USN Dive Manual

[Scuba Pete]

Ok, Bob's on vacation, so i don't have anyone here at work to pester about diving. I started poking around on the internet to see if I could find anything interesting to read (it's a slow day at work) and came across the US Navy Dive Manual and downloaded a copy of it. It looks pretty interesting so far. Have any of you sat down and read this before? Is it a good read?

I'm not ready to make the jump to tech or even dm just yet, but I'm always interested in finding something good to read about diving. Does anyone know of another online resource that'd be good to read in my spare time?

Since this is the training forum, I guess I'll put in a little something about training as well. I've got a little over 30 dives now, and I'm hoping to get another 20-30 dives in this summer. I was planning on doing rescue in the early fall, then possibly starting DM training. Then just sort of see where things go from there. If I can get on with a shop in the area and enjoy the class aspect of things, I might even look into becoming an instructor at some point in time.

For the more experience folks out there, does this seem like a decent plan? I've been certified a little over a year now, does it seem like I'm rushing into things? What are your opinions?

[nauifins73]

It is about how I did it but without really planning. I did quite a few classes just to keep diving. My "dive buddy" aka hubby isn't as interested in diving as I am. One thing led to the next and the only thing left was Dive Con. I don't think you are rushing. Can't beat dives and experience. I really don't have an interest in going on to Instr. I get to do classes which I really enjoy - and getting paid??? who needs that stuff? Isn't the idea in diving to spend spend spend? :D

One book I read sometime back and got a lot out of is the NOAA Diving Manual.

[Scuba Pete]

I definately don't think that I would actually make money if I were an instructor, but it would just be another facet of my diving. It's only something I'd look into if I enjoyed my classwork enough to make me consider it.

[MgicTwnger]

Ask Bob when he gets back what he thinks about becoming an instructor.:p

[theskull]

Hey Pete,

I also agree that your plan sounds reasonable and well paced. Just be sure you maintain the enjoyment as a primary goal above achieving DM or instructor status. There is a lot of fun to be had diving without becoming an instructor. And becoming an instructor too soon is a great way to kill the fun in diving for many folks.

For online reading?
Lots of good info on the GUE website, and the WKPP site as well.
advanceddivermagazine.com
Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society
divefitness.com

That'll get you started.

theskull

[Scuba Pete]

Fun is definately the leading factor in all my decisions about diving. If I'm not going to enjoy it, then I'm not going to do it. I haven't set a goal to become an instructor, and if I don't like what I see when I finally take my divemaster class, then I won't even try to get on with a shop. I'll just take my education and apply to my diving and be happy with it.

For some reason, I just can't picture Bob as an instructor. Although it would be fun to be a fly on the wall of a class that he taught. I wonder if anyone would stick around long enough to make it to the pool section of the class.

Thanks for the other suggestions on what to read, I'll get to them after I finish the dive manual.

[MgicTwnger]

Here's a few things that I have read that are not textbooks, but plenty entertaining and informative:

Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World by Tim Ecott : A collection of pieces by and about diving by folks like Cousteau, Hans Hess, etc.

Submerged: Adventures of America's Most Elite Underwater Archeology Team (http://www.amazon.com/Submerged-Adventures-Americas-Underwater-Archeology/dp/1557045054/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/102-1104948-1685747) by Daniel Lenihan (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=si3_rdr_bb_author/102-1104948-1685747?index=books&field%2dauthor%2dexact=Daniel%20Lenihan), founder of the US National Park Service Submerged Cultural Resources Unit, known as (and I am not making this up) SCRU.

DAN's Pocket Guide to First Aid for Scuba Diving (not very entertaining, buy lots of good info)

Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria by Kevin F. McMurry.

The Last Dive by Bernie Chowdhury

[theskull]

Here's a few things that I have read that are not textbooks, but plenty entertaining and informative:

Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World by Tim Ecott : A collection of pieces by and about diving by folks like Cousteau, Hans Hess, etc.

Submerged: Adventures of America's Most Elite Underwater Archeology Team (http://www.amazon.com/Submerged-Adventures-Americas-Underwater-Archeology/dp/1557045054/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/102-1104948-1685747) by Daniel Lenihan (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=si3_rdr_bb_author/102-1104948-1685747?index=books&field%2dauthor%2dexact=Daniel%20Lenihan), founder of the US National Park Service Submerged Cultural Resources Unit, known as (and I am not making this up) SCRU.

DAN's Pocket Guide to First Aid for Scuba Diving (not very entertaining, buy lots of good info)

Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria by Kevin F. McMurry.

The Last Dive by Bernie Chowdhury

All great books. But Ken, careful about scaring off the new divers with the Doria books. BTW--I dived the Doria with Kevin McMurray last year, and his book on the Empress, "Dark Descent", is also a good read.

theskull

[Scuba Pete]

I read shadow divers last summer, and after reading it I picked up the last dive. I think it's actually good for new divers to read things like that, it drives home the point that safety is key and that if you screw up you might not live through the experience. Even in my short time of diving, I've come across a disturbing number of divers that have no when it comes to safety, even the basic stuff.

When I was down in florida a few weeks back, on the first dive of my trip there was a guy sitting on the front of the boat that hadn't dove in 5 or 6 years. He only had 10 or so dives under his belt as well. As the divemaster was pairing up ungrouped people, he was put with the guy next to us (who was a very experienced diver).

After listening to them talk about what they were going to do, I found out that the new diver had no computer (actually he did, but didn't realize it until i pointed out the computer on his console during the surface interval), no watch and no clue as to what the dive tables were. He was perfectly happy just jumping in the water and motoring around a 70 ft deep wreck until his air ran out.

I gave him my watch to track the time, and the dm told him to limit his dive to 30 minutes. It turned out that he only had 20 minutes or so of bottom time because he hoovered his tank, but i was just amazed that he would approach diving like that.

[Scuba Pete]

Update on the navy manual....thank god i read chapter 5. Now i know that the proper way to kill an octopus that is trying to eat you is to stab it between the eyes with your dive knife (guess that's one for the rambo knife wearers) and not to shoot it with a speargun. The reason being that they may entangle you with their tentacles when you spear them. My question is, if you're close enough to stab it between the eyes wouldn't they already have you wrapped up in their tentacles?

[MgicTwnger]

I read shadow divers last summer, and after reading it I picked up the last dive. I think it's actually good for new divers to read things like that, it drives home the point that safety is key and that if you screw up you might not live through the experience. Even in my short time of diving, I've come across a disturbing number of divers that have no when it comes to safety, even the basic stuff.

When I was down in florida a few weeks back, on the first dive of my trip there was a guy sitting on the front of the boat that hadn't dove in 5 or 6 years. He only had 10 or so dives under his belt as well. As the divemaster was pairing up ungrouped people, he was put with the guy next to us (who was a very experienced diver).

After listening to them talk about what they were going to do, I found out that the new diver had no computer (actually he did, but didn't realize it until i pointed out the computer on his console during the surface interval), no watch and no clue as to what the dive tables were. He was perfectly happy just jumping in the water and motoring around a 70 ft deep wreck until his air ran out.

I gave him my watch to track the time, and the dm told him to limit his dive to 30 minutes. It turned out that he only had 20 minutes or so of bottom time because he hoovered his tank, but i was just amazed that he would approach diving like that.


More reasons to think twice about DM/instructor.:D

[scubado]

Your approach to continued dive training sounds reasonable (certainly more planned than my approach). Usually, Advanced, Rescue, etc. are the most common next steps beyond OW.

[scububa]

On the manual - Sounds like you are answering your own question there:-)

On the timeline - If you feel like you are rushing it, you probably are, if you feel like you are comfortable, you probably are not. At least that is my opinion.
I took a similar approach OW first, 30 or so dives, AOW, another 30 dives, Stress/Rescue, dives, cavern, dives, EANx/Adv/Deco Procedures, more dives...I think everyone will agree, training is great if you practice and reinforce. As far as the time pace, well, that depends on how much you get to dive and the quality of the dives.

It's the whole "journey" thing...

Sounds like you are a great path.