First dive trip, do I have everything I need?

[jcxd45]

Oh, my goodness, what a day!

Glad you were warm enough, and came out okay, and saw some cool stuff.

Comments: 1) Spring straps. I don't know why all fins don't come with them, or why everyone doesn't use them. Spring straps rock -- they are easy to get in and out of, and they WON'T LET GO!

2) Consider distributing your weight. Integrated weight pouches are theoretically attractive -- but the systems that secure them are trying to do two diametrically opposed things at the same time. They are trying to retain the weights securely, and allow them to be easily released. It's hard to do both things well, and most systems don't. Either it's a pain to release the weights, or they release too easily. In my analysis of diving, it's almost inconceivable that you would need to release your weights in a screaming hurry, and never underwater; on the other hand, loss of a significant chunk of weight can result in precisely what you experienced. Therefore, I prefer systems that weight the odds toward NOT losing weights.

Night diving can be disorienting, even if you aren't having buoyancy issues. Track your bubbles -- in the absence of violent currents, they WILL go up.

Come back and see us some time . . . I'd be delighted to meet up with you for a Puget Sound dive or two. If you can look at your experiences of the day and focus on what delights you, you are the kind of diver I want to be in the water with.

I'm leaning hard toward the spring straps, although I didn't have any further problems after being set straight by the other divers.
I was buckling them in the water and then tightening, on subsequent dives I buckled them on shore and just loosened enough to get over my boots then tightened....seemed to work much better.

My weights are actually distributed around (10 in each BC pocket and 16 on a QR belt).

I'm thinking of making the BC pouches more slow release (small carabiner) and keeping the belt as quick release.

After last weekends events, I'm sure dropping 16 will keep me on the surface

As far as looking at the bright side, I expect problems when I'm learning something new and working through new gear.

I think I handled the uncontrolled ascent and slowed myself as much as possible, didn't panic but was a little worried.

It would take something much more severe to get me back out of diving...I'm hooked for life.

Seems like dive shops that do Discover Classes are like crack dealers....we'll give you a taste for cheap and then we really start charging.

After the first taste your so addicted that you just have to pay up.

 

[Nwcid]

I'm leaning hard toward the spring straps, although I didn't have any further problems after being set straight by the other divers.

Does not matter if you are still having problems or not. At ~$20 they are one of the best and cheapest things you can buy in scuba. There is a reason so many experienced divers use them.........


Also take Lynne (TSandM) up on her offer. She helped me and the GF though our first real dive and was great. We will be hitting her (and a couple others) up for more diving when we make it over there again in a month.

 

[ErikNYC]

Spring straps once again!

Night and day convenience and difference. Buy it now!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I'm leaning hard toward the spring straps......

The spring straps are a little faster to put on or pull off. If you are doing a shore dive and doing this between waves, its pretty nice. Ditto for pulling fins off while trying to climb aboard with a good surge. They are not required, just a real nice option

My weights are actually distributed around (10 in each BC pocket and 16 on a QR belt).

I don't mean to be critical, but 36lbs diving wet is a bit on the heavy side even for a 7mil FJ+J. You might be a super big guy (XXXL) and need it, often new divers tend to need extra weight because they fin without thinking and have a hard time on the initial descent. Once you work on it a bit you may be able to reduce the amount of lead needed.

I'm thinking of making the BC pouches more slow release (small carabiner) and keeping the belt as quick release.

Remember, the quick release is not just for you to pull. Should you get in trouble, you buddy may need to dump your weight. So at a minimum, make sure your buddy understands your equipment modification.

BTW: What type of BCD do you have?

 

[jcxd45]

It's an older oceanic kevlar bioflex.
Seems adequate, but having a very hard time finding a replacement pouch.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

It's an older oceanic kevlar bioflex.
Seems adequate, but having a very hard time finding a replacement pouch.

Replacement pouches can also be expensive. Worse case, you can mount some weight in cam-band pockets and not worry about using the integrated system since you already use a belt.