Ok...here are some statements that I have heard turn into very spirited debates this past week. Where do you stand on the issue?


"You must rinse your gear after every single dive, not at the end of the day."

"I only make a safety stop if my computer says no deco time." (I did NOT dive with this person)

"If there is current, just ride it. When you are done diving, someone will drive by and pick you up."


Just curious how everyone feels about these statements. I heard some great discussions already, but was wondering if there were other perspectives.

BTW...I love chatting with people at the rinse tank.

When you rinse your gear you should also rinse the inside bladder out also. I always try to rinse my when ever I can because of how bad the salt is to it.

Always make a safety stop. As a matter of fact depending how deep I am is how long my safety stop is. For every 10 feet 1 minute safety stop for me. 130 feet equals 13 minutes.

Most people don't stop for a fat man. Wear and tear on the car is what they normally tell me or I need to lose a few pounds...........LOL

1. I rinse after every dive (special care with regs) unless it's two tank boat dive.

2. I always do a safety stop - more time in the water to watch the critters. So that person doesn't do a safety stop when their computer says deco time needed? Duhh.

3. Well if I looked like a Swedish swimsuit model I might just go with the current. I know someone will pick me up. But since I'm not....NO.

I like this Tribs.

hi tribs
normally we do morning boat dives so we rinse at the end of the dives (when boat docks)

usually we safety stop when diving helma hooker. other dives we spend so much time in shallows on way back that we use that as a safety

depends i have done current dive off of boat. stayed down but was very uncomfortable.

do not do shore dives

tribs will u be sending pics this year like u did last year

elaine

In Utopia you could rinse after every dive. If you are going in within the day, no way.

Safety stop ALWAYS.

I also hate currents. Had the worst in Turks and Caicos. If shore diving, go into the current as long as possible. Turn around and get into shallows.

I could get in a lottttttt of trouble with this one so I think I'll just play nice.

I do have my NDIML certification still in place so I will leave it at that!!!!!!!

Jerry.....remember this an hold it in the bank for me...I may need it back sometime!!

Jeanine, if I had asked any of these questions during my training at DFB they'd have failed me. Since it's recent and very fresh in my mind... (BTW - All of your questions fall into the category of precaution)

You rinse after every dive, it's good for you and your gear. Salt is not the only issue, micro organisms and skin issues are to be considered.

You always make the deco stop unless in an emergency accent - no exceptions (even a computer)

Never go with the current except when returning. A lazy diver is a smart diver! Currents can increase unexpectedly and leave you with no easy way to return. As far as - someone will pick you up - don't bet on it. There are many reasons people might not pick you up including they aren't there to for yout to try and stop. Or you're too tired from the current change that you can't get to the road which is now much further away than you thought. It can get very hot trying to get your gear from shore to road, and stand in the sun. It isn't a risk to take.

Obviously, I'm risk adverse - and that's pretty much true outside diving as well.

we rinse off our gear after every day of diving. but we don't rise it that good only the regs... at the end of the trip we wash and rinse the BCD's with BCD cleaner and let the regs soak for most of the day.

safety stops are just that for your safety... Just do it.....If I do a deep dive say to 100' I do a safety stop at 50 for 5 minutes.....and then again at 20-15 for another three minutes unless there is something to look at....usually not in the NE cold water.. I try not to go into deco.. but when that happens I make sure to come up very slow the last 30 feet.. 1 foot per 1 minute......gets boring as h3ll in the cold atlantic.. let me add... that is in addtion to the time I accrued in deco......

as for drift dives that take you away from your vehicle. hummmm ask Karen Danchek.. sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't........Karen and her hubby were kind enough to pick me up about a mile from G and the truck... when I introduced myself.. she knew just who I was.<blush> If she hadn't picked me up I would have been able to get to a point in the road to signal G with my trust mirror

(Message edited by scubahb on May 21, 2010)

I dump my gear in the rinse tub at Buddys daily, but don't completely wash it out till I get home.

I make a safety stop PERIOD, no matter what the computer says.

Current wise, my butt has been dragged a long way, and all I can say is, go with the flow.

Bill...they were not my questions. They were from discussions at the rinse tank. You don't need to fail me. My position is close to your position Bill. However, I don't always rinse after every dive. Sometimes I rinse after a full day of diving.

(Message edited by jeanineclark on May 21, 2010)

Linda...I really enjoyed the conversations that came with these questions/statement at the rinse tank.

Jeanine, possibly you misread or are intentionally misreading what I posted? I am in no position to fail anyone. I would not begin to judge someone else or their experiences in such a way. I'm a novice, as most BT'ers, know. I did not mean to directly, indirectly, or by implication FAIL YOU in particular. I find your "fail" jab, whether intentional or not as uncalled for. As such, In the future, I will avoid participating in requests for my "feelings" or providing my "perspective".

To be ABSOLUTELY clear - you remain "unfailed" by me.

Bill relax. I was joking. I just thought you wrote that they were my questions. And yep, you did. I just wanted you to know they were not MY questions. It was not a jab.

My apologies, your posting of the questions, and therefore knowing it is you with whom I will be dealing... the rest stands

Being belittled by semantics only proves what others have said about you previously - you've a massive insecurity/superiority complex that no one here needs to be the brunt of.

Why would you think I was intentionally misreading what you posted? That makes no sense at all. Regardless of what some may have told you, I'm not rude or disrespectful of others. Additionally, I have never met you nor been disrespectful of you. I am really growing weary of all of this drama.

Well Linda...I thought this was a good idea too. I guess not.

Sorry to have bothered everyone. I'm out of here.

You just were disrespectful, in the postings above, twice. I'm not sure where you find drama. I seek to clarify your misunderstandings and hold my ground in having tried to participate in what I thought was a pleasant and respectful thread asking for. I do not allow people to take shots at me unless they are deserved - neither of yours were - we're now at three and counting. You specifically asked for "where do [I] stand" and what other "perspectives" we as BT'ers might have.

Tribs,

(((HUGS)))

(back to lurkdom)

Hi Linda, bye Linda.

Only thing I MIGHT rinse after every dive is my wetsuit. I usually look for a rinse tank which is full of other people's masks and snorkels to rinse that in. Lord please, if it is in your power, make Tim and Smack forgive me for doing this to them then laughing when we next geared up. Oh yeah and Lord please be kind to........

Safety stops are for s-s-s-s-sissies.

Go with the current if on Bonaire unless it is flowing to the south and you are at Red Slave.































82

TOM !!!! OMG - that explains why my mask smelled like ammonia- thank God I don't use a snorkel !!!

I soak and rinse after the last dive everyday.

I spend about 15 to 20 minutes at 15' feet in the shallows on every dive.

If I cramped up I might ride the current laterally back in ... but not the entire dive.

83

Hi Tom. Bye Tom.

Silly Boeee.

I can answer these 3 statements in just one word...
SILLY....(but in honesty I do think that about a lot of things).

What's a rinse tank?

Time for Grown Up Mr. Bill to post...

My apologies for my part in slowing/taking down this thread. The whole point of BT is to share and "Talk". Jeanine, did a good job of doing just that by starting a discussion thread that many were contributing to. I should not have posted or I should have posted in a much short manner. After I perceived a dig, I most certainly should have let it go or countered with humor. In 20/20 hindsight there are many things I could have done better. Please continue to post if you're interested and my sincerest apologies for my part in halting or slowing what this board is all about - open discussion.

Again, my apologies - to the entire BT community for engaging in behavior which I have always found abhorrent on this board.

I beg you to PLEASE - post! Don't let my silliness stop you if you're interested in the topic...

Bill, that is very Grown Up of you. I'm sure your apologies will be taken to heart by all.

Thank you Bill.

In the spirit of Jeanine's questions, I have one...

How many people/divers does it take to make a rinse tank, no longer a good rinse? This may sound really silly to those of you who have many years under your belt but with only three dive vaca's and well under a 100 dives, I am actually curious. What is the "etiquette" or perhaps "best practice" is a better term?

The reason I ask, is that with DFB YS the number of divers' suits rinsed before refreshing the water was pretty high - visible in that the rinse tank was murky. The separate boot rinse tank - blech! I would have preferred NOT to rinse but was still a student being watched. On the other end of the spectrum, in staying at the Bellafonte, it's fill and drain the rinse tank at your own discretion.

The rinse is really for the salt, not to cleanse. If you are diving multiple days, just go with the flow and rinse the salt off so things can dry overnight and not have salt buildup on gear.

Other than that, you want the good clean rinse before you depart and then clean/rinse/dry thoroughly back home. Hey, you're on vacation. Relax, most dive gear is pretty forgiving.