Things they don't teach in SCUBA school

[TMHeimer]

Dependant on exit I've been known to toss them out ahead of me with no bad result, however it is a judgement call and so far so good.

Most of the time when I take my fins off, I shove them up my arm to the elbow, it seems to work fine for me, and involves no extra equipment. The mask stays on and snorkel in mouth 'till I'm clear of the water, then it goes on my arm as well. I have a bungeed second available and my primary is clipped off on the swim in.


Bob

Yeah, that's exactly what I do. But it is so infrequent that I'm exiting both around rocks and with waves/surge that it's not worth it to set up some place to clip the fins to. So they get tossed in case I need to be on all fours and risk losing the fins in the surge. Like what happened my last dive.

 

[ZzzKing]

I guess it works fine. Until you forget to pack the bottle. I'll still have my favorite defog readily available

 

[ZzzKing]

That's true if your favorite defogger is spit or some other bodily fluid. Not so much if you use one of those $5 a bottle dive shop sales leaders because you could have just as easily left that at home as well.

The good thing about baby shampoo is that you can also use the same bottle to wash your hair during the trip saving 3 ounces on your checked baggage or carry-on.

I find that the absolute best defogger is toward the end of the dive and a little seawater has rinsed some of the goo in my nose onto my mask lens...

 

[Storker]

That's true if your favorite defogger is spit

Well, that was more or less what I was implying

 

[Don Quixote]

Washing a mask with [hand] dish washing soap (I'm told the Brits say "washing up fluid") sounds familiar annd fine, but you wrote "dish washer detergent". Surely that's not correct? That stuff is brutal! Or have you actually tried this with OK results?

It is used for cleaning, not as a defogger. Yes, been using it for several years now and my mask still looks new and sparkingly clean. A few drops is enough to clean the facial off very effectively. It rinses off very well, no worry. After all, its used for eating utensils.

 

[TMHeimer]

That's true if your favorite defogger is spit or some other bodily fluid. Not so much if you use one of those $5 a bottle dive shop sales leaders because you could have just as easily left that at home as well.

The good thing about baby shampoo is that you can also use the same bottle to wash your hair during the trip saving 3 ounces on your checked baggage or carry-on.

I find that the absolute best defogger is toward the end of the dive and a little seawater has rinsed some of the goo in my nose onto my mask lens...

Last few years I've also used the baby shampoo on my wetsuit pants while rinsing. You know, pee.
Absolutely not Taught in Scuba School.

 

[Doby45]

The do NOT teach you how to shotgun your first beer after the last dive of the day. Excellent skill to pick up from a qualified instructor AFTER class. I think PADI even has a specialty card for it.

 

[Storker]

I'd think that snorkeling would be more appropriate for a PADI specialty than shotgunning...

 

[northernone]

I'd think that snorkeling would be more appropriate for a PADI specialty than shotgunning...

They agree with you...
SKIN DIVING AND SNORKELING

 

[TMHeimer]

Don't need the Shotgun Spec. card. I picked up that skill many decades ago--probably had a mentor.