Your personal evolution in diving, and an etiquette question

[dianna912]

Had the same DM for 2 weeks on Roatan. Before first dive I explained that; 1, I had a SDI solo card and was equipped and had the skill set to dive solo, 2, I was not going into enclosed places (Calvin's Crack), 3, I would stay close to the group but at a more modest depth. Screw etiquette! I'm spending big bucks for very short times underwater. I'm paying them. I'll dive my dive.

One reason Bonaire has been my favorite is the freedom to dive any way you want. Now that I'm finding Bon too strenuous for me I will have to search for places that will allow me the freedom to dive as I wish. So far that hasn't been a problem. For example, on GC it was no problem to not penetrate the Kittywake (someone tried to drown me when I was younger and I ain't going anywhere I can't immediatly surface). DM said - "just meet us at our exit place in about an hour". On the second dive the DM offered to accompany me and was fine with my wanting to wander alone. NOTE: I was fully solo equipped.

I'm headed for Placencia in mid April. I fully expect to dive with a group, as the DM defines the dive, fast/slow/stopped - it doesn't matter. I'm hoping to dive with whale sharks and whatever I am expected to do I will comply. I have no expectation to dive solo.

My only concern is that I will live up to standards - I never assume that my skills are good enough. Every dive I do, I test what I am able to accomplish. Weighting & trim are paramount. I compare myself to the trumpetfish. As long as I can hover vertically head down, head up, horizontally facing down and facing up I figure that I can accomplish what I need to on any dive.

I love this mentality and confidence! I should have noted above: I’m confident and independent, just with my forever dive buddy, my husband. Ha!

You solo divers are a whole other incredible level of independence!

 

[drbill]

IMHO the only way to really see, and learn to understand, the ecological relationships within a dive site is to move slowly... even stop and just observe (especially the "little things..." don't forget them!).

As for buoyancy issues, you would have loved diving back in the 60s when we didn't use BCDs and relied on proper weighting for the depth we planned to be at and the use of our lung capacity to make adjustments.

 

[dianna912]

IMHO the only way to really see, and learn to understand, the ecological relationships within a dive site is to move slowly... even stop and just observe (especially the "little things..." don't forget them!).

As for buoyancy issues, you would have loved diving back in the 60s when we didn't use BCDs and relied on proper weighting for the depth we planned to be at and the use of our lung capacity to make adjustments.

The second DM I talked about was a non-BCD diver. She was incredible. I told my husband that is my goal, actually. I really would love it. Traveling would be so much easier, too!

The only time I’ve ever had issues with bouyancy was a blackwater dive. That might have been the most miserable 30 minutes of my life.

 

[drbill]

The second DM I talked about was a non-BCD diver. She was incredible. I told my husband that is my goal, actually. I really would love it. Traveling would be so much easier, too!

Don't get me wrong. I greatly appreciate being able to use gear like BCDs, SPGs, octos and dive computers today when I dive.

30 years ago I was diving with a JM Cousteau team up in the northern Channel Islands. It was the first time I used a BCD as it was required gear. Mine kept autoinflating. The DM said no way that could happen, so I asked her to watch me try to descend. She was shocked to see that I was right. She asked what we should do. I said I'd just disconnect and dive like I had been for 27 years (at that time)!

 

[markmud]

As long as I can hover vertically head down, head up, horizontally facing down and facing up I figure that I can accomplish what I need to on any dive.

You and me both!

Here is my Inverted Dirty maneuver:

Not bad for an old, ugly, bald guy!

I love doing it in swim throughs. Nobody looks up in swim throughs. I see things that no one else has!

markm

 

[TMHeimer]

IMHO the only way to really see, and learn to understand, the ecological relationships within a dive site is to move slowly... even stop and just observe (especially the "little things..." don't forget them!).

As for buoyancy issues, you would have loved diving back in the 60s when we didn't use BCDs and relied on proper weighting for the depth we planned to be at and the use of our lung capacity to make adjustments.

May be a stupid question, but...When you guys back then were properly weighted for the depth you planned, I can quite easily see that descending and ascending using lungs and kicks could easily work. How were you able to do very long surface swims since you were weighted for depth? Or was it just a whole lot of work?

 

[dianna912]

You and me both!

Here is my Inverted Dirty maneuver:
View attachment 513395

Not bad for an old, ugly, bald guy!

I love doing it in swim throughs. Nobody looks up in swim throughs. I see things that no one else has!

markm

Ooooo, yes, and the beautiful air pockets!

Inverted or upside down is my favorite way to roll!

I got a couple of comments on constantly being upside down this trip.

 

[drbill]

How were you able to do very long surface swims since you were weighted for depth? Or was it just a whole lot of work?

Since I lived on the beach and depth increases very quickly out here, there were very few long surface swims. At the surface our wetsuits were not compressed like at depth so they were more buoyant.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I am just a slow thinking,. slow walking slow talking broken down diver from Orange county California...

I have question :

For several years prior to the introduction of the BCs divers, including my self, used Personal Flotation Vest --PFVs

These were introduced to the diving market in 1960 via US Divers float #7241 $895 followed in 1961 by US Divers float #7231 $ 12.95 then Voit SDL Skin Diver Life preserver $19.95 and finally the standard of the industry duriing that era the orange Sportsways Navy Safety Vest # 1800 $19.95.

All these units could be manually inflated and deflated via a short inflation tube or if in emergency inflated by a 16 gram CO2 cartridge. ---However my tribe also developed a special way of deflating which would not be approved in todays diving world

So would in thus modern world of correct diving would they be considered
Buoyancy Compensators?
Personal Floats?
Emergency Floatation device?
or ???

A slow thinking,. slow walking slow talking broken down diver from Orange county California would like to know

Sam Miller, 111

​

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I am just a slow thinking,. slow walking slow talking broken down diver from Orange county California...

I have question :

For several years prior to the introduction of the BCs divers, including my self, used Personal Flotation Vest --PFVs

These were introduced to the diving market in 1960 via US Divers float #7241 $895 followed in 1961 by US Divers float #7231 $ 12.95 then Voit SDL Skin Diver Life preserver $19.95 and finally the standard of the industry duriing that era the orange Sportsways Navy Safety Vest # 1800 $19.95.

All these units could be manually inflated and deflated via a short inflation tube or if in emergency inflated by a 16 gram CO2 cartridge. ---However my tribe also developed a special way of deflating which would not be approved in todays diving world

So would in thus modern world of correct diving would they be considered
Buoyancy Compensators?
Personal Floats?
Emergency Floatation device?
or ???

A slow thinking,. slow walking slow talking broken down diver from Orange county California would like to know

Sam Miller, 111

​

Sam,

How did you use them, and what was their primary use? I think that defines what they are more than the technological detail.

If you used them mostly to compensate for changes in bouyancy with depth, then they're a BC, in the opinion of this young, ignorant whippersnapper.

My brother learned to dive in about 1970 using a horsecollar "BC" that was orally inflated. Sounds like what you described. He's 15 years older, so by the time I learned we had power inflators on the horsecollar. The first BC I bought was a "modern" jacket style, but it still accommodated the CO2 cartridge.

Thanks for sharing the history. I enjoy reading it.