Very comfortable Underwater - Very Uncomfortable at Surface

[DogDiver]

You could also try moving 2 pounds (1 pound each) ankle weights. I use scubapro jet fins and they are almost 7 pounds negative between the two of them. [emoji41]


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[Water Boy76]

I used to have that same BC and was very comfortable on the surface. Are you using the trim weights in the back?

 

[ev780]

Also, be patient. 11 dives is nothing. Over time you will get your weight and gear dialed in and get more comfortable with body position. Spend a little extra time getting used to the surface. Be the last one in the boat and just float along. Seek out some rougher water and practice. Surface control is a skill glossed over in training but can take just a long to master.

 

[RJP]

Cross your ankles... prevents happy feet.

 

[Scuba Diving Dreamer]

yea when I first started diving I was splashing all over the place on the surface, face forward, suckin up sea water. I hated it, but once i got comfortable with my own gear I learned to kinda go zen and just chill on the surface and my body basically balances itself out.

 

[dmaziuk]

Waiting on the surface is a major pain. I changed to an Sherwood Avid jacket style BCD and that helped some but I still feel very unbalanced and out of control on the surface. My feet float up in front, or they float up in back and I feel like I'm just flopping around. Surely there are some techniques to help me get this sorted out.

If it's just your feet, why not let them be wherever they want?

You may have too much air in the BCD esp. you're rolling side to side as well. You need just enough to keep your face above water if on your back or vertical, or to keep the snorkel out of the water if hanging face down. Which is is another thing to try, esp. if you're doing it with an empty al80. On your back should work better with a full one.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I bet it is more of a body positioning thing. Vast majority of people aren't taught how to comfortably hang out at the surface, try the body positioning first before you make any gear changes.

Probably the best bit of advice. I know when I started I felt the same as the OP. Indeed I was worse I hated being in the sea without my reg in and mask on. With 11 dives you are still learning to be comfortable and relaxed it can take a bit of time. I personally lay back and allow my feet to float forward. I do remember my first attempts when my feet floated backwards and tried to face plant me (failing about in the process to regain composure) But I was never that confident at the surface and it took a while. Now I can chill out even in a swell - although sometimes I get too chilled out have my reg out and get a mouth full from a breaking swell which teaches me a lesson

 

[WhiteSands]

Rooster59:
Exposure suit 3mm shorty henderson or dive skin
Weight: 12 lbs in releasable integrated weights, 6lbs in trim pockets (fresh water)
Fins: Mares Volo Power - Slightly negative
Tank: AL80

I hope this gives a little more information

So that's a total of 12 + 6 = 18lbs?

That is a lot of weight to carry for a 3mm wetsuit! Typically with a 3mm and a BP/W, divers I dive with carry 0 weights to at the very most 4lbs. I would say add 4-6lbs for a jacket BCD.

Perhaps all that weight is causing you difficulty in balancing, try to do a weight check with an empty wing and 50 bar in your tanks at 5m and see how much weight you can drop and still be neutrally buoyant.

Also, at the surface, make sure you've inflated sufficiently so that your chin is clear out of the water.

 

[dmaziuk]

So that's a total of 12 + 6 = 18lbs?

That is a lot of weight to carry for a 3mm wetsuit! Typically with a 3mm and a BP/W, divers I dive with carry 0 weights to at the very most 4lbs. I would say add 4-6lbs for a jacket BCD.

I'm 190lb-ish 6'1" and last dives I wore 9lb in 2/1 shorty and a jacket BCD. Also a bit younger than OP so likely to have relatively more muscle mass. I wouldn't be surprised if 260lb @ 5'11" needs double that to compensate for full 3mm and extra bioprene. Assuming of course it's bioprene and not 260b of solid muscle on top of adamantiium skeleton.

 

[htatton]

Time to report back:

First thanks for all the great Ideas. I can't believe how much you folks are willing to share on this board. I hope the day comes that I get the chance to dive with some of you.

dmaziuk: I'm sorry but you are correct. Much of the 260 lbs is floaty bioprene. Thats the bad news, but the good news is since I started diving 18 months ago I'm down 15 pounds and hope to get much lower.

Spent a couple of hours in the pool last night. Here's what seem to help so far:

1- I had too little air in my BCD. I was't getting my chin out of the water leading to a real feeling of uneasiness.
2- The recliner chair position seem to work very well. It seems stable and relaxing. As opposed to trying to hang straight down.
3- I found myself getting very tense the last 1 ft before the surface and totally screwing up the inflate/deflate buttons. I practiced leaving the reg in and just relaxing to the surface, adding air, rolling on back and assuming a sitting position. Then changing to snorkel.

My next practice session I plan to work on:
1- Recovering gracefully and safely if a wave or something else rolled me over face down while wearing a snorkel.
2- Recovering gracefully and safely if a wave or something else rolled me over face down with neither snorkel or reg in.
3- Graceful transition from recliner to descent position (I had been waiting at the beginning of the dive)

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again