My dive buddy and ran into some trouble ascending on a night dive with bad currents when we navigated a little too far from the dive site by mistake. This was a huge eye opener and prompted better planning and preparation on our part. These tips are spot on thanks for sharing
Thanks Austin. Glad you made it out safely. Had to be unnerving. Reminds me of that diver that recently got caught in a downcurrent in Coz. Unfortunately it didn't end well. Thanks for the input!
Good advice. To add to your conversation, if you have trouble with equalizing that starts long before you do your dive. Clearing your ears as much as 1 day prior will help . Learn free diving techniques for how they clear there ears. Some desend vertical while others get horizontal. Horizontal helps slow your decent and allows you to clear your ears more frequently. Secondly tuck it in. New divers often let there gear just float around and when you have an emergency you can't find that piece that will save your life.Get down slowly, tuck it in,check your air, check your depth. Look around get with the other divers and enjoy a world few get to see.
@retirees life. Good advice! 100% agree with clearing ears early and tucking it in. And of course, enjoy the wonderful world below water. Thanks for your input, it is truly appreciated.
Dianne - Another great video. Unfortunately my granddaughter falls into the equalizing category. I had suggested she start equalizing long before we did her first "certified diver" dive. She had struggled during her open water testing and by constantly equalizing almost every other second she has been able to descend without any issues. I love that you explain things in a down to earth tone and not like a PADI, SSI, SDI, or NAUI instructor following certification guidelines.
Thanks so much Thomas! Appreciate the feedback. Glad your granddaughter has been able to descend without issues. It really is a problem for quite a few divers. Grandpa knows best :) - constantly equalize!
So many people who ask for more weights are actually kicking and not realizing it. Struggling to go down then make sure you're not actually kicking your fins
Planning problems is what we learn and train over and over again in long courses in diving association. Different than getting an OW in few days and go dive without enough training on the « what if »
@@ScubaDivingSmiles in France, you can learn Padi (what I did with an OW), SSI, SD1, FFESSM and so on. FFESSM, which is the French diving standard, can be reached in short time courses with dive shops or indépendant instructors, or it can be teached within a dive club association. In this last case, you pay something like +/- 200 euros for the year, including the license fee and insurance. The course start in September and ends in June. During this year, we have something like +/- 30 lessons with few theory classes, swimming pool scuba dives some weeks and fins and swin techniques some other weeks, and from May, we dive into the lake. And there are some sea weekends during the year (with extra costs). The club provides with regulators and bcd for the swimming pool for those who don’t want to put theirs in to chlore water and for beginners, they provide regs, bcd and wetsuit if needed for lake and sea. So quite cheap and complete course. It takes way longer than getting a course in a week during holidays, but we also gain more confidence and are supposedly more prepared, even we still beginners. But that’s because the French FFESSM also prepare for future technical divers, even that the most majority will only do recreational diving. We quite insist a lot on the « what if ? »
Mistake--- not continuing to practice skills. Most divers get their cert and that's the last time they run thru emergency drills until they need it for real. You should practice any skill you need whenever you get the chance. The more you do underwater, the more time you should be practicing doing that thing. Mistake---newbies with cameras. I was an asst instructor for awhile and the single most dangerous thing to a new diver were cameras. Learn to dive first, then learn to take pictures when diving. As soon as people get that certification out come the cameras and the problems begin. I've had to chase people down who took off after a fish or lobster that would have been totally lost in low viz had I not been there. Watch people kick the heck out of a delicate reef because they haven't mastered buoyancy yet but paid a lot for that camera so they're going to use it. And of course have no idea how much air they had left but knew what lens to use for that macro shot. Mistake--- You probably don't need to buy a bunch of scuba gear. Most people dive once a year or so on a vacation. It'd be pretty silly to spend thousands of dollars on something that will sit in your closet 51 weeks out of the year. If you really get into diving or dive locally, your specific needs will likely drive your choices in gear so running out the day after you get your OW to buy what is essentially the same rental stuff but new-- isn't your best option. Things people should have but often don't bother with-- compass, two is better. Flashlight, two is better. Save-a-Dive kits do exactly that. I keep small tools, parachute cord, a lighter, O-rings, and whatever else I can get into an extra mask case with a good lid. That has been more useful than any shiny big ticket item.
Great points! I agree with all of them. I am planning a part 2 and these will make the list. Using a camera and not having buoyancy control is a particular pet peeve of mine - I have seen lots of reef get damaged. Thanks so much for the thoughtful input. It is greatly appreciated.
What if your power inflator starts leaking by and filling up your BC. Do you teach people to use the manual inflator? I have that happen to me I simply pop the hose off and finished my dive when I had to put air in my BC I did it manually. It is not a big deal.
Hi John, Good point. I have never had it actually happen to me but it did happen to relatives of mine. His girlfriend's inflator started filling up her BC. He tried but was not able to get the hose disconnected (and he has thousands of dives, so he is experienced). Also tried keeping her down but that didn't work. They kept the ascent as slow as possible but eventually went to the surface. Luckily they didn't get bent.
Yes she did try that. But the button wasn't working properly if I remember correctly (not sure if they tested it before going down - another lesson). All in all it was a #$*show that luckily ended up ok.
Yes she did try that. But the button wasn't working properly if I remember correctly (not sure if they tested it before going down - another lesson). All in all it was a #$*show that luckily ended up ok.
Do you have a game plan if something happens while you are diving? Have you and your buddy talked it over?
My dive buddy and ran into some trouble ascending on a night dive with bad currents when we navigated a little too far from the dive site by mistake. This was a huge eye opener and prompted better planning and preparation on our part. These tips are spot on thanks for sharing
Thanks Austin. Glad you made it out safely. Had to be unnerving. Reminds me of that diver that recently got caught in a downcurrent in Coz. Unfortunately it didn't end well. Thanks for the input!
Good advice. To add to your conversation, if you have trouble with equalizing that starts long before you do your dive. Clearing your ears as much as 1 day prior will help . Learn free diving techniques for how they clear there ears. Some desend vertical while others get horizontal. Horizontal helps slow your decent and allows you to clear your ears more frequently. Secondly tuck it in. New divers often let there gear just float around and when you have an emergency you can't find that piece that will save your life.Get down slowly, tuck it in,check your air, check your depth. Look around get with the other divers and enjoy a world few get to see.
@retirees life. Good advice! 100% agree with clearing ears early and tucking it in. And of course, enjoy the wonderful world below water. Thanks for your input, it is truly appreciated.
Dianne - Another great video. Unfortunately my granddaughter falls into the equalizing category. I had suggested she start equalizing long before we did her first "certified diver" dive. She had struggled during her open water testing and by constantly equalizing almost every other second she has been able to descend without any issues. I love that you explain things in a down to earth tone and not like a PADI, SSI, SDI, or NAUI instructor following certification guidelines.
Thanks so much Thomas! Appreciate the feedback. Glad your granddaughter has been able to descend without issues. It really is a problem for quite a few divers. Grandpa knows best :) - constantly equalize!
So many people who ask for more weights are actually kicking and not realizing it. Struggling to go down then make sure you're not actually kicking your fins
Very good advice! Thanks for the input. Appreciate it, as will divers that realize they are doing this exact thing.
Planning problems is what we learn and train over and over again in long courses in diving association. Different than getting an OW in few days and go dive without enough training on the « what if »
Agree with this statement. Are you referencing long courses for purely recreational diving, and/or technical or a combo of both? Thanks for the input.
@@ScubaDivingSmiles in France, you can learn Padi (what I did with an OW), SSI, SD1, FFESSM and so on. FFESSM, which is the French diving standard, can be reached in short time courses with dive shops or indépendant instructors, or it can be teached within a dive club association. In this last case, you pay something like +/- 200 euros for the year, including the license fee and insurance. The course start in September and ends in June. During this year, we have something like +/- 30 lessons with few theory classes, swimming pool scuba dives some weeks and fins and swin techniques some other weeks, and from May, we dive into the lake. And there are some sea weekends during the year (with extra costs). The club provides with regulators and bcd for the swimming pool for those who don’t want to put theirs in to chlore water and for beginners, they provide regs, bcd and wetsuit if needed for lake and sea. So quite cheap and complete course. It takes way longer than getting a course in a week during holidays, but we also gain more confidence and are supposedly more prepared, even we still beginners. But that’s because the French FFESSM also prepare for future technical divers, even that the most majority will only do recreational diving. We quite insist a lot on the « what if ? »
That sounds like a great way to do it! We should all do it that way though there would be fewer divers 😁🤣. Thanks for the info!
Mistake--- not continuing to practice skills. Most divers get their cert and that's the last time they run thru emergency drills until they need it for real. You should practice any skill you need whenever you get the chance. The more you do underwater, the more time you should be practicing doing that thing.
Mistake---newbies with cameras. I was an asst instructor for awhile and the single most dangerous thing to a new diver were cameras. Learn to dive first, then learn to take pictures when diving. As soon as people get that certification out come the cameras and the problems begin. I've had to chase people down who took off after a fish or lobster that would have been totally lost in low viz had I not been there. Watch people kick the heck out of a delicate reef because they haven't mastered buoyancy yet but paid a lot for that camera so they're going to use it. And of course have no idea how much air they had left but knew what lens to use for that macro shot.
Mistake--- You probably don't need to buy a bunch of scuba gear. Most people dive once a year or so on a vacation. It'd be pretty silly to spend thousands of dollars on something that will sit in your closet 51 weeks out of the year. If you really get into diving or dive locally, your specific needs will likely drive your choices in gear so running out the day after you get your OW to buy what is essentially the same rental stuff but new-- isn't your best option.
Things people should have but often don't bother with-- compass, two is better. Flashlight, two is better. Save-a-Dive kits do exactly that. I keep small tools, parachute cord, a lighter, O-rings, and whatever else I can get into an extra mask case with a good lid. That has been more useful than any shiny big ticket item.
Great points! I agree with all of them. I am planning a part 2 and these will make the list. Using a camera and not having buoyancy control is a particular pet peeve of mine - I have seen lots of reef get damaged. Thanks so much for the thoughtful input. It is greatly appreciated.
What if your power inflator starts leaking by and filling up your BC. Do you teach people to use the manual inflator? I have that happen to me I simply pop the hose off and finished my dive when I had to put air in my BC I did it manually. It is not a big deal.
Hi John, Good point. I have never had it actually happen to me but it did happen to relatives of mine. His girlfriend's inflator started filling up her BC. He tried but was not able to get the hose disconnected (and he has thousands of dives, so he is experienced). Also tried keeping her down but that didn't work. They kept the ascent as slow as possible but eventually went to the surface. Luckily they didn't get bent.
@@ScubaDivingSmiles I was not there but she should have kept releasing the air as she ascends.
Yes she did try that. But the button wasn't working properly if I remember correctly (not sure if they tested it before going down - another lesson). All in all it was a #$*show that luckily ended up ok.
Yes she did try that. But the button wasn't working properly if I remember correctly (not sure if they tested it before going down - another lesson). All in all it was a #$*show that luckily ended up ok.
@@ScubaDivingSmiles a power inflater is a convenience not a necessity. When conveniences become necessities we have a training issue.
My dad is a terrible dive buddy because he always descends without me
Yes, ideally you should descend together. Have you talked to him about it?