School me on your night dive experience

[moosicman]

ok, i've seen some similar threads but in reading through them they don't exactly hit the mark of what i'm looking for....so that is the reason for this thread and here is my position. I am eventually going to want to get my AOW....and i will probably and do WANT to night dive...but i'm a bit apprehensive about it....its the natural fright of being hit by something i never saw coming my way....in vis. i have more chance to see the 18 foot tiger shark coming to eat me.....but in the dark??? lol...you get my drift...HOWEVER i have never had the experience...so, what is it like?? i hear about the bioluminesence in reference, so...can you see?? what is it like? help out those who have never experienced it before understand a bit more about what it is like if you can?

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by moosicman

ok, i've seen some similar threads but in reading through them they don't exactly hit the mark of what i'm looking for....so that is the reason for this thread and here is my position. I am eventually going to want to get my AOW....and i will probably and do WANT to night dive...but i'm a bit apprehensive about it....its the natural fright of being hit by something i never saw coming my way....in vis. i have more chance to see the 18 foot tiger shark coming to eat me.....but in the dark??? lol...you get my drift...HOWEVER i have never had the experience...so, what is it like?? i hear about the bioluminesence in reference, so...can you see?? what is it like? help out those who have never experienced it before understand a bit more about what it is like if you can?

Depends on the area.. but to pick one that you can get to.. the Destin Jetties... at night in the winter.. there are thousands of arrowhead crabs.. they come out.. flatten out and look like giant spiders..they avoid any light, so if your light will make them pull out of it as it passes.

At first it is scary.. then amazing looking...and something few will ever see.

At night in the gulf, it is a different world.. shovenose lobsters come out... as do octopus.. tons of bioluminescence...a bit mor nerve racking. Oh, and flounder are moving.

In the keys or south florida, the coral is out... shift change has resulted in some fish sleeping, while other stuff is feeding...

Any night dive is first about the tremendous change in how you can see, and how this effects you on a personal level. Some find it very calming, others very nerve racking. Hard to get people to do it, then hard to get them to stop talking about it afterwards...for either good or bad reasons.

[Lake Diver]

Get one of these...


UK Light Cannon, Dive Lights, Underwater Kinetics, UK Light Cannon

Reef burner

[Kokomo]

My husband really wanted me to go for a night dive with him but I was scared to death (I only have OW cert and at the time had about 20 dives). I'm a little clostrophobic and I was frightened of feeling closed in etc. But I remembered my training and didn't go because I had no intention of diving beyond my comfort level. Well, about 20 dives later I was feeling much more comfortable with my diving and another warm clear water opportunity came up. This time I felt ready. We went in at dusk so that there was time to acclimate to my surroundings and by the time it was dark I knew where I was. I could see enough that I didn't feel like something was going to bump into me. I got into the dive just like I would a day dive. I was absorbed with looking at all the different critters that I don't normally see. I think that you shouldn't make yourself do anything you are uncomfortable with and when you are ready you will know.

[Splitlip]

I must share this I posted in another thread

A swimming shark can startle you on a night dive since the world as you know it exists soley within the limits of of the flash light's beam. It can be a bit of a surprise and unnerving even when you light them up.

I was on a night dive recently trying to stay away from the crowd by slowly drifting about 15 or 20 feet from the others. I had been holding my light against my chest taking in the darkness and looking for bioluminesence when I decided to swing my light 360 just for grins. I brought it across my left hip and there a few feet behind me and a couple ft below me was a 6 footer. As soon as I put the light on him he flicked his tail and was gone.
You gotta wonder how long was he there and did he know you were there (yes)

[FishFood]

Be sure and take a checmical light with you and cut it open under water and shut off/block all lights. Very nice experience. Feels like you're in space.

EDIT:

Why a $250 light for recreational night diving? Over the top IMO...

[Splitlip]

The visual I got just gave a me "flashback"

[moosicman]

Originally Posted by Splitlip

I must share this I posted in another thread

A swimming shark can startle you on a night dive since the world as you know it exists soley within the limits of of the flash light's beam. It can be a bit of a surprise and unnerving even when you light them up.

I was on a night dive recently trying to stay away from the crowd by slowly drifting about 15 or 20 feet from the others. I had been holding my light against my chest taking in the darkness and looking for bioluminesence when I decided to swing my light 360 just for grins. I brought it across my left hip and there a few feet behind me and a couple ft below me was a 6 footer. As soon as I put the light on him he flicked his tail and was gone.
You gotta wonder how long was he there and did he know you were there (yes)

where was this post?...or better...who posted this?? i want to know what KIND of shark if they had a chance to find out that is? and without a doubt the shark KNEW he was there

[gibson1525]

scary at first. but after that first splash and you start looking for critters it's just like any other dive. i don't know about you but i have pretty good tunnel vision during the day. i've had fish swim right up on me before i saw them.

[Splitlip]

where was this post?...or better...who posted this?? i want to know what KIND of shark if they had a chance to find out that is? and without a doubt the shark KNEW he was there

I posted it this summer in the Florida divers forum. A Reef Shark I think, or want to believe.

It was not a nurse and I don't want to think it may have been a bull.

I was kind of surprised to see him and did not process the id while he was in my light.