PADI Ascent Rate

[Aquatic Eagle]

When I read all of this, it sounds like that I missed a lot while I was learning to dive (PADI). I can’t recall that they teach me to dive like this, to accent always very slowly and accent more slowly for the last few meters!!

You were never taught to ascend slowly?? Makes me wonder about the instructor there. You never ascend rapidly by any means. It should always be an easy, steady ascent. What were you taught exactly when it comes to ascents?

 

[Matthew]

NatureDiver once bubbled...


You were never taught to ascend slowly?? Makes me wonder about the instructor there. You never ascend rapidly by any means. It should always be an easy, steady ascent. What were you taught exactly when it comes to ascents?

I think sunnydiver was referring to the the posts about ascending "very slowly," slower than 30 ft/min, which he considers the "normal" ascent rate. I don't think he meant that he ascends rapidly, or was not taught to ascend slowly.

 

[newdiverAZ]

we ascend 30 fpm to 20', do 3 to 5 mins @ 20, 1 min ascent to 10, due 3-5 mins @ 10', then 2 mins to the surface, why not use the extra gas? perfect time for bouyancy practice. and this is on shallow dives.

 

[sunnydiver]

NatureDiver once bubbled...


You were never taught to ascend slowly?? Makes me wonder about the instructor there. You never ascend rapidly by any means. It should always be an easy, steady ascent. What were you taught exactly when it comes to ascents?

I do accents slowly, far within the limits of what I have learned. In the beginning you learned to follow the smallest bubbles, watching your depth meter and your watch. Actually my accents are more slowly then the what the instructor learned and especially for the last few feet (he was using a Viper). So I believe that my accents where then always correct.

I only mention that is sounds like that you should accent more slowly then what your dive computer tells to you (or have been teached or what PADI learns to you), although nobody here speaks about their dive computer.
Does any use your dive computer to make a controlled accent? And if yes, how are you using it? Do you just watching the accent rate speed?

 

[sharkmasterb]

I' ve always used the 30fpm rule, if you ascend too slow you may begin to ongass again depending on the mix. Most comps are set to 30fpm ascent rate and a good idea is to slow your rate more from 20ft to surface. Like everyone else said if you have the gas, why not, better be safe than sorry.

 

[JDostal]

PADI does teach slower is better - someone else mentioned that whole SAFE diver slogan they have.

One trick they do teach is to use bubbles. When you exchale a breath, reach above you and sweep your hand down in front of your face to sweep a bunch of bubbles down in front of you. Locate the smallest bubbles and watch them go up. If you aren't going faster than those teeny tiny bubbles, you are making an okay ascent....

 

[dazle]

I heard that gauging your ascent rate by your smallest (now which ones will be the smallest, try it) bubbles is now considered archaic?

When I've heard people mention going by your smallest bubbles, I've often heard veteran instructors shoot them down in flames and threaten them with a beer fine.

I get the impression it's now an outdated old school approach

 

[JDostal]

It may be archaic, but when all else fails....it's better than nothing.

 

[String]

Its still taught here going by the smallest bubbles. Needs to clarify you need to keep picking new bubbles not fixate on one as it expands and accelerates as it goes up. Other than that having measured rates vs the computer its not TOO bad a guide. If all else fails, its a fairly good method.

 

[JDostal]

Yes - I did forget to mention that you need to get new bubbles. I've done it in practice a few times - swirl some bubbles down and watch the littlest ones go up and I just make sure they are going up much faster than me - it's a decent approximation.