Descent Position

[pt40fathoms]

I'm contemplating changing the way I descend. First thing I gotta do is add 20 LBS of lead, so I can get to the bottom with a big BANG. Then I kick in a circle, kind of like a break dancer under water, stirring up as much silt and muck I can. I do this for about 5 min. just to make sure everyone has a great low vis dive. Kinda like what I end up having if I'm not the first in the water at 6 AM.

Comments? Suggestions on refining the technique?

 

[roakey]

James connell once bubbled...
What the hell are you talking about???

"The ear canal is best positioned in a vertical position for clearing your ears. If you have difficulty clearing your ears, remain in the feet first position. Descending rapidly head first can cause equalization problems for many people."

Even in water, a head down position causes a higher blood pressure in your head than the head up/feet down position.

The added pressure engorges the tissues around the eustachian tube, making it harder to equalize.

Roak

 

[Beach Bum k10]

In a class with students: Feet first. Teach by example and feet first is a good position for clearing the ear pressure.

Fun dive wearing Wearing a dry suit: Feet first as air vent is on my left arm. After achieve -ve bouyant, horizontal for better control, see where I'm heading.

Off the boat in the tropic: any position I get into the h2o.

Deep dive: back first, to enjoy the sun light filtering through the surface.... and divers getting into h2o... good foto shoots opportunity.

Safe Diving.

 

[RichLockyer]

Beach Bum k10 once bubbled...
Fun dive wearing Wearing a dry suit: Feet first as air vent is on my left arm. After achieve -ve bouyant, horizontal for better control, see where I'm heading.

Why on earth would you need to vent the suit on the way down? Just a puff of air every 20-30 ft and everything is great.

When you're not horizontal in the drysuit, don't you find the squeeze on the legs uncomfortable?

 

[knives]

horizontal....that way you have better control of your bouancy.

 

[perpet1]

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...
First question...why are you doing a head first descent on SCUBA anyway...seems like a good way to get a tank in the back of the head if you ask me.

I would suggest horizontal for descending....seems to be easy to control and you don't run the risk of siling out the bottom.

You are kidding right?

If you are wacking your head by going head down it is time to figure out why that is because it should not happen if everything fits right. I would recommend repositioning your tank if this is a problem for you.

There are some dives (as stated before) that are good times to go head first BUT you have to be comfortable with it, be able to control your decent, and clear your ears. A GOOD EXAMPLE OF DIVING WITHIN YOUR COMFORT LEVEL.


For me it is the horizontal sky dive but now that I am in some heavy current it is sometimes better to get to the bottom in a more controlled (rapid) decent head down and fin (but not straight down usually >45 degrees into the current but not as far a vertical). You know I have not been hit by my tank yet but I will keep you posted.....

Pete

 

[perpet1]

James connell once bubbled...
What the hell are you talking about???

"The ear canal is best positioned in a vertical position for clearing your ears. If you have difficulty clearing your ears, remain in the feet first position. Descending rapidly head first can cause equalization problems for many people."

do your feet descend faster than your head ( i'm imagining a subspace "wormhole" effect with the feet going to the bottom then the rest kinda catching up). you'll find that descending head first will solve a lot of clearing probs because as you tilt yuor head back it open the tubes if you put your head on your chest it closes them.

OK, I agree with you that head first is not a problem with clearing as it is more a matter of the way you clear. I personally think that if you have problems then elongate the Eustachian tube by looking up (relative to your body). If that does not work then just slow or stop your decent and solve the problem.

But to the initial post that you quote, and I am quoting a PADI manual (please don't hold it against me as I am just letting you in on where they where coming from)
"It also helps if divers ascend and descend feet-down (feet below head level) to <and get this> to decrease venous pressure in the head and neck, making equalization easier." Direct quote from the encyclopedia of recreational diving.

To be fair to PADI, NAUI also recommends feet first descents to aid in equalization.

 

[Se7en]

RichLockyer once bubbled...

Why on earth would you need to vent the suit on the way down?

Cause you like being comfortable on the boat and don't vent your drysuit before you get in the water... Just jump in and let hydrostatic pressure do it for you.

I pretty much have to do the first few feet vertical to get the air out of my drysuit so I can go horizontal or head down without ballooning my feet.

 

[blackice]

Straight down until I'm 100% under the water then change to skydiving position then continue down like this or angle the head down more for faster decent, then pull back to skydiver position for slowing down to arrive 3 feet above the target.

 

[ScubaRider]

Feet first until I get equalized Then horizontal:mean: