How do you descend?

[spectrum]

I think that cummings66 brings up a good point. I have seen it said many times to weight yourself neutral with 500psi at 15'. I believe that you should be neutral at the surface with an almost empty tank, allowing you, if needed, to descend once again.

A agree, that's how I'm configured and what I meant by being able to ascend slowly.

Way too often divers swing from being grossly over weighted to being weight phobic which is even more hazardous. A few extra pounds really won't matter if you have good buoyancy control. A number of times I have carried and extra 4 pounds in my pocket for a diver was testing a new reduced weight, and it don't bother me a bit. This is all applicable to diving wet or dry.

Many of our shore dives end in the shallows and it's nice to be able to diddle around in 6 feet of tidal water where the light is bright and the water is warm.

Pete

 

[Charlie99]

I usually initiate ascents when vertical in the water, and then rotate to horizontal. The only common exception is on shore dives in heavy surf where I'll go from standing to diving horizontally into/beneath a wave front and then just stay on the bottom.

I descend in whatever attitude makes it easy to watch what I want to watch. If I'm watching one or more people above me, I'll do much of the descent supine (face up, horizontal).

If I'm just keeping track of one buddy I'll stay at about the same depth as him and "skydive" down. In other words, it's more or less horizontal, but head down a bit to get a faster descent rate while not finning.

 

[The_DivePirate]

Horizontal descent is my preferred method, but, in some cases you must adapt. A little exta weight is nice, but, if you keep the auto vent all the way open( I suggest for beginning) when you look over your left shoulder at things you will start a descent by venting the air that is in the suit, keeping you neutral. As you become more familiar with the complete system you will close down(not completly) the vent on the drysuit, using the BC for bouyancy. It's all just something new! You'll figure it out. I guess, the one most important thing I can think of as a new drysuit diver, " stay above the curve, on ascent, dump early and often! Once the air bubble starts to grow, it grows quick. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!

Remember,

Dive safe/Train hard,
Joe

 

[cummings66]

I sometimes go down horizontal and sometimes vertical. I do the same coming up, it depends on what's going on. I tend to be horizontal most of the time but to be honest I have no real preference. I do what I need to do when I need it and that's about it.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I descend horizontal much as you described. I have been run into by people descending vertically. My instructor also shared a story of someone descending on one of his OW students (A 13 year old girl) and ripping the reg from her mouth it then got caught behind the vertically descenders tank. (The quick thinking instructor took care of the student) she was really shook up.

Anyway, I don't care how you descend as long as you are aware of your suroundings etc....Any other way is careless and unsafe In my opinion.

 

[Prostar]

I look like a skydiver going down. I tend to think of it as like Buggs Bunny when he falls out of a plane. Just as he gets ready to hit the ground, he hits the brakes and gently settles down. Same with me. I hit the brakes with a bit of air and hover as I think of whether I want to land or not. I also get a better view of who or what I'm coming down on.

 

[ClayJar]

I descend skydiver-style (horizontal), of course. As for the shoulder dump in a drysuit, just before the descent, any air I need out has vented at the surface, and no more air needs to vent on the descent. (After all, you *add* air on descent to manage squeeze.) There's no need to be shoulder-high.

 

[UKdivemaster]

guys,
the best technique i have found & generally advise students to try - is to be at about a 45 degree angle (head closest to the surface!) & then slowly let the air out of your BCD; as you near the bottom (or if you are descending too fast) put some air back in your BCD.

Doing a headfirst descent is good a technique to learn - but probably not somthing to try if you are on an open water course.

 

[daniel f aleman]

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

 

[H2Andy]

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