what have you learned this year?

[bigsky]

what lessons did davy jones teach you this year?

i learned he does not want me on the admiral sampson,
i also learned to keep my reel with me, a secure location on the
upline does not mean actually mean a good location.

[LCF]

I learned that the boat works better with the plug in it.

I learned that, if you run line from open water, it doesn't matter if you end up in the wrong place in the cave, because you can get back out.

I learned I had been doing the frog kick "wrong" for two years (thanks, Richard . . .) and that you can get a whole lot more power out of it than I had been doing.

And I think, with help from a friend, that I have figured out that it's rapid head movements that trigger my midwater disorientation. That's a big deal for me!

[Dusty2]

I learned to not get complacent or to rush to get into the water. No mater how much experience you have it's still easy to forget something critical and Davey is always lurking, waiting to teach you he is still the one in control. I have had a number of small incidents, each of which experience has allowed me to calmly work thru but all of which could have been much worse. Each time I review them in my head and see where I did something wrong and bless those who taught me that I could remain calm and think through it.

I guess you could say that the one lesson I constantly bring away is that this is not my natural environment and I am only safe here so long as I am constantly vigilant and aware of the dangers that our sport involves.

Ah yes, The one most important one, If the little voice is saying that something is not quite right or your forgetting something,,, LISTEN!!! It is far better to spend a little time going through your check list again or to call a dive when you just don't quite feel good about it then to take a silly risk just to get a dive in.

[Dusty2]

I learned that the boat works better with the plug in it.

I learned that, if you run line from open water, it doesn't matter if you end up in the wrong place in the cave, because you can get back out.

I learned I had been doing the frog kick "wrong" for two years (thanks, Richard . . .) and that you can get a whole lot more power out of it than I had been doing.

And I think, with help from a friend, that I have figured out that it's rapid head movements that trigger my midwater disorientation. That's a big deal for me!

Yes the boat works better with the plug in, it also works way better if you remember to bring in the dive ladder before moving the boat!

[Joshua Smith]

I learned a lot of stuff this year- took Trimix and advanced trimix- still learning how to scooter decently- and I learned that the right answer to most questions is "it depends!"

[lurch]

Drag racers used to have an expression. "There's no replacement for displacement".

This year I've learned 'there's no replacement for fleece' when one becomes cold on dives.

[spatman]

i learned a LOT in gratefuldiver's AOW class and bdub's Core Components class. way too much to list, but i can say that i now know how much and what i need to keep practicing.

i learned what CO2 loading feels like and how to avoid it.

i've learned who some of my best dive buddies are.

i've learned that i both need and want to keep learning about diving.



there's probably more, but that's it off the top of my head...

[Pez7378]

I learned that.......

Although I don't know what I don't know, I will know what I didn't know, just after I learn it.

[Nwbrewer]

Drag racers used to have an expression. "There's no replacement for displacement".

This year I've learned 'there's no replacement for fleece' when one becomes cold on dives.

What about down?

[whatevah]

I've learned an awful lot about critter identification and behaviors this year, thanks largely to my awesome REEF friends (Janna Nichols for her tireless efforts to get people involved; David Jennings for asking so many questions; Doug Biffard for just knowing pretty much everything; and of course Jan Kocian for inspiring us all).

I've learned to check, double-check, triple-check my rigging when sending heavy salvage stuff to the surface with a lift bag (or even when I'm just deploying my surface marker for a safety stop - hush Janna!). And I've learned that when my buddy is narc'd badly, he may opt to attach 30lbs of lead to a 35lb lift SMB and that when I then work my way up the line ahead of him it doesn't take much to pull the SMB under the surface, at which point it becomes negative, the lead goes hurtling by and we're left with a bunch of line wrapped around us (I wasn't watching when the SMB was deployed, and assumed the load was attached at the bottom, which would've been a better plan).

Most importantly, I've learned a lot recently about using better judgement to determine whether conditions are safe for a dive rescue mission - it's just not worth it sometimes, especially when the search has switched from rescue to recovery mode. Diving in conditions that are far beyond your capacity to manage the risk factors is a humbling thing and will give you cause for much sombre consideration until you are cured by some good fun diving.

[John Rawlings]

Believe it or not....as much as I love it, I've learned that there are more important things than diving. FAR more important.

- John

[spatman]

very true, john, very true. i assumed the OP's question was in regard to diving, otherwise the list would be very long indeed...

[whatevah]

Believe it or not....as much as I love it, I've learned that there are more important things than diving. FAR more important.

- John

BLASPHEMY!!

I've learned that diving is great for sanity preservation when those more important things turn painful.

[airsix]

The hardest thing I've learned this year is that enthusiasm alone is not making me a better diver. I can be the most enthusiastic guy on the planet, but enthusiasm + the passing of time alone does nothing to make be a better diver if I'm not getting in the water. I made several mistakes this year that showed me I am not the diver I've dreamed myself up to be. I have no question I have the aptitude, I'm just not getting enough experience at this rate to develop the skills I want. I have to either find a way to dive more often, or readjust my expectations.

-Ben

[LCF]

Although I don't know what I don't know, I will know what I didn't know, just after I learn it.

This is priceless!

[lurch]

What about down?

'brewer - excuse me Scubagyver is right. Among the many things I've learned over this last year I recently learned that down can indeed be used as a drysuit undergarment layer.

It was an emergency measure though. Fleece is a better material; down is worthless when wet, more expensive and harder to launder. I'd hate to be on a 200fsw tech dive with a deco obligation wearing down undies and spring a leak

[Zen Diver]

This year I've learned 'there's no replacement for fleece' when one becomes cold on dives.

Yes there is. Weezle.

[Zen Diver]

Well, let's see.... I learned that on at least 2 occasions I was reminded to be humble when diving, as no matter how good you think you are, there will be circumstances that will prove you to be otherwise....I learned that helium is a very very very good thing, especially at 200 feet..... I learned that Weezles are the best thing next to an electric blanket.... I learned that caves are very spiritual places..... I learned that diving blind is so Zen, it's like diving with God surrounding me..... I learned that I still have LOTS to learn and experience in the underwater world.

-Valerie

[CaptBligh]

Life is precious! You never know when the unexpected will hit you and then the whole game changes. There's too much in life and diving to ever think you know it all. Complacency can sneak up on you and take away all that you've worked for.
Safe Diving to all and to all a good night.

[60south]

I've learned that when I know a site really well, I've dove it dozens of times and can navigate around it like my own bedroom, I continue to find surprising things. (Come to think of it, I find surprising things in my bedroom too.)

And I can still get completely lost.

[TCWestby]

Easy,

I don't dive nearly enough and I have alot to learn!!!