Re:Octopus with transparent head caught by blackwater photog...
by 2muchcoffeeman on Tuesday December 08, 2020 @11:42PM
(#25355440)
I’m not in the US either. I’ve clocked at least 100 dives. I stopped counting at 70. I assume you’re somewhat familiar with the conditions of your insurance. If you’re diving regularly without insurance, I’d suggest you go get some.
Doing wreck dives at 60m is not like recreational diving. Different air mix to get those depths and stay for any significant period. The guys I’ve talked to, leave extra tanks at the half way point for deco. Otherwise you won’t have enough air.
Compared to ‘recreational’ diving: call up your buddy, check conditions, get tanks, walk off the beach. And you are supposed to stay within your no-decompression limits. If something goes wrong, in theory you can surface immediately. The deco stop is a precaution only.
Secondly, yes. You should have proper training and experience. And that's why I said 'experienced' divers. I wouldn't count myself among them with my less than 50 dives and lack of qualifications.
However I personally know quite a few experienced divers (most of them have >1k dives total) who do this kind of thing a few times a year. Usually to spend a few minutes looking at wrecks.
Granted, I am positively surrounded by people with way more experience than myself so I may have a skewed image of what is normal.