How do you descend?

[scubafool]

horizontal, slightly tilted head down at first, then flat all the way down

i get horizontal, raise my inflator hose, start deflating, stop deflating once i get the descent going, add air as needed to keep descent at a non-ear-popping speed

Really? I thought I saw you doing the good old butt first plummet a while back. When did you pick up the new technique?

 

[H2Andy]

Really? I thought I saw you doing the good old butt first plummet a while back.

SOMETIMES the technique goes horribly wrong, ok?



(although i don't remember doing a butt first plummet in years... but ... could happen tomorrow)

 

[DivingCRNA]

I quit doing head first descents when I got horrible heartburn doing one after drinking a bunch of gatorade on a SI. I was really nauseated and did not enjoy the dive.

 

[TSandM]

Head first in open water, and quickly, if reaching the bottom is the point - otherwise, somersaults all the way.

Boy, I used to do somersaults on descent, too, but I got past that

What I try very hard to do is slip just below the water, get horizontal and float steadily downward. That way, you can keep track of your teammates, and see where you are going, and easily kick forward if you are drifting off the down line.

 

[FoSheZZie23]

like a rock.

 

[MatWill]

ha.. funny thread..

in the end as long as u get down safely it doesnt matter

for me if i'm helping a ear diver i descend with them vertically

else i'll just follow everyone and descend horozontally, which makes it easier to swim to someone if i need to

if i'm leading a dive i'll descend vertically so i can watch everyone

 

[m3830431]

I usaully wear a 6.5mm farmer jon with 5mm boots so I descent vertically until about 10 feet and then horizontally. That is unless I am in a real hurry to get down then I go vertical until the last 1/3 of the target depth and horizontal after that.

This is not dropping like a rock, still under control but easier to make sure the trapped air is out of the wet suit. Also to get through the thermocline with warm water instead of cold or cooler water.

 

[Walter]

Depends on your objective. If you are hooking a line to a wreck, it's a headfirst entry and a headfirst descent. If you are watching a group, you may opt for horizontal or feet first depending on the relative positions of the other divers. What's your objective and what position will best help to achieve that objective?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Depends on your objective. If you are hooking a line to a wreck, it's a headfirst entry and a headfirst descent. If you are watching a group, you may opt for horizontal or feet first depending on the relative positions of the other divers. What's your objective and what position will best help to achieve that objective?

I would add conditions and mood to that...
In clear tropical water I'm liable to just flop into the water and sink for awhile, in no particular position at all, rolling to my normal descent position of about 30° head down as I approach the bottom.
Most of the time I use somewhere between horizontal and head down, depending on how fast I want to descend - spearing, for example, may be a headlong race to the bottom for that first shot!
If the viz is zilch I usually go feet first. Something about meeting the bottom with my mask is unappealing
Rick

 

[wunat]

Horizontal all the way.

Here too. It give better control..............at least for me.