The relief of success

[aquacat8]

I am confused by the term balanced... I actually thought it meant split weighting with a belt neutralizing the wetsuit and some on the BC to neutralize the tank if aluminum, but apparently it means something else?

 

[The Chairman]

I am confused by the term balanced... I actually thought it meant split weighting with a belt neutralizing the wetsuit and some on the BC to neutralize the tank if aluminum, but apparently it means something else?

It used to mean that you were neutral without any air in your BC. Many people stop being balanced with a single steel tank. With my buoyant personality, I don't have a problem until I add the second tank. Since I don't wear a drysuit, I have double bladder BCs when I dive double steels.

 

[aquacat8]

Oh, thanks @The Chairman... that explains it... is this at the surface?

 

[The Chairman]

Oh, thanks @The Chairman... that explains it... is this at the surface?

If you're fairly neutral at the surface, you'll only change a bit at depth. You will be heavier at the beginning of your dive due to the weight of the gas you haven't breathed yet, but it shouldn't be too hard to swim your kit up. Do yourself a favor and dump all your air at depth and see how hard it is to swim to the surface. You don't have to make the whole trip, but just find out if you can do it or not.

 

[aquacat8]

Good idea!

 

[Vuk Milicevic]

Last night at the bottom of a 4m deep swimming pool I managed to achieve a exercise that had been concerning me for some time - I removed and redonned my BCD as required for PADI OW certification. Now this exercise may not seem much to experienced divers but to beginners it can be intimidating and for me especially difficult. Although I am a reasonably strong swimmer and have no difficulty doing open water dives this exercise was a real challenge. Due to serious leg / feet /knee injuries in the past (5 operations so far and at least another one to come) I lack flexibility and can't kneel. Also a few years ago I broke the rotator cuff in my left shoulder and still have bone particles in my right shoulder area from the same accident and my arms are not yet back to full movement.
After about a 20 minute dive playing about (getting used to new equipment and buoyancy correct) I signalled my instructor to ascend and said I was ready to try the BCD exercise. We went to the bottom and he did a demonstration first. I got my BCD off and back on without too much trouble. I did the classic mistake of getting the primary hose under my arm (easily corrected) but somehow the SPG hose got twisted with my left shoulder strap, so I had to undo the BCD again to sort it out. On completion a big handshake and a high five with the instructor. We then used the rest of the session circling the pool, doing aquabatics and picking things off the pool bottom. There was "try dive" group in the pool at the same time and they dropped allsorts - hair bands, ear rings, etc.
Regarding my new gear, Axiom BCD and Aqualung Core regs. The Axiom suits me fine, It has some of the characteristics of a back inflate. If fully inflated I tip forward at the surface, needed to deflate it a bit and lay back for maximum comfort. Underwater its effortless and non restricting - could stand on my head, do somersaults, rolls etc with ease.- maybe tended to ride up a bit - I can understand why back inflates / wings suit crotch straps. Both dump valves come to hand easily and work well. The inflator hose is shorter than I have used previously and I had concerns it would be difficult to operate. However although it hangs well up close to my face its positioning and ease of operation were superior to anything I have used before. The SPG also hung naturally near my left hand
Tank strap - this is a overcentre buckle rather than a cam band. One instructor did not like it but my instructor who took time to operate it and understand it properly reckons its great. Despite the band being new it did not loosen in 1 & 1/2 hours in warm pool water.
The core regs were fine. The first stage swivels. I had both primary and octo regs set on the minimum flow, breathing dead easy with just the briefest occasional slight freeflow when out of mouth at surface. Very easy to purge by slight puff of breath after having them out of my mouth underwater. Only slight fault (if you can call it that) is primary reg hose stiffness, if it does not become less stiff in time (most hose does) I may replace it with a braided flexi hose.
At the end of the evening the instructor complemented me on my diving and said he would be happy to have me as a buddy. Although I travelled 45 miles to have to benefit of a deep pool, it turned out the instructor only lives 16 miles from me.
Overall a very enjoyable productive evening. Looking forwards to the next session in a few weeks time when I intend to try to remove and replace BCD in mid water, neutrally buoyant horizontal position.

Congratulations. What I've found in most walks of life is that when the going gets tough, people don't rise to the occasion but rather sink to their comfort level. The more you can feel comfortable doing anything and everything the better it serves you. Keep on keeping on!

 

[60plus]

Just thought I would post an update. Went to Madeira (Madeira Divepoint has a certificate of excellence on trip advisor Here is what our customers say about us) to complete my OW cert. Passed no trouble, the pool practice had paid off. Had a bit of fun putting my BCD on at the surface, there was a bit of wind and swell and we were bobbing up and down in the waves and getting washed towards the rocks. After passing I I had a couple of shore dives, one an hours duration including a swim through a volcanic cave and chimney. Then I did a couple of boat dives, first one to 22m, second one to 32m (105 ft). Really great to be out with the "proper" divers on the boat rather than limited to 12m shore dives as a learner. I found the deeper dives easy and I was relaxed although the surface / sun looked a long way off. Hardest bit is getting back into the boat. Following that I have done a couple more dives at Home (Capernwray diving centre). Unfortunately I can't dive at the moment due to a minor operation but hope to be back in Home in a few weeks time before going to Portugal (SUBNAUTA - SUBNAUTA) at the end of September. Subnauta is where my son learned to dive a few years ago and it will be nice to see them again.

Cheers

 

[TMHeimer]

60plus, Your experience was not unlike mine. Getting the unit on and off on the surface in waves was no fun for me, nor for quite a few students I later observed. Doing it at depth was even harder for me, and was the one skill I hated.
I vaguely recall my first boat dive (off Destin, FL in 2006). I wasn't particularly nervous knowing the wreck sat in 75' of water. Just pulled myself down the anchor line a lonnnnng way (it seemed), kept my eyes on the rope. Must say though I was a bit relieved to see the wreck and bottom approaching. Not so much when my "experienced" buddy (husband of an instructor on board) left me alone down there to scoot away after 3 lobsters. I hooked up with 2 other divers. Relief again.

 

[60plus]

The first boat dive was interesting. The anchor was supposed to land on flattish rock at about 12m, a short distance from a wall. We were supposed to follow the anchor line down and all meet before swimming over the wall and down the face. In fact the anchor missed the flat rock and went into a crack about 1/2 way down the face, although no one on the boat knew this when beginning the dive. I followed the line down and was a bit puzzled when I passed 12m with no one in sight but bubbles were coming up from below so I continued down. At 22m I hit the sandy / silty bottom in a pile of murk with divers all over the place.I waited on my knees until the silt settled and the others came into view.
The technique I have been taught for diving with an anchor line is to deflate the BCD at the surface to slightly negative buoyancy, then descend with one hand on the line and the other to hold the depth gauge or pinch my nose to equalize. Once at the bottom inflate the BCD to give neutral buoyncy. To ascend the line, fully deflate the BCD and pull up using hand over hand on the line. This prevents accidental excess positive buoyancy and too fast an ascent. I find these methods worked well, anyone any thoughts ?

 

[TMHeimer]

I haven't boat dived in 3 years, but have done a fair bit before. There are 2 other ways I know of to descend. I learned in Deep course that you can decide not to hold the line (assuming no nasty current) and descend on a 45 degree angle, slowly adjusting BC air so you are in position neutrally near the bottom and ready to go--staying right close to the line and not losing sight of it, of course. My usual way is to pull myself down head first hand over hand as fast as possible (buddy's speed permitting). However I have no trouble equalizing and do it internally with no need for hands or motions (other than the occasional swallowing if I go really too fast).
Ascending-- Haven't heard of completely deflating the BC. Standard practice is to just kick (or pull on line) to start up, and release air as needed during ascent. You should be neutral near the bottom when you start up anyway. Anyway, that's what I do on all my shallow shore dives.
My biggest problem wasn't any of that--just remembering where the damn line is to begin ascent.....That's rule #1. I've made 2 or 3 ascents without the line which went fine, but easier to do the safety stop with a reference.