Beach disaster with getting fins on and not being able to get up

[Hatul]

Yes, with the drysuit (which you need in Monterey) you're carrying much more weight, which makes it doubly important to get a bit deeper and let buoyancy do the work for you. The water will support you and give you a chance to quickly don the fins. Also I use 3 rather than 5mm gloves, which helps with dexterity.

 

[Peter_C]

Why are you carrying so much weight? I carry half that and dive two layers of thick undies.

Do your spring straps have a pull strap on them? What brand are they?

I also agree with the reg in mouth no matter what the conditions are when entering and exiting the water. Most often my mask is on my head backwards, but reg is in my mouth if I need it. I breathe through my nose otherwise.

Also before you run out and buy the DUI gloves you might want to research them. Having them always attached to your drysuit would be considered a hindrance by many. I know for me there are many times I want my suit on, but also want bare hands. I much prefer a Viking or Si-Tech system. Plus "when" you put a hole in a glove they are $13.00 with glove liners to replace, and you have an inner seal to keep the leak out of your suit.

 

[Drewpy]

Some good points here..I agree with going a bit deeper,but where was your buddy? Could he not have assisted and offered a shoulder to lean on while you did a figure 4? Might he also helped put on a fin if you raised your leg? Not to be a jerk, but maybe an exercise regimen is in order?

 

[TSandM]

I don't like holding anything in my hands getting in. If you fall, your instincts to catch yourself may make you let go of whatever you are holding, in which case you are now in the surf without the option of fins to get yourself anywhere.

My SoCal friends use a clip system for fins -- it's basically a short piece of something like thin climbing rope, with a boltsnap on each end. They clip their fins to their BC for the walking part of the entry. This allows you to use your arms for balance, or to hold onto your buddy, and leaves your hands free to replace or steady a mask, or add air to your BC. When they're past the shorebreak and floating, they unclip the fins and put them on. This is the strategy I adopted, once I saw it, and it's worked pretty well for me.

 

[Chilly_Dipper]

3) Buy dryglove system to have easier hand dexterity as the wetsuit gloves make it difficult to grab things easily.

Dry gloves don't give you more dexterity unless of course your wet gloves are of the trigger finger variety. At the end of the dive they help since you still have full use of your fingers since they shouldn't be frozen (mine always are in wet gloves).

I think the two actions you want to consider when entering rough surf are:

1. Get beyond the surf zone before even attempting to put your fins on (this is usually well above your waist line as many people have posted as a suggestion)

2. Put your fins on before entering the water and back into the surf (keeping a good eye on it whilst you are doing so).

Love the suggestion about the d-ring on the mask though how would I get spare masks if everyone were to start doing it?

 

[Bob DBF]

Know your beach, I have a few in NorCal that can slope gently to knee deep and then drop to six feet still in the surf zone. If there is surf, you are in for some excitement if you don't already have your fins on.

If it isn't nice, or I don't know the beach, I always have my fins on when entering the water.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[eelnoraa]

In Monterey, I put on fins before entering water only on a boat dive. Any shore diving, I will always walk in water than put fins on.

44lb is a lot of weight. Most people I know, diving 400g thinsulate, hp100, use half of this.

as for dry gloves, I think they give worse dexterity on land oven if they fit well because in order to give you any dexterity, they need to have some loose material. This makes doing anything with them on difficult. In water tho, they are better because water squeeze the gloves on your hand.

 

[Ben Prusinski]

Agree will try 30lbs of lead. I weigh 190lbs wearing 400g thinsulate in DUI CLX450 drysuit using 100 steel tanks

 

[grantwiscour]

+1 for spring straps

 

[boulderjohn]

+1 for spring straps

Actually I think you meant +7. If it weren't for the fact that he said he already uses spring straps, my guess is that he would have the idea about now.