Recently certified - buoyancy a mess. Would PPB help?

[PatW]

Oh my, a ton of posts.

You talk about maneuvering and having issues with it. That might be your fins. Some fins really are not conducive for anything but going fast. The Scubapro Nuevo wings are really easy to use. They give good power. They are really good for maneuvering and for backing up. My wife uses them. I use force fins which take some getting used to using but are extremely good. Force fins are not widely available. It might be good to try a number of different fins in the pool and see what works.

It is OK to grab something that is inert (not living) and not something breakable. Even putting a single finger down can make a difference. The thing is to do it carefully and selectively.

 

[Mookie]

How do you find Force Fins for frog kicking and turning?

 

[WillieJustice]

As a freshly minted diver a year ago, I can sure sympathize. I don't have anxiety issues, but the frustration sure is familiar. I did my 21st and 22nd dives yesterday morning, and things people have been telling me finally started to make sense. Today, I am hoping to relax and let the things that started to click yesterday happen more naturally.

For me, it is a matter of practice and experimenting a little every dive. On Tuesday, I was frustrated by air consumption. I was using my lungs for buoyancy too much and not anticipating. Yesterday, I finally just let the BC do its job and only make small adjustments. It got me almost 10 more minutes before I had to come up. Trim is still a mess at times, but that is related to buoyancy up to a point.

For reference, I am using rental equipment which has all been vest style. Weight is around my waist. And for what it is worth, I have been using less than 10% of my weight. The only time I used more, and it was a lot more, was six dry suit dives in Puget Sound last winter.

There is not any advice from me, because I still don't think I know what I am doing. Just encouragement, because you are not alone.