Fins flying off

[FlyinV]

Noobie -- just open watered a couple weeks ago.

So lets rewind to snorkeling in Tahiti back in May and getting the bug to scuba.
When in Tahiti I lost a fin on the first snorkle but the group I was with had so much extra gear I borrowed an extra pair and everything went fine.

Went thru my open water here in the pacific NW and made sure my new fins ($189) were on super tight -- To the point my toes hurt a bit the first day .. A little looser the next day but still very snug.

Now today -- I went to a tiny murky fresh water lake to test out a new wetsuit I purchased. Works great but I must have not gotten a fin tight enough or the buckle came out and off it went. It sure felt OK going in so I suspect the quick release buckle was not in all the way.

I couldn't free dive down as I didn't have enough weight and couldn't scuba down since I didn't have a BCD, tank, reg ect...

This tiny murky lake is only about 10 feet deep --- not very wide perhaps 30 feet --- no real current to speak of. I know exactly where I was when it came off as my step dad took a picture

So is it worth it to rent a some gear and go back and try to find my fin?
It can't go very far. It would all be by touch. Also the bottom of the lake is pretty plant free (man made lake not a natural lake) just a couple inches of muck thru the years.

I guess I now will crank fins on tight tight tight -- something about my foot reject the fins if they aren't cranked on.

This is twice now I had to come up and have people laugh that a fin went missing -- I am not going to have this happen again

I just feel like a complete idiot losing 2 fins in less then 4 months of diving.
Of course they are not the same type of fins so its not like I can make a pair.

 

[shoturtle]

189 dollar fin, I would try to get it back.

Try replacing the rubber strap with a metal spring strap. You should not have the crank the fin to have it secure.

 

[chilie]

By all means dive it and find the fin. With a buddy. It'll make it safer and a more orderly search.

 

[T23]

You didn't say if you were diving bare foot, with neoprene socks, or boots??

If you aren't wearing boots you might want to give them a try. There are lots of pairs made with a bit of a bump on the back bottom that is designed to keep the strap from slipping off.

Or possibly you might want to consider a full foot style fin?

Good luck recovering your missing fin!

 

[Ed Palma]

Go find it.

Can you also give us a description of how you put your fins on?

(I'm just waiting for the first person to start talking about jets...)

 

[FlyinV]

I was wearing heavy pacific NW dive gear.
So thick boots -- I think I just messed up and didn't have the quick release buckle in all the way or the strap was just plain too loose.

I think I just didn't pay enough attention to my fins with getting my new wetsuit all tweaked in (the attached hood was different then anything I dove in before)

So its another case of not going slow enough/careful enough and making sure I was ready to enter the water I suppose its better to learn this lesson here floating in a shallow lake then on the dive boat next weekend.

 

[tstormdiver]

I agree spring straps are the way to go. I had the same problem until I got a pair of springs. A good set of springs will last a very long time & hold your fee in by the tension of the spring. They're a bit more to spend on your fins, but worth every penny in my book. I'm so spoiled to them now I won't even buy a pair of fins with out also buying the springs too. The straps come off the fins immediately & the springs go on. Easy onto the feet/ easy off of the feet & they don't tend to break or come undone.

 

[driftwood]

Time to do the penance for your mistake. Rent the gear and do the search. The springs for your fins are an excellent idea!

 

[FlyinV]

I am certainly going to look into the springs

 

[dkktsunami]

Fins should not have to be "cranked down tight, tight, tight....." Something wrong here but not sure what, perhaps fancy, go-fast fins.