Anyone ever turned their light off in NO-VIS water during a night dive?

[tbuckalew]

Been on a few. My first lights off night dive was in a spring fed lake in Germany. Full moon, good vis, beautiful - never wanted it to end! We gathered in a circle, facing each other (five total), and turned our lights off. Had cylume sticks on the yokes of the regs. After a few minutes of sitting there, our eyes adjusted and all you could see were these erie green outlined divers staring back at me!

Later dives never quite caught that experience, but were still fun. Low vis diving is somewhat stressfull in the first place - but when you do it at night - it feels worse - and turn off your light - the blackest of black is all you see. A bit unnerving - especially when/if you start moving (we used buddy ropes to say together). When you have something appear right in your mask (rock, plant, fish), it scares the @%*& out of you.

[charlesml3]

the vis was about 1mm beyond the glass of my mask.

Sheesh, I won't dive low-vis during the day, let alone at night. I know there's some thrill and bragging rights that go with this but personally, you can have it.

I'm there to see what I can see. I haven't made a dive in less than 60' of visibility in several years.

I'm going to try to schedule some night dives in Coz soon, hopefully it will be as amazing.

It will be amazing. Leave your jigawatt light at home. All you need is a 4xC-cell light. Anything more than that just scares everything away.

We happened to catch a full moon once a couple of years ago. Dove Chankanaab at night and I didn't even bother turning my light on! Now that's what I call awesome night diving.

-Charles

[Charlotte Smith]

Originally Posted by charlesml3

Sheesh, I won't dive low-vis during the day, let alone at night. I know there's some thrill and bragging rights that go with this but personally, you can have it.

I'm there to see what I can see. I haven't made a dive in less than 60' of visibility in several years.

It will be amazing. Leave your jigawatt light at home. All you need is a 4xC-cell light. Anything more than that just scares everything away.

We happened to catch a full moon once a couple of years ago. Dove Chankanaab at night and I didn't even bother turning my light on! Now that's what I call awesome night diving.

-Charles

Thanks for the heads up on the lighting and I will definitely take the advice...our trip is the week before Christmas...anyone else going to be there????

[CompuDude]

Back to the original point. NO-vis dives are pointless except maybe as navigation exercise.

Limited vis (around 3') dives (night or day) can be a lot of fun, but things definitely start getting better when you have at least 5-10' of vis.

[Charlotte Smith]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Back to the original point. NO-vis dives are pointless except maybe as navigation exercise.

Limited vis (around 3') dives (night or day) can be a lot of fun, but things definitely start getting better when you have at least 5-10' of vis.

Just exactly! It was a story that I had hoped no one else had the unfortunate chance of being involved in and if they hadn't I really just wanted to let everyone know how I felt......and I am not afraid of much...just don't like the surprising things! Rathar get my heart rate up doing fun things instead of scary ones.......but that's just me...

[CrzyJay456]

Originally Posted by kingfish

I have my first night dive this weekend during my AOW.
Looking forward to it.

Jas.

have everyone turn off their lights and see how it goes.
good luck on your dives. enjoy them.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by CrzyJay456

have everyone turn off their lights and see how it goes.
good luck on your dives. enjoy them.

Or better yet, have everyone COVER their lights for a minute or so. I agree it's not generally a great idea to switch lights on and off a lot underwater, especially on a night dive where they are more crucial than a day dive.

[kingfish]

Thanks

I just have to convince the instructor to do it i suppose.
I remember going in a cave years ago and the tour guide switching the lights off for a bit....very dark.

Jas.