Ascent/Descent Techniques

[vladimir]

I descend in roughly horizontal trim, but with my head higher to ease equalization. I ascend in horizontal trim, but tilt vertical for the last few meters to make it easier to check for boats.

 

[Blackwood]

So it seems that somewhere I was told that I should generally be looking up when I ascend....

How does one do that when horizontal/in trim?

... by turning.

But if you want to ascent belly up, that works too.

 

[Diver0001]

The advanced diving answer is; depends.



Trust me, my group is descending that mooring line when those pics were taken.

Great pictures!

I couldn't answer the poll either because I couldn't think of one way of descending that covered every dive and equipment configuration.

And to be honest I don't think your body position is as big a deal as being able to control the speed of the ascent/descent. Control is control of depth and tempo. The body positiion you choose (assuming it's done deliberately) is just fluff.

The week before last I was in Egypt and made a descent to about 65ft while upside down (facing the surface) and horizontal because I wanted to watch something that happened on the surface as we were entering.

The dive before that I swam down head first

The dive before that I descended by just walking in from the shore and swimming over the bottom

Earlier that day my descent started feet first and went to horizontal at about 5m.....

you get the picture. If people weren't so hung-up about "looking the part" they'd have so much more free attention to "be the part".

R..

 

[Jax]

One dive, from the surface my entire group of 6 divers could all see the pair of spotted eagle rays over 90' below us. I asked how they would feel if I made a dive bomb descent to try for a good picture. Now these pictures are for at least a few of the divers in the group, not just for me. The whole group said "go for it, we'll meet you at the bottom of the mooring line."

Trust me, my group is descending that mooring line when those pics were taken.

Excellent!

No picture is worth your life!

You need to stay with the group and DO NOT leave the descent line!

Second dive on the Duane, miraculously without current, I watched Orlando Eric hit a perfect skydiver's pose and bomb to the wreck -- just gorgeous. I snapped some pics and then just hung in open water, descending . . . My insta-buddy had a freaking fit . . I turned over, looked at him gesturing madly and pointing at the line . . . shook my head, wagged a finger . . . should've gave him the finger.

Divers need to pick what works for the dive, not be locked into some "ya gotta do it this way" non-thinking mind-trap.

 

[captain]

I do as the fishes do. I swim down, I swim around, I swim up, I am a manfish.

 

[Jax]

I do as the fishes do. I swim down, I swim around, I swim up, I am a manfish.

But do you swim upside down?

 

[aquaregia]

I dislike inverted descents. I've seen two serious buddy separations due to inverted descents that almost because very serious. The worst involved one buddy descending faster than the other, the shallower diver's valve being turned off. With only 5-10' vis, the other diver was waiting on the bottom for her buddy who was struggling to make it back to the surface to deal with the issue.

I do inverted descents only when the situation (gear configuration) demands it and visibility is good enough that I can maintain proper buddy contact during the descent. In my opinion, the descent is the time when a separation is most likely, and when the consequences are the most grave.

 

[Jax]

I dislike inverted descents. I've seen two serious buddy separations due to inverted descents that almost because very serious. The worst involved one buddy descending faster than the other, the shallower diver's valve being turned off. With only 5-10' vis, the other diver was waiting on the bottom for her buddy who was struggling to make it back to the surface to deal with the issue.

I do inverted descents only when the situation (gear configuration) demands it and visibility is good enough that I can maintain proper buddy contact during the descent. In my opinion, the descent is the time when a separation is most likely, and when the consequences are the most grave.

So why is that a descent problem and not a buddy awareness problem?

 

[noreastDIVER84]

I descend swimming head down along a mooring line, keeping close enough for a visual reference, the quicker I get down, the more reserve gas I have.

I ascend head up along a mooring line, keeping close enough for a visual reference and will sometimes hold on for a safety stop.

 

[Charlie99]

I descend and ascend different ways, depending upon what I'm doing.

For example, I have ascended head down/feet up at the end of several dives, just because I felt like it. It is kind of a strange feeling when breathing in makes you move in the direction your feet are pointing.

Sometimes I descend horizontal, but looking back up at the surface, watching others of a group enter the water.

And many times I descend by kneeling. When doing a shore dive, I normally put on my fins around chest high in the water, and just drop to my knees, fall forwards, and then fin away. It definitely beats the other option, which is both horizontal and head first, as I dive into a large oncoming wave.

Another thing I'll do when descending from a boat dive is to see how far I can "glide" horizontally while not moving hands or finning. Kind of like an underwater glider as I slowly drop towards the bottom.