Depth or Things to See?

[scubasavvy]

Hey guys,

I hear a lot of talk about who has the deepest depth. With me it's about where I can see more stuff and maximizing my air time. Is it that way for anyone else, or does the depth thing make people look more experienced?

[BuzzGA]

I've done my share of deep dives and my preference is to have a good dive with things I can tell people about and if that means shallow fine, if it means deep for a wreck fine. I don't rate divers by how deep they dive.

[bversteegh]

The only time I typically go deep is for wrecks, and some wall dives (North wall at Grand Cayman is pretty deep). Reviewed my log real quick - out of the last 114 dives (since 2005, when I started using electronic logging software); deepest dive is 124 ft, and only11 dives broke 100 ft. In this period, 7 of the deep dives were wrecks, the other 4 deep ones were in search of pygmy seahorses (Which I found) that the dive guides knew were there.

[Illini_Fan]

I'm all about the things to see. Sometimes that does require depth. But depth for depth's sake is not me. For instance, I was out our local quarry today (which isn't deep to begin with), but the fish activity and visibility was great in the 10-15 ft range -- so we stayed there for a good portion of the dive. Much more enjoyable to me than saying I've been to xxx feet.

[ScubaGir1]

I think deep dives are fine, I've only been to 100'...so not THAT deep. I'd like to go deeper just for the experience and to see the life at different depths. But I agree, it really is all about what I can see, not just about hitting my new deepest dive

[Phestr]

Deep = more stress, less bottom time, more time hanging at 15'

There has to be something worth the cost for me to do it. Around here, the deeper you go, the less sunlight, the less life. So for general diving, shallow is better (shallow being around 60'). For wrecks, specific coral, or training, then the situation dictates the depth. "Because I can," is not reason enough in my book.

[tremtech]

Depth, it isnt the deciding factor for the dive, but its the most important factor to deal with on the dive plan. Of my 157 dives the best dives I have made so far are in the 30' to 60' range. That may change as we are planning to dive the Mighty 'O' (The Great Carrier Reef) in November and my Cavern and Cave certs begin in December.

[wxboy911]

I would rather make a shallow dive and see what is there than drop to a deep depth just to say I did it.

[chinacat46]

I agree if I'm gonna go deep there has to be a good reason like a wreck or a pygmy seahorse. I rarely go below 80' anymore. I thought the Blue Hole in Belize was one of the most over hyped dives I've ever done. Won't waste my time doing that one again.

[Kingpatzer]

I'm all about seeing stuff. Sometimes that requires going deep. Most of the time, however, it does not.

Though, I am starting into the tech stuff . . . which has a lot of deep dives on my calendar for the sake of being deep enough to offer realistic training. Even that is, for me, about having the ability to go see things eventually.