GregA2k6
Registered
Hello all!
As preparation for my OW checkout dives this Saturday and Sunday, I have been taking a dry-suit orientation which included a pool session and a dive a local community lake with my instructor and dive buddy (my wife).
What can I say!! I had no idea how much fun the OW dive would be!
Now....let me set this up for you. This lake is a muddy bottomed slough about 25 feet deep with a few weeds and not much else. Vis was about 12 feet and water temps were in the mid 50's. My dry-suit was flooded and I had a bit of a problem initially with my weight belt. Despite this I am STILL buzzing! Being able to cruise along the bottom and look up and see the sun reflecting through the green haze was something I have never experienced before!! It was great to be able to do a descent with a little more depth involved and I was really surprised how much easier it was to maintain my buoyancy down there than it was in the pool. It was also cool to be able to do an ascent where you can feel how the air expands in the BCD. I intentially tried to ascend as slow as possible and stop every few feet and was happy to see that everything went well!
I will be heading to the shop to get a better fitting suit tonight just so I don't get so wet during my checkout dives. I am definitely glad I did this orientation as I got a chance to do a few of the skills in colder water and at a bit of depth. (mask flood, reg-recovery, tired diver tow, fin pivot) The $90 extra I paid for the pool and extra OW dive along with dry-suit rental for my checkout dives is probably the best money I have spend! I am now looking forward to this weekend more than ever!
Just thought I'd share my experience with the good folks here!
GregA
As preparation for my OW checkout dives this Saturday and Sunday, I have been taking a dry-suit orientation which included a pool session and a dive a local community lake with my instructor and dive buddy (my wife).
What can I say!! I had no idea how much fun the OW dive would be!
Now....let me set this up for you. This lake is a muddy bottomed slough about 25 feet deep with a few weeds and not much else. Vis was about 12 feet and water temps were in the mid 50's. My dry-suit was flooded and I had a bit of a problem initially with my weight belt. Despite this I am STILL buzzing! Being able to cruise along the bottom and look up and see the sun reflecting through the green haze was something I have never experienced before!! It was great to be able to do a descent with a little more depth involved and I was really surprised how much easier it was to maintain my buoyancy down there than it was in the pool. It was also cool to be able to do an ascent where you can feel how the air expands in the BCD. I intentially tried to ascend as slow as possible and stop every few feet and was happy to see that everything went well!
I will be heading to the shop to get a better fitting suit tonight just so I don't get so wet during my checkout dives. I am definitely glad I did this orientation as I got a chance to do a few of the skills in colder water and at a bit of depth. (mask flood, reg-recovery, tired diver tow, fin pivot) The $90 extra I paid for the pool and extra OW dive along with dry-suit rental for my checkout dives is probably the best money I have spend! I am now looking forward to this weekend more than ever!
Just thought I'd share my experience with the good folks here!
GregA
Wait until you have a "dry" drysuit dive, I've done a bunch of the wet ones like you described and the thrill of getting out of the water and being totally dry will REALLY have you buzzing the first time you experience it! Have fun this weekend!
