Dive 10a (a=aborted)

[Monilite]

Kayla;

Thanks. That was one of the positive examples I meant to convey in this post. Aborting that dive while a little kid completed it was very ego bursting, but...

Jim;

I got the shutter bug long before the dive bug. I can’t imagine doing any interesting and/or new activity without bringing a camera; I consider it just as integral to my scuba setup as the mask and octo. I’m not rejecting your advice otherwise, but the camera is not negotiable; I’ve brought it on every open water dive I’ve been on. When and how often I use it will be dependent on my developing skill in the use of the rest of my equipment. My dive instructor didn’t say anything about the camera when I brought it on my first open water dive.

I’m aware of the importance of buoyancy control. I read that using the least weight possible reduces your air consumption by streamlining your BC and reducing the amount of air you lose from your tank in otherwise unnecessary filling and venting. I tried to integrate that wisdom in my last boat dive by reducing the weight I had been using. Upon fully deflating my BC I remained just at the surface with a full breath and when fully exhaling began to descend. I had problems at the end of that dive because I was too buoyant at the safety stop and had to remain head down and kick the entire time; therefore went back to my original weight. I think I’ve got my buoyancy under control except for stuffing last minute extras into my BC pocket, so I guess I’m already following your advice about the camera after all. One of my goals for this dive was to improve my photo aiming skills; I just can’t seem to get my shots totally in frame. I had a tactic in mind for this purpose, but didn’t get the chance to try it out.

About Hawaii; I got the same impression at the time as you stated. That is why I said “instructor” and 5 minute beach class. That sort of thing is probably done no where else, but that was the popping of my diving cherry, so will always be remembered fondly.

I didn’t get to finish flight school, but I was nearly ready to solo when my spare funds ran out. The thing that is stressed throughout flight training is the importance of methodical and regular instrument scans. I incorporate this skill into my driving (saved me a blown engine when I lost an oil pump on the highway) and have tried to incorporate it into my diving as well. I don’t count kicks, or breaths, but I try to look at my gauges when I think 5 minutes have passed, I have changed depth, or my buddy looks at theirs whichever comes first. My photo darkroom experience has made me an excellent judge of time in spite of distractions. If I hit the lottery I’ll get one of those heads-up display masks and the issue of instrument checks will never come up again.

Part of my domino of mistakes was focusing on the pride of making my first dive without renting anything (actually my goal was to have a nearly free dive trip; impossible on a boat dive). I was so focused on this that I wasn’t paying attention to my physical state, or the other factors I mentioned in the original post.

Ed;

I’ve done just that. The problem is that I’m a Sunday School teacher, so can only dive on Saturdays. It seems that everyone else around here dives Sundays and works on Saturdays. I’m sure that in time I’ll find somebody online, or in the water who shares my schedule.

 

[Monilite]

Wow! Two posts while I was composing a reply to the previous ones. This must be the best place to learn from the veterans.

Dumster Diver;

Good guess; Blue Heron Bridge it was. I have snorkeled this site twice and had my first open water check-out dive there. I considered it familiar territory, and both of the dive shops I use said that I should be able to find a willing buddy there without making advanced arrangements. I have only taken one certification class, so can’t fairly judge the competence of the training I received. I meant to convey the message that being able to equalize pressure in your sinuses is not the only physical attribute one should consider before doing a dive. I have not had nearly as much time underwater as I would like, primarily because I can’t afford it. My plan was to drive to the park with my full air tank and if I didn’t get a buddy to drive back home having lost nothing but a little wasted gasoline. I will not consider diving solo unless it’s a rescue situation and there is no other choice. I’m a rookie and I think I know my limitations. Yea, I hear it already; a rookie talking about rescue?! I’m just using my imagination to illustrate how seriously I take the idea of solo diving.

Mempilot;

Enough about my defending being a shutter-bug. Like Popeye says I yam what I yam. Diving started with tanks, weights, guts and not much else. Look how far we've come; weight integrated BC's, Nitrox, dive computers, rebreathers... A camera is an insignificant addition to the currently "basic" gear in my book.

I have previously asked about thermals under a wetsuit and never had such strong negative opinions. I’ve worn them before and not had anybody in the group question it. My understanding of the way a wetsuit works is that it traps a layer of water next to your skin. Your body temperature heats this layer of water and the insulating properties of the suit material keep the layer and you relatively warm. Problem is that every movement you make pumps water through the suit. Thermal underwear would add insulation and slow the flow of water through the suit by baffling it. I may be wrong, and am willing to admit it, but intuitively speaking it makes sense to me that thermals under a wetsuit are beneficial not detrimental.

 

[mempilot]

I'll say it again. Why are we making up solutions to problems correctly solved in a logical manner? If your wetsuit isn't warm enough, buy a thicker one. If you are getting too much water movement through the suit, it may not fit you properly. The corrective action is not to brainstorm outside the box that has been fine tuned over decades of trial and error. You may defend the camera all you want, but please do not try to defend the soggy undergarment. BTW, you posted this dive report, and that takes courage; so, why not head the advice you get from people that may have quite a bit more experience than you, rather than defend what you admit you did wrong in the first place?

 

[Diver Dennis]

I have to say that for most if not all the new divers I have seen with a camera, the task loading is too much and takes away from improving basic and essential skills.

 

[Monilite]

Dennis;

Well phrased. If someone doesn't have a multi-tasking background then a camera would be too much for a new diver to handle. My diving skills are developing and the quality of my UW photos show it. I take pictures underwater, but the composition and framing are not up to my dry land standards. I will concentrate on my basic diving skills over my UW photography skills, but the camera wasn't part of my problems on this dive, on the contrary at least I got a couple of shots to justify the otherwise failed dive.

 

[Jim Kerr]

I can’t imagine doing any interesting and/or new activity without bringing a camera; I consider it just as integral to my scuba setup as the mask and octo. I’m not rejecting your advice otherwise, but the camera is not negotiable; I’ve brought it on every open water dive I’ve been on. When and how often I use it will be dependent on my developing skill in the use of the rest of my equipment. My dive instructor didn’t say anything about the camera when I brought it on my first open water dive.

You've got to be kidding me. Your instructor allowed you to bring a camera with you during your checkout dives? Well I don't know about you, but I was a little busy during mine. There was plenty of picture taking topside before and after the dives but there was no way in hell that anyone would be able take pictures during the dives.

 

[DiverBizz]

I did a beach dive the weekend before to practice taking pictures with my new camera and strobe (I have never had a UW camera) I have a new 19 cubic feet pony bottle that I wanted to practice with too. I only attempted one new thing a dive or two.

 

[Shasta_man]

Thanks for the chuckle, Monilite. The long underwear under the suit was definitely creative.

As you've been told, dealing with colder temps is what they make thicker suits for. NOte that it is very important for the suit to fit snugly. It keeps the water next to your body at the proper amount. Too much room and your body can't heat it enough or you pump in more water with arm movement. Note that arm movement will pump it in so that's why minimal movement is best.

I also strongly recommend against feeding anything in the ocean. It's not that you'll condition it to expect food but that it has its own food. All animals have their niche in the world and should stick to it. Invest in a critter behavior book. Understanding what they are really doing in their natural habitat is much more interesting and explaining that to your non-diving buddies will be much more impressive than giving them a cheese doodle.

One other thing that you only made an oblique comment to: leave your ego at home. Your concern about the kid shows how easy it is to get pushed into doing something you shouldn't. You did well by smartly aborting your dive. Don't let he-manish or anything else enter your concern.

You're on the right path by diving and then considering your dive and mistakes you made or improvements you could make.

 

[Monilite]

Mempilot;

(please do not try to defend the soggy undergarment. BTW, you posted this dive report, and that takes courage; so, why not head the advice you get from people that may have quite a bit more experience than you, rather than defend what you admit you did wrong in the first place?)

Thanks for acknowledging my openness here. I am very open to criticism, but I like explanations with them. My father was very big on “Because I said so!” as the entire explanation for his corrections. Furthermore I lost a job once because my supervisor told me to do things contrary to what the business owner said with the only explanation being “I know more than he does about these things”. Yes, I like explanations with my criticisms and have had that confused with closed mindedness before. I have a .5mm shorty and a 3mm full suit. My error in the dive was overheating, not chills. I am saying I was too hot and you are saying I made a mistake that would chill me. I have never had this issue come up before in spite of the fact that I have used thermals and seen other, presumably more experienced, divers use them. I do not know what your financial situation is, but purchasing a wetsuit that I would only need for maybe 4-5 days in a S. Florida year is not practical to my situation. I have relatives up north and sometimes visit them when it is cold for me; therefore I already own thermals. Thermals were created to maintain warmth under otherwise inadequate garments. I do not see this as thinking outside the box. I am confused and trying to better understand your correction not defending my mistake.

Jim;
My instructor had a philosophy that if a student doesn’t enjoy the dive, then they will probably not continue diving and bringing business to the dive shop he was employed at. We covered OOA procedures, mask clearing, buoyancy control, kicking techniques, instrument reading, buddy signals, etc. We did pool dives which were 100% business, but the open water dives were intended to be a combination of skill, emergency procedures and love of the sport and environment itself. After the beach entry on our first open water dive (in which I wore thermals under my wetsuit after consulting with my instructor the day before) we took a rest on the shallow bottom for mask clearing and reg exchange drills. On the swim to deeper water I had the opportunity to take pictures; my instructor actually pointed out interesting subjects and posed for me. When we were actually under the bridge in the deep area of the dive (27ft) we did instrument checks in the shadow of the bridge. I shot many pictures underwater, but had to finish shooting the roll of film on land after the dive. We accomplished the goals of the dive; learn, practice, enjoy.

DiverBizz;
Thanks for mirroring my point. You did it right I pushed myself outside my personal envelope of comfort. I still think that I could have dealt with everything else if my physical condition had been 100%. I was coming down with something, but refused to see the signs due to my enthusiasm for the dive opportunity. I plan to get comfortable with the gear I already have over the next couple of months. My next goal will be to get Nitrox certified by June. I like the idea of a pony tank, but will probably not follow through on it for at least a year. Keep me in mind if you run into any “situations” with your new pony tank; I would like to gather information while I wait for my right time to actually get one. Did you rent one before you bought one? How did your rental dive go?
Did you replace your octo with the new second stage/BC inflator combos I’ve seen, or do you have 3+ mouthpieces to keep track of? Aren’t PCs great? You can file information when you come across it and study it in detail when you really need it.

Shasta Man;
Thanks for the encouraging words and advice. This whole thing over the thermal gotchies has really taken over these posts. I didn’t think I was outside the box, or having an original idea or even being creative. I shouldn’t have done it because I was too lazy to check the water temperature before the dive and my 3mm suit was more than adequate by itself. That was one of the dominoes leading to this aborted dive. I didn’t verify conditions (tide times, water temp), but relied on hearsay, ass-u-m-ption and how I’d done it before. I’ve seen a couple of divers (on separate occasions) strip down to natures own on the boat before suiting up. Am I a laughable out of touch prude for wearing a swimsuit and T-shirt (I’m hairy, don’t want to shave all over or have a zipper incident) under my wetsuit?

 

[mempilot]

Thanks for acknowledging my openness here. I am very open to criticism, but I like explanations with them. My father was very big on “Because I said so!” as the entire explanation for his corrections. ... Yes, I like explanations with my criticisms and have had that confused with closed mindedness before.

Point taken. I apologize for the way I jumped on you.

My error in the dive was overheating, not chills. I am saying I was too hot and you are saying I made a mistake that would chill me.

Actually, I didn't say it would chill you. Someone else did. I have other reasons for not wearing thermals under a wetsuit, most of which have to do with the reasons you did it in the first place and the waterlogging effect on bouyancy. I am assuming you decided to wear the thermals because you thought you would be cold. I said, either you have an ill fitting wetsuit, or a suit that is too thin. Putting thermals underneath is the wrong solution.

....purchasing a wetsuit that I would only need for maybe 4-5 days in a S. Florida year is not practical to my situation. I have relatives up north and sometimes visit them when it is cold for me; therefore I already own thermals. Thermals were created to maintain warmth under otherwise inadequate garments. I do not see this as thinking outside the box. I am confused and trying to better understand your correction not defending my mistake.

Owning a well fitting 3mm and 5mm suit is all you need for Florida. A cheap add-on for either suit is a hooded vest which will work wonders. Much heat is lost through the head. If you get too hot, just pull the hood back.

Thermals work when they are dry, not wet. That is why the best thermals have a moisture wicking material that is next to the skin. This is probably the explanation I should have made earlier, so I am sorry to wait until now.

My girlfriend is getting certified in the next couple of months. If you would like to dive with us on some nice easy dives, you are more than welcome. I am sorry for being abrasive earlier.

Eric