Want to get back into diving regularly

[RandomGuy1]

I was originally in your boat, in that I didn't have a regular dive buddies. The only thing that I can add that has worked for me when I travel and have to insta-buddy is to work on your own skills as much as you can. Once you are completely comfortable in the water, have your weighting nailed, and have a good sac rate, you won't have to worry about slowing someone else down when you join them. Another thing is if you are a heavy breather, ask for a larger tank, so that you aren't cutting your insta-buddies dives short. I have the same feeling about intruding on someone else's time when diving, but doing everything I can do minimize my intrusion makes it not so bad. Now I am to the point where I would just as soon go solo as to buddy up with strangers as most all the one's I have dove with sucked.

 

[Chavodel8en]

In addition to the suggestions above (dive club, refreshers), I also recommend the Meetup.com website/application. It's where people arrange all manner of activities, from hiking, pickup basketball to transcendental meditation. I would guess that there's a LA area scuba meetup that arranges dives.

Its what Ive used to dive regularly. With the app on my phone it makes it very convenient. I used to wait for folks to arrange dives that worked w/ my schedule. Increasingly, I arrange dives myself.

The one drawback to this way of diving is that every dive tends to be an ista-buddy type dive. But generally, the dives have been cool for me. But if you want develop regular dive buddies, this is a start.

And I feel what folks are saying about a non-diving wife & other responsibilities. Generally when I dive I try to get 2 quick dives in the morning (which means waking up early on the weekends) so that I can be back to my regular life by late afternoon.

You just have to make the time for it.

 

[TMHeimer]

Solo is another idea. You have double the number of dives I had (75) when I first went by myself. It was that or not dive, due to my location--or drive a long way to meet up with someone. My personal "solo" rule is 30' or maybe a little deeper--glorified snorkeling. I'm not recommending it, but it's a possible choice. You have to be comfortable with it. I haven't taken the solo course, but it wouldn't be a bad idea (our shop here hasn

 

[tep]

Take a look at Meetup.com - lot of dive groups in the LA area.

Thanks to Power Scuba's regular every Saturday morning La Jolla Shores dive, I got more dives in 2016 than in the previous 3 years combined.

For example...
Power Scuba: San Diego Scuba Diving (and Beyond)

I know that there will be 4-10 people at one place ready to go diving, every Saturday morning. That means easy to find a buddy, and I have a dive opportunity at least once a week, every week. I haven't been in since November, but I know that as soon as my business travel is over in a few weeks I can easy get back into the swing of it.

Definitely try meetup.com

 

[k374]

Thanks for all the responses...yes, I will definitely try meetup, I'm actually a member and see several meetup events. I really want to figure out my ears and see what the issue is. Equalization seems to be much more difficult for me in cold water here in Southern California than in a place like Cozumel where the water is in the 80s. I've tried the traditional methods, Valsalva, jaw movement etc. but it does not always work. Sometimes, my ears will equalize instantly without any effort, sometimes they will not at all... even when I have no outward sign of congestion. It seems random.

 

[billt4sf]

try equalizing (adding pressure to your sinusses) while you;re jus sitting around at home waiting for the next dive trip.

 

[RandomGuy1]

Equalize early and often. If you are waiting until you feel the pressure you have waited too long. Best of luck!

 

[Mike126]

Thanks for all the responses...yes, I will definitely try meetup, I'm actually a member and see several meetup events. I really want to figure out my ears and see what the issue is. Equalization seems to be much more difficult for me in cold water here in Southern California than in a place like Cozumel where the water is in the 80s. I've tried the traditional methods, Valsalva, jaw movement etc. but it does not always work. Sometimes, my ears will equalize instantly without any effort, sometimes they will not at all... even when I have no outward sign of congestion. It seems random.

I literally feel your pain! I stopped diving in the late 90's due to family and work and came back around 2008. Since then I have had a heck of a time on my right ear. The last couple of dive trips ended after the first or second dive with a middle ear barotrauma. I took last year off to deal with helping my now teenage twins get into college and other work related items. This year I am resolved to get my right ear working better. Here's what I have been doing after a lot of research on the Internet (Free diving sites and other posts / articles here in the Dive Medicine forum):

1. I order and use 3 times daily the Otovent device. This is a small balloon that you inflate trough a nostril. It helps train you to learn the right level of pressure and techniques to open ETs and EQ.
2. Practice through out the day..... Outside of using the Otovent, I find myself trying to find the sweet spot to opening my right ET. This is a combination of a closed mouth yawn and jaw stretch and jut. Do this behind closed doors so non-divers don't think you have issues...
3. Cut back on dairy products to reduce the amount of mucus in my throat.
4. Nasal rinse every day or every other day to keep my sinus area clean
5. Practice with a EQ mouthpiece in my mouth to again re-train myself.

Back in my youth (I'm 56) I was able to drop like a rock and not have any issues at all...

One of the free diving sites has a pretty good article on exercises to do to get your ET muscles back in shape. There was an interesting statement that hit home for me. You are not necessarily born with the ability to equalize, you have to learn it. I think they are referring to the SCUBA level of EQ where the pressure changes are fairly fast and more severe.

Finally, I will be heading to the pool in February to put all of my training into play. I purchased the IST Pro Ear mask to give that a try and an instructor friend is letting me borrow a full face mask to see if that helps. I find that when I have a regulator in I tense up and have a much harder time EQ than without. My thought is maybe an FFM may give me more freedom of movement with my jaw to trigger/open my ETs then perform a Valsalva.

Hope this helps....