johndiver999
Contributor
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.
.
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.
.