Descent Tecniques

[Soggy]

The 'proper' way to descend is whatever way gets you from the surface to the bottom quickly and safely. I do it horizontally, but sometimes a bit head down.

 

[baltimoron]

alright.... i guess after a while i will just get used to going down feet first- i will work at it more. you cant learn much without getting in the water, right?

BSC was great for me and my class. we came off for acess A- only a short swim to the platforms. there is a cement truck or something down there at like 40', but it gets REALLY cold- would reccomend without a drysuit. and i am not talking like "ehh its a little chilly" i mean "holy ****, wtf am i doing outside with only my boxers on?!" cold. and i suppose this was the right season. I hear they go out there and ice dive on the new year, diveh3, do you do that?! i cant imagine how cold that is. I grew up In the Israeli Desert, where it never got below 60F except at night! (usually its like 104 but thats a different story.)

alright so i will get to work with that.

 

[ChrisA]

whenever i was going down the line to the platform, i was always having trouble going down feet first. it was just soo annoying! my fins would make my feet curl up and arch my back- it wasnt good. so after my second dive i just said screw with and went down head first and had absoloutley no problem (it was fun to see my buddy going down and looking him in the eye going down the line like a ninja). so my question is- is there any discrepancies (is that the right word, i am pretty new to english.) between the two?

I think most people change decent technique based on condidtions,
the slope of the bottom, if there is a decent line or not and if they are desending from a point directly over where they want to be or if they need to swimm out to a reef or something

Going down head first is OK, except sometimes I dive in poor visability at night. I'll go down feet first and not know where the bottom is until my fins hit. Going head first just means you'd find the bottom with your head. This is kind of an exception and I don't do that much diving in 2 foot viz. but I'll admit that last night the bottom did sneek up on me. I had to feel for it. (and then we swam out to better 10 to 12 foor viz.)

For me a typical decent is feet first to 20 or 25 feet and then switch to horizontal and swim downward

 

[Finnatic]

There is nothing like "flying" down horizontally in clear,currentless, warm water. Think Bonaire. That's the best case scenario. However, here in S. Louisiana in the GOM, it's grab the tag line, descend feet first through the murk layer close enough to monitor your buddy. As many have posted, descent will depend on the conditions you encounter. Remember your responsibility to your buddy especially during decents and ascents. I tend to agree with a former poster that "swimming" down head first is a bouyancy issue. It's not a race. Relax, exhale..submerge with buddy.

 

[Quarrior]

Personally, horizontal is best, second to that is slightly head down, then if you can't do either of those, then feet first. Why do I make feet first my last choice? Simple, I like to see where I'm going. For ascending I go up horizontal in a slight head up position, again for the same reason.

You'll also find horizontal is handy for helping to slow your descent or ascent by spreading your arms and legs out if you need too. It's like flaring for a skydiver.

Just my $.02 worth.

 

[diveh3]

I hear they go out there and ice dive on the new year, diveh3, do you do that?! i cant imagine how cold that is.

I have not Ice dived yet but plan on taking the class this winter. I have some buddys that have and they say the cold part is on the surface as the water temps are normally warmer then the air temps.
BSC does a New Years dive- sounds like fun - why dont we plan on it, I'll bring the champagne!
There are thermoclines that (depending on your exposure suit) are either refreshing or down right cold. I dive dry w/300 thinsel, so I usually sweat till we reach the 35-45deg thermocline.
Who did you cert w/?
Stop in at Wreck Valley- in the club section and introduce yourself.
Another local club is http://www.wreckvalley.com/ If your looking for dive buddies and or local boats & sites.

 

[ScubaFreak]

head first would be fine if your happy with the dive site and conditions. My problem would be that I'd be in a drysuit. Not a good position to be in in a drysuit...lots of air in the feet of a drysuit = inversion - not good!

 

[Soggy]

head first would be fine if your happy with the dive site and conditions. My problem would be that I'd be in a drysuit. Not a good position to be in in a drysuit...lots of air in the feet of a drysuit = inversion - not good!

Shouldn't be a problem since you are descending and would have dumped most of the air out of your suit on the surface.

 

[baltimoron]

diveh, i was with aquaventures in Baltimore, they were great to me and i had a great time diving with them.

 

[Buoyant1]

Cool! I may be in touch. I couldn't talk the wife into it, and the couple in my class seem like they're going to do a lot of diving together, my closest dive buddy lives in Wilmington, and I have another friend in Jersey Shore that may pop down with me..but I'm sure that definately NEXT summer I'll be itching to dive a lot more!

We dive BSC almost every Wed. night, Its a great area for training and working on your skills.

Here is the link http://www.divebsc.com/
If your ever looking for a dive buddy, let me know.

Baltimoron, I also prefer horizontal descent and ascent. Just make sure you don't slam into the platform head first! Hence I would confirm your screen name. lol