Anyone ever turned their light off in NO-VIS water during a night dive?

[Charlotte Smith]

We did a night dive this past Saturday and as much as I like the moonlit water and the fact that all of the fish just sit there as you swim up to them in our lake....I hated this one.....Vis was about a foot and if you turned your light off and your buddies lights weren't pointing towards you it was the blackest of black down there and you couldn't tell which way was up, down or sideways......I turned my light off just to see how it would be before I located a back-up light and OMG....a few seconds of that for someone who (although I love thrills, rollercoasters, skydiving, etc..)is really afraid of the dark....is simply terrifying and no amount of reasoning with myself could get the fear to go away! I went with them for about 39 minutes (to be exact) and as soon as I ran upon our anchor...I was out of there! A big striper scared the heck out of me! I was swimmiing along and all of the sudden he appeared right in my face! I hit him! Just a reaction......so no more no vis night dives for me! Is this what cave diving is like? If so .....it is definitely NOT for me.

[peteg]

We did this during my AOW check out dives. It was unnerving, but on the whole I had a good time. I am sorry it was hard for you. The vis was about 3' at Lake Travis, no moon and it was daaaaaaark. We had cylume sticks tho, so even when we doused our lights, there was still a bit of light to see. I kinda liked the total darkness, I found it relaxing. We cruised around, and our group kept falling apart because the visibility was so poor. Finally I stuck my face about 3" from the the fins of the buddy pair in front of us. I felt like I was exploring another planet and loved every minute of the dive. There were a few times where I thought I saw something scary out of the corner of my eye, the same way a kid imagines monsters in a dark bedroom, but I forced myself to push those thoughts out of my mind.

[No Misses]

I did a no vis day dive in lake Okeechobee. 2' below the surface you couldn't even see a glow from the sun. the vis was about 1mm beyond the glass of my mask.


It was what I call a Helen Keller dive.

[Charlotte Smith]

Originally Posted by peteg

We did this during my AOW check out dives. It was unnerving, but on the whole I had a good time. I am sorry it was hard for you. The vis was about 3' at Lake Travis, no moon and it was daaaaaaark. We had cylume sticks tho, so even when we doused our lights, there was still a bit of light to see. I kinda liked the total darkness, I found it relaxing. We cruised around, and our group kept falling apart because the visibility was so poor. Finally I stuck my face about 3" from the the fins of the buddy pair in front of us. I felt like I was exploring another planet and loved every minute of the dive. There were a few times where I thought I saw something scary out of the corner of my eye, the same way a kid imagines monsters in a dark bedroom, but I forced myself to push those thoughts out of my mind.

I had about 10 of those sticks on the boat but never dreamed it would be that dark.....my husband got caught up in my fins and it was all I could do not kick the @#$% out of him....I think that is where the boogeyman lives and I don't care to be swimming with him at all!

[Vercingetorix]

At Travis during AOW we turned off the lights and the instructor did a bio-luminescence experiment for us. Really cool.

[WV Diver]

At one time there was quite a following of folks that used to break open light sitcks in the Ball Room and Ginnie Springs with all lights out at night. It was said to be quite a show. It since has been stopped. Never got to see it myself.

But have done the lights off thing at night. Better to do it with clear water and good vis. Fun to look up at the moon or do the biolumin show like V saw. Glad you are ok, sounds like you were very uncomfortable.

[ertechsg]

During our AOW class at Travis there was almost no vis I did like you husband and ended up at the back of some fins twice reg and mask removed..... I'll be lucky to ever get the wife to do a night dive after loseing her (she was pissed can't day I blame her) on the first night dive ever so I understand about BAD experiences but don't give up just yet

[ScubaJenn81]

I find night diving scary as all heck anyway, I do not know if I could turn off my light. It would be tough.

[dallasdivergirl]

Lake Travis, no viz. What a blast. At least we had lights. I knew where Illini_Fan was at all times

[Charlotte Smith]

After they all got back to the boat my husbands best friend was laughing so hard he said "I thought you accidentally bumped into me the first time....but then you KEPT bumping into me...that is when I knew you were allitle bit afraid" I said I wasn't a little bit afraid, I was alot, I have vowed never to go in the water again if there is no vis! When you can't see a light in the dark 2' away...what's the use? I had visions of freshwater "jaws" creatures and snakes that I had seen in the daylight and EVERYTHING.....including but not limited to the boggy creek monster! It's funny now but wasn't at the time.....