Posted by Eric Frasco on November 12, 2002 at 09:40:57:
In Reply to: Advice on taking out a new diver needed.... posted by Eagle Ray on November 11, 2002 at 11:24:44:
Advice:
As other posts stated, if he did OK at Monterey, he should be OK at SBI.
First, check the weather at:
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/elnino_htmls/homepage.shtml
select southern california maps from the "3 Day Forecast Maps" menu, and find out if you will expect to have bad weather.
Ask your friend if they are prone to seasickness. If they don't know, have then take some seasickness medication such as bonine (take half a dose if they have never used it before) and take it several hours before the boat departs.
Next, help them pack for the trip. His Open Water class book should have a checklist for boat trips so he won't forget to bring along things like a towel, hat, and jacket/wind breaker to keep warm between dives. If you've been on the boat before, you should also tell your friend extra things to bring along, such as a sleeping bag.
Also let your buddy know what the boat's policy is on storing your gear, and working out of the gear bag (even though you will probably run into some inconsiderate bone heads that don't). There have been several posts on boat etiquette over the years, you may want to review that with him.
Also, make sure your buddy either: 1) has a dive computer and knows how to use it; or 2) make sure your buddy knows the tables and how to use them on repetitive dives. Encourage your buddy to use his log book to record his position in the tables, as well as memorable things about the dive. Also, the log book can be used to note things he would change to make future dives more enjoyable.
Bring along some extra weights. Newbie divers still have problems with weighting, especially if they are renting gear. But don't turn him into a boat anchor, resist the urge to overweight.
And finally, be a good buddy. Don't charge off and abondon him, or make him risk exhaustion by having to chase after you. Show him good navigation techniques, and surface when HIS air is low (about 700 psi) so you can check proximity to the boat and have enough air to swim under the kelp, if you are in thick kelp beds.
Most importantly - have fun!
-Eric-