how to ascend/ descend

[Zen1300]

By course standards the last descent should be no line/without visual reference...

It may have been - that was 4 years ago. I bet we just turned our backs to the line.

That as all too often comes down to poor instruction. Proper ascents and descents are supposed to be taught, briefed, debriefed. Pressure, volume and buoyancy is meant to be taught, discussed, examined and reinforced in practice. From your description it sounds like too many people in the class which again boils down to poor judgement of the instructor.

In our case, I don't blame the instructor. I felt he did what he could and there were dive masters. I think there were just others in more need and I felt comfortable with what I was doing. I might put some blame on the LDS for allowing so many students, but that's the name of the game.

That's why SB is such a valuable resource. We can continue to learn, re-ask the questions if necessary. It's the expertise of the professionals and long-time divers here that help us get to where we need to be to be safe and responsible divers. All of this must be practiced in the water, but it's definitely good knowledge.

---------- Post added July 13th, 2014 at 09:56 AM ----------

Tatiana,

I would recommend PADI's Peak Performance Buoyancy (or equivalent with another agency if they have one). That class brought a lot of clarity to buoyancy for me, which I felt not only helped me with maintaining position in the water, but also on ascent/descent.

 

[Dhboner]

Horizontal up and down...that way I can always see my team and they can see me. We descend face to face and do the same on ascent. We arrive at each of our waypoints together and see any equipment issues (bubbles) at every phase of the dive. In the unlikely event of an air sharing situation we are in the best possible position to donate a regulator.

 

[TatianaSilva]

I find it interesting that when new divers ask what are considered "basic questions", some of the more advanced divers are surprised. I have questioned many of the things I was taught in OW, particularly since it was a slam-dunk course over a weekend. And if you get the basics half-way decent, you're likely to get less instructor time since they are spending time with the elevator kings/queens and nervous wreck divers. OW doesn't make you a competent or knowledgeable diver. It gives you the basics to go forward and experience and learn. Things that made sense in the book were explained even better by those here with more experience - either phrased a different way or just in a manner that gives us that "ah hah!" moment of clarity we needed.

Also, there are a lot of things taught in PADI that are contradicted here by others - descent/ascent just one of them. In my OW we descended/ascended vertically along a line. There was no critique of our ascents or descents. The instructor went up/down with the rest, but I don't recall any personal guidance. Likely because he was holding on to the runaway - as he should be. Not a reflection on the instructor, but the nature of being in a class with so many different types of people.

I like the horizontal descent/ascent methods described and will practice those at my next trip to the lake.

sorry if i bother someone with my stupid questions, theres no need to answer . But if i can only practise the skills a few times a year so its normal for me to ask everything. This is a NEW DIVERS FORUM , so yes, some the questions ARE GOING TO BE STUPID

 

[chillyinCanada]

No stupid questions, only stupid answers, as they say. Keep asking.

 

[krawlings]

sorry if i bother someone with my stupid questions, theres no need to answer . But if i can only practise the skills a few times a year so its normal for me to ask everything. This is a NEW DIVERS FORUM , so yes, some the questions ARE GOING TO BE STUPID

I can see how a new diver could want some clarification on things he/she was taught.You read and learn in class one thing and you come on here and read all these experienced divers telling how they dive and how instruction is so lacing these days, It kinda makes one wander what she / he miss out on the class. TatianaSilva you do not have stupid questions. There is only ONE stupid question and that is the one never asked .Never be afraid to ask a question .If you are not sure about what you were taught, ask the question . don't stop asking questions

 

[AfterDark]

so i guess its more of a personal decision? i mean theres no rule in diving that says completely vertical ?
i dont use bcd when ascending either, i guess thats ok?
thanks

I do a lot of shore diving. I follow the bottom contour when I can. It is a usually a nice gradual ascent and of course I control the rate. At 15fsw I hang out swimming around until the SS time is up and then continue following the bottom up when possible.

Boat diving I use a downline off the anchor line. If I'm forced to ascend in open water I use my gauges as my visual reference. My PDC will warn me if I'm too fast or I can use my depth gauge and watch, messy but do able. Having a SMB to follow up is helpful also.

 

[PhatD1ver]

I'm in the descend vertically crowd... then again, my average dive depth is 20-30 meters so far, and when I hit 6m, I have to do a quick stop and clear my sinus (it's just finicky and takes a head up position to get air into the sinus and cleared very slowly... )... after that, I go horizontal and downplanes to my dive depth... when ascending, normally we swim up most of the way, and then "sit" at the safety stop... last 3m is head up always.

---------- Post added July 14th, 2014 at 09:27 AM ----------

Im a bit concerned with all these absolutely basic questions though - all of this is/should be taught on day 1 of confined water training long before you ever get near an open water dive site. We're talking first 20 mins of discover scuba briefing here.

Do you have the page and reference for the information we are taught about reading tide charts? surge reports and wind charts? How a diver descends/ascends is all about how they feel most comfortable, not how they were taught... and the OPs original question was if there was a preference, not that he didn't know how.

But since a good number of new divers will do shore dives if they are going to dive regularly, knowing how to read tides/surge/wind and the local weather seems like a 'basic skill'... you being from the UK, that might be something you add to your training, but in places like Asia where it's a very small part of your dives, it simply isn't taught or emphasized.

In fact, since I'm going to the US west coast in two weeks, I did a little research and homework, then spend an hour picking the brain of an instructor at my LDS about this information... since in So Cal, all of these are hugely important to planning and enjoying a good shore dive....

My point is I don't understand why you are concerned at basic questions when there is so much that is 'fundamental' that isn't even taught in OW training. (and can't be prepared for in a pool).

 

[UrbanJungle1966]

I'm a duck dive, kick to the bottom and grab a couple of rocks sort of person. Mainly as I wear a lavacore plus 2 wetsuites which trap a lot of air . Takes a minute or two until all the air is squeezed out and I can let go of my rocks. Yes a properly fitting thicker wetsuit would be best but can't afford that yet.

Coming up and safety stop most of the time I am horizontal.

As a new diver I am finding many good ideas on this board and I am sure you will too . I my main comment is do whatever works for you. No amount of reading or thinking about what you will or wont do will equal what a dive will teach you.

 

[freewillie]

For my $0.02 it is more of personal preference and what feels more comfortable. Many others have already chimed in and it is in large part also dictated by conditions. I would add however that when descending vertically feet/fins firs that the resistance of the fins adds a layer of difficulty in descending. If your toes are pointed forward and your fins are parallel to the surface/bottom then they will either slow you to the point it becomes difficult to descend period; or, the resistance of the fins pushes you backwards and you find yourself having a hard time remaining vertical. You need to keep the tips of your fins pointed downward and even then it can push you in weird positions as you try to descend. If for no other reason it's easier than trying to keep my toes pointed down I like to descend horizontally.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've noticed some vertical descenders bending their knees and thus their fins tuck up behind their butt with fin tips towards the surface. It has occurred to me, that this might help, especially those that are having trouble keeping vertical (as explained by the previous poster) or find that their descent is hampered by unintentional finning.

I haven't tried it myself since I'm a head down descender until horizontal.