auto-clearing ears - more difficulty with depth

[johndiver999]

I really wish I could do hands free clearing! You are very lucky.

With respect to your question about controlling your ascent rate in the water column.

You describe keeping your focus on the computer. That is exactly the wrong thing to do. You want to be able to look around, see what's happening, watch your buddy etc This is almost impossible if your eyes are glued to the computer.

The trick is to look forward and occasionally focus close in front of your face and look at the little particles in the water. They are the clue that will tell you if you are moving up or down or are stopped. Of course you want to glance at the computer and gain numerical information on depth and time, but after you are practiced in watching the dust in the water, you might only take a glance at the computer once every 15 or 20 seconds.

This is a useful skill if you ever have a computer die on the bottom and you want to be reasonably confident that you can manage a safe ascent, alone and with no computer. Hopefully you won't need to actually do that, but it makes you a better diver.

.

 

[Random Dude]

Cool skill you have!

As for depth control, I find myself picking up clues as to depth in changes via any landmarks/features/bottoms, or the feel of slight water flow/resistance all around the body/fin subconsciously. Together with pressure changes in the ear, they combine to give a "feel" as to depth, though in my opinion ear pressure changes are not that useful for micro depth adjustments past a certain depth since the changes aren't that pronounced.

Having a easily readable computer also helps a lot.

 

[TMHeimer]

I too have never noticed a mask squeeze. Also have never consciously been aware of exhaling through the nose a bit to prevent it. Maybe I do and don't realize it. Could explain why once in a blue moon I seem to get water in the mask quite often--maybe too much nose exhaling and not realizing I'm even doing it?

 

[dmaziuk]

Could explain why once in a blue moon I seem to get water in the mask quite often--maybe too much nose exhaling and not realizing I'm even doing it?

Could be, yes, but my old mask has always been dry and my new one leaked until I moved the strap down, lower than where I had it with the old one. Now it's not leaking either. And know I exhale through the nose all the time. (More accurately, both nose and mouth.)

 

[SapphireMind]

My instructor is the one who recommended I watch the computer more closely, especially on ascent, because I was having difficulty with my rate of ascent and staying where I needed to for my safety stop.

And when she was asking about different depth changes during the dive, I had no idea, without the computer, which were deeper really, beyond how much light or the temperature changes and if there wasn't *that* much difference, I couldn't tell. She had said that I should have noticed clearing my ears, that's what brought this issue up.

re: dive computer. I have one currently. I wore it not entirely on the inside of my wrist, but on the side. But I saw someone who put it on his inflation hose, and I kind of liked that actually, especially for ascent and descent. I do like the idea of two computers (though I hate the idea of the cost )

Thanks for the tips. I still am perfecting my buoyancy, especially in cold water. I'm planning a trip out just to practice it and my ascents and descents, so I want all the things I can try ahead of time so I can figure out which works best for me.

 

[BlueTrin]

My instructor is the one who recommended I watch the computer more closely, especially on ascent, because I was having difficulty with my rate of ascent and staying where I needed to for my safety stop.

And when she was asking about different depth changes during the dive, I had no idea, without the computer, which were deeper really, beyond how much light or the temperature changes and if there wasn't *that* much difference, I couldn't tell. She had said that I should have noticed clearing my ears, that's what brought this issue up.

re: dive computer. I have one currently. I wore it not entirely on the inside of my wrist, but on the side. But I saw someone who put it on his inflation hose, and I kind of liked that actually, especially for ascent and descent. I do like the idea of two computers (though I hate the idea of the cost )

Thanks for the tips. I still am perfecting my buoyancy, especially in cold water. I'm planning a trip out just to practice it and my ascents and descents, so I want all the things I can try ahead of time so I can figure out which works best for me.

I had the same issues than you and improved a bit during my last trip to the quarry.

Do you do your stop using a DSMB or around a line ?

One thing my instructor showed me was to not hang onto the line unless you really need to: it is easy to compensate negative buoyancy using the line without noticing. She made me put my hands around the DSMB line without hanging to make sure I was neutral.

Also it may be easier for you to hold your stop almost horizontal extending your arms, this slows down vertical movement as it creates a bit of drag (like a parachutist)

I am pretty sure you already this but usually your drysuit valve should almost be open so you can dump air my raising your arm/shoulder (and possibly wiggling your body to untrap any air blocked in the bottom part of the suit).

Hope that helps and feel free to correct me if I made mistakes (as always)

 

[aquacat8]

@SapphireMind I see you are in California... ascend on a strand of kelp. Sigh, I miss that. Never had to shoot a DSMB in the kelpforest!

 

[SapphireMind]

Last time we were out on a boat on an anchor line with a fair amount of surge, which I also need to practice with But a good hint for the shore dives especially. I know my instructor though would prefer I'm better at doing it without holding onto something

Edited to add: I am not using a dry suit. I use a semidry.

 

[BlueTrin]

By all means, hang onto the line when it is rough, this was mostly for training purposes

 

[Seaweed Doc]

How much does visibility change? If it's relatively consistent, light can give you a rough guess to depth. Where I dive a lot (Puget Sound) I can get a rough guide to depth based on how dark it's getting. (Around here, 90 feet deep can be a night dive even if it's noon....) It doesn't help with fine-scale control, but does give me a handle on, say, 20' increments.) Even with our low vis, glancing up at the surface usually helps me guestimate depth in the shallows. (E.g., safety stops.)

I have a harder time in deeper tropical waters. It just doesn't "feel" deep to me since it's so light. I think I need more experience in warm, clear water to get used to it. And I'm willing to make that sacrifice. (Unfortunately, bosses and family are less willing to help me out with it....)