Until my daughter's profile is set up..

[Axewizard]

I will be letting her use mine to ask a few questions, as she will be taking the OW course in April and getting her JR OW. She wanted to jump on here and ask questions (obviously her old man doesn't have a clue as I've only been certified since 1991).

Anyhoo...here she goes.

She wants to know what a safety stop is.

[medic001918]

A safety stop is a stop that many view as mandatory after a dive. The stop is generally held at 10-15 ft. deep for three to five minutes to allow for off-gassing from the nitrogen that you've built up during the dive. The safety stop is good practice and a chance to work on your buoyancy skills.

The stop is not mandatory since you're not doing decompression diving, but it is a good practice and offers a margin of safety.

Shane

[Axewizard]

i have another question. is it scary going on a night dive?

[cummings66]

In the old days a safety stop wasn't even used, it's only been a more recent thing for it to be taught in training.

I was taught 15 feet for the stop. My computer will start the countdown at 20 feet when I tell it 15 feet deep for some trivia. The stop is a good place to hang out and practice horizontal trim and non movement, play a couple games of tic tac toe if you have a place, and just relax.

It's not mandatory for any diving depths she will be doing but is a good procedure to get in the habit of doing. Many adults claim they feel better after a days diving when they include safety stops.

[cummings66]

Night dives are not scary, fun in fact because you get to see the fish do things they would not normally do in the daylight. I like them.

[Axewizard]

This is Axe...saphire's dad...I've done the night dive gig in Coz, but I need some help convincing her that it is one of the most awesome experiences that's she'll ever have...help!

[Axewizard]

Originally Posted by cummings66

Night dives are not scary, fun in fact because you get to see the fish do things they would not normally do in the daylight. I like them.

this is saphire now... its not the fact that i am in the water it is the fact of going in. So i need to know if it is scary going in the water!

[Vercingetorix]

Not really scary. it is a cardinal rule that you do your night dive where you previously did a day dive. Therefore, you know what to expect. Stay close to your buddy; that provides reassurance and an opportunity to share experiences when you emerge. You'll have three lights (main, backup, tank) so you'll have plenty of light. You should also fully discuss your dive plan with your buddy.

Will you feel nervous going in? Yes. The fact that you're asking that question indicates that you will be. Acknowledge it, then jump right in (literally). I was nervous on my first night dive. It does feel kinda spooky. But once you see all the cool things, you'll lose the fear.

[Axewizard]

thank you very much for your help. I appreciate it very much.

saphire

[WaScubaDude]

Night diving, like daytime diving, can be a bit scarry. A night dive gives a diver the opportunity to overcome some of that irrational fear that we all have. A big part of being a good diver is over coming this irrational fear and working at understanding and being able to respond well to the "real" risks while diving.

All that said, I had to do a dozen night dives before I could really relax and not feel like the boogy man, or jaws was going to get me. You can probably get comfortable a lot quicker than 12 night dives.

Enjoy your dives, whatever they may be! And good for you for continueing to learn.