Blue water trouble

[PlayaCountryBoy]

The best way I have learned to ascend out of the blue water is I inhale deepy and slowly which carries me upward...then exhale sorta quicker than slow. Quickly inspire again and you'll start to float up again. Repeat this a few times and eventually you will feel the jacket ever so slighty wanting to lift/loft you up. This is the point where you just about ned to let some air out of the jacket/wing. As you conitue upwards slowly, Just tap the deflator button a couple times (not holding it down as to release all the air). Right as you get at 15', now adjust the air in the jacket one more time then switch the breathing pattern to long, slow inhale/exhale with this time, slow inspirations. This will cause you to float up slowly then sink slowly. I go up and down about 3' in the water column when I do this. Using this method of asending means I usually never have to kick to go up or to maintain a level! Again, this is for bluewater diving like experience here around the walls of the Mexican Caribe'.

 

[bisugo767]

Imagine yourself as an airline pilot at 30,000-ft. They rely on their gauges and gyro to tell them whether they are upside down or right side up. When doing your deco or safety stops in open water, not only in the deep blue, I recommend keeping your eye glued to your depth gauge most of the time. If you can't see the bottom, rely on your bubble trail to let you know your position. Learn not to rely on your eyes too much.

As for staying level at 15-ft., you may be having bouyancy skill issues. Practice makes perfect. On my first open water dive, I was bouncing between 13-ft and 20-ft. On later dives, I was able to relax and hover at 15-ft +/- 1 or 1.5-ft.

Having trouble maintaining a stable depth on ascents (on safety stops) when I can't see the bottom, the surface, or some sort of fixed object so as to judge my possition. I find I will start ascending, then to compensate, I dump air, then start rapidily descending, and back and forth. Any tips or techniques that may assist me here?