Notes about things regarding scuba diving that I have come to know.
Pete's Statements about Scuba Diving
Pete's Statements about Scuba Diving
When I decided to write this segment I was tempted to call it "Pete's Undeniable Truths About Scuba Diving" but I decided that it sounded too much like Rush Limbaugh. So here they are in no particular order.
We were not intended to breathe underwater. Everything you will do in your training and gear selection will be unique to getting you comfortable and keeping you safe while breathing underwater.
We all come to diving as individuals and our learning experience and gear preferences will all be unique. Set your pace, do your research and make your own smart choices.
Open water instruction teaches you a finite number of skills that you need to perform for you instructor. You learn his/her way to be tested by them, end of story. Dive gear is somewhat technical by nature. In addition to different brands there are different formats and features that may or may not be your best choices for your unique adaptation and the diving you intend to do. Do lots of research including spending some quality time in the ScubaBoard gear forums.
As you can guess by now for every gear selection decision there can be another decision. Even the most basic diving statement of "never hold your breath" is countered by "an open glottis pause in breathing is acceptable to control buoyancy".
One's first dives border on information overload as signs, sounds and sensations fill our minds. Be careful about adding new things to do too soon or to many at a time. Even if you took up diving to pursue something such as photography discipline yourself to be come a good diver before being a diving photographer. Some common forms of task loading include managing a dive flag while diving, photography and night diving. Even required tasks such as navigation can suddenly be a burden when your hands and mid are preoccupied with secondary activities.
When preparing for a dive you want to have an established routine of preparing gear and staging it for donning. Be wary of things that break this routine since it can result in detrimental ommissions or errors. Personally I have made several boneheaded ommissions and errors that thankfully proved harmless. In every case there was a significant break in routine. Things like meeting sombody new, diving in an unfamilliar setting, rushing and excessive conversation can all short circuit your best methods. For this reason there is no substiture for a thorough top to bottom personal inventory & check before heading to the water. If your buddy repeats it on you so much the better.
Let's face it diving is not a cheap activity to get into. Local diving can be very afforadable once you are set-up but there is always a desire for new toys and travel takes cash too. In addition to diving being a great thing to share and enjoy with your significant other the money happens easier when you have a common goal. One may not be as fanatical as the other but if you enjoy some of your diving together it all starts to make sense.