I read the thread about low level light nite diving.
Tell me more about the subject.
What wattage is best ?
What do you see.
Mr. Dickie

Richard. I have two lights I take. One is an old style, very low and the other a new LED, very bright. I confess I use the new LED to help feed Charlie and sometimes I think I can see Venezuela. I use the low sometimes to help find my way so as to not blind those with whom I'm diving and not blind the critters I'm diving to see. Mostly I try not using a light. If you're diving off your resort in the early evening you'll find there is more than enough light from other divers' lights and the ambient light from the resort. That's when I use my old light, if necessary. I try diving with or near a full moon. That is the best low light night dive. I've done full moon night dives without once turning a light on underwater. I use it only to find a way in, if not at the resort, and when I surface (sometimes you just have to see where the truck is parked).

For one thing, lights off means you can enjoy any bioluminescence. It is a joy and a wonder to experience.

If you do any night dives with very little assisted lighting watch what happens to all the critters on the reef when a group of yahoos with 7 billion candelpower 747 landing lights comes scorching over the reef. And what happens shortly after they pass.

I will predict that they come up from their dive unhappy they didn't see very much on THAT reef.

I guess I fall into the category of "if you're THAT afraid of the dark, dive during the day".

I use the modeling light on my DS125 strobe as a primary dive light, with a couple of backup lights if needed. Low level light lets you see what's out there without scaring it away.

Yea! No/low light night dive! Something few seem to comment on and fewer think of trying. My thanks to Bas for that lesson! Richard, I'd just say "try it". Very cool!

I use an (old) small MityLite, one using just 2 AAA batteries.

The best light is the least you are comfortable with. A too-bright light can be dimmed by putting filter material inside the lens: opal photographic material or just white paper.

As likely mentioned in that thread, a red filtered light, with a 'block' in line with the filament, is best; the animals don't see it and act naturally.

Smack is right on!

Ostracods when the moon is right. ( plenty of ino if you keyword search ostracod on BT) I can spend and entire dive playing with ostracods. Little crabs and shrimp that glow in the reef. Parrotfish in their spun cocoons. hairy bristle stars out in the open. Spanish hogfish with brittle stars hagning out of their mouths. The moon.

Oh yeah, the lights. I use an Underwater Kinetics Mini Q40, I put my fingers over the front and make it an effective douser to control trhe level of light coming through. I have started to move to their Miniq40eled plus, which I have managed to slip a small sheep of red filter into with limited success. The fingeres work on that too, and it produces a nice even light. And it's easy to carry two or three in your bc.

I also do not always use a light getting in or coming out, I always do a visual inspection of the upper water for sea wasps. I've found that purging the reg in my mouth is easier than using the octo to clear a path to the surface.

(Message edited by seb on March 6, 2008)

Sheep, sheet....

Seb you know how it goes it only takes one sheep

my favorite critter to see at night is the orange ball coralimorph.

Thanks for all the insight.
How long does it take for your eyes to adjust to no light?
If you shade your light is it better to have a White Or yellow light?
Looking forward to trying new tricks in April.
Mr Dickie

Orange Ball.. my favorite too. The lower the brightness of the light you are using, when you turn it off, the easier and faster you will acclimate to a totally dark environment. Try doing night dives with a little less light each time. There will be a point of comfort as to how much light you need. It will become less as you become more comfortable with less. Not Zen, but close.

(Message edited by grunt on March 6, 2008)

Randy, I disagree with your comments on the high power lights.
We dive with uk 100 light canons and see big game all the time.
I will agree with you that you might not see the small critters.
As for blinding other divers, if your like us, we don't dive around anyone. Period.....!
I think the ocean is big enough for all of us and as long as you respect the reef and other divers, I think each diver can decide on a good dive light!
I use filters on some dives and no filter on other dives.
Try using a bright light and maybe you will draw in the big one!
Have Fun!!!

Scared of the dark ?????

Phfft! Low level light night diving is for wimps. Now, this is real night diving:

Black-water Diving.

Very cool video!!!

Hey Roger!! We met on the plane to Bonaire!!!

Indeed PegiSue! Twas an honor to meet you. Hope your trip went well and you return soon...

Roger, no name calling!
And your post shows two very different versions of night diving.

One link is for the Manta ray diving, lots of lights on the sea floor; and the other is for low-light drift diving at 60 feet while tethered to the boat above.

Sign me up for the black water diving!
I've seen some of the critters during daylight and they are difficult to see. I usually have to try to place my arm behind the critter so I have the black of my wetsuit as background. Then I can see the transparent critters.
What the narrator refers to as salps I know as pelagic tunicates. I've seen a few on Bonaire. I will definitely check black water diving next time I'm on Hawai'i.

I've also done the manta ray dive off of the airport in Kona. Very cool. A bank of underwater lights is set up in about 30 feet of water. After dusk, the lights are turned on, they attract the plankton, and the plankton attract the Mantas!
TEN fonzies!

thanks for the links.
Mare

Hmmmm....There are some mantas around Bonaire....

Glen

One was seen just off the dock at Habitat a few days ago. I don't know how many a "few" is.

We use HID lights (and do a lot of night diving). Uncovered they poach fish but we have thick red filters on them. This not only color corrects but also does not seem to disturb the fish at all. If we need a signal light we can whip off the filter.

The thing I like best about the HID's is that the very small lamp head is strapped to the back of the hand instead of having to lug a big thing about all dive.

We also carry a small UV light for looking at coral, a backup small LED light, a strobe for finding home and tank lights. sound like Christmas lights but it has evolved over years of night diving and all works really well.

Graham