One of the loveliest, and most horrible, dives I ever did was in Martinique. The fish were amazing -- but the current was horrendous. I honestly wasn't sure I was going to get back to the boat. I still don't know why that wasn't designed as a drift dive (where they drop you off and then pick you up downcurrent).

In that same vein, don't let anyone take you outside your comfort zone. If it takes you longer to equalize and descend than more experienced divers, so be it. If you're wearing yourself out fighting a current, stop the dive. If you're not feeling good about what's going on around you, stop the dive. The most important thing is that you stay calm and comfortable, so you stay safe.

Being underwater is amazing, but don't get so caught up in the experience that you forget to be aware of your environment and keep track of your buddy. Most importantly, CHECK YOUR GAUGES. OFTEN. You don't want to end up in a no-air situation (which can totally happen).

And be sure to log your dives, with as much detail as possible. It's fun to go back and look through the logbook!

[garymacd]

I don't have much advice other than keep clearing your ears on the way down and back up, and take your time in both directions.

I just wanted to congratulate you on getting this far towards your C card and a special congratulations on losing all that weight!

Well done! Keep going and I am sure you will be running the Boston Marathon in no time.

[murphy1]

Wow, Chris, that's great on both parts!!! I never got certified in Florida, I wish I had. Me and oldest are doing Snuba some time though. Have fun with it! You might want to look into Homosassa Springs/Crytal River, my college took a lot of new divers up there and it's beautiful, plus no sharks, but some cute manatees!

[scooterca42]

DH and I did our certification off West Palm in the Pipes. It was truly wonderful. Advice?

Don't worry too much about getting sick when you dive. Even if you're queasy on the boat, once you hit the water that will disappear. If you're queasy on the boat with no hope of getting in the water, then get as close to the center of the boat as you can and watch the horizon.

Equalize, equalize, equalize. Breathe normally.

Take some mint gum with you for after the dive - helps with the salt water aftertaste and the cottonmouth. Pineapple works like magic, too - some boats provide it as an after-dive snack.

Practise your signs above water, communication with your buddy is key.

Stick no more than an arm's length from your buddy, especially going down. Last dive, my BC malfunctioned - wouldn't deflate - and my buddy was on the bottom looking for me. If we'd stayed together I could have grabbed him and saved him some worry. Facing each other when you descend is a good way to avoid this problem. Lesson learned!

Computer? I don't know. We were certified in 1992 and still dive with the PADI wheel. We're still a bit overweight and so we tend to err on the side of caution, the wheel is quite conservative. Our last dive, though, was with some Canadian SARs - you want to know conservative?! Safest dives we were ever on. Most fun, too. Those guys are wreck penetration specialists, amazing to watch! Me, I have to be able to see the sky above me!