Tipping over while on the bottom

[fnfalman]

If you always fall to one side maybe mount a pony bottle on that side with the valve pointed out and no hose. Then when you start to tip, open the valve and blow yourself back upright.

At least until you get the weighting issue straightened out.

Wouldn't a Spare Air be better for this application?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Don't kneel on the bottom. I can't remember the last time I kneeled on the bottom.

... I'll bet it was back when you had a total of 0-24 dives ... :shocked2: ... which would explain why you can't remember it ...

It ain't exactly fair to hold a new diver up the standards of an old diver.

Fortunately, I can remember when I had 0-24 dives ... and I was kneeling on the bottom from time to time. Trying not to ... but let's face it folks, most new divers need a bit of practice before they get to the point where they're acclimated to not wanting the "gravity" and vertical orientation they've been accustomed to since birth.

For the record ... when I was in my OW class, I needed 48 lbs to sink in a 7 mm farmer john. Now that I have a bit of technique I've reduced that to about half as much weight ... but I had to learn how to (a) breathe without cavitating the sides of my tank, (b) descend without unconsciously finning myself upward, (c) empty my lungs ALL THE WAY on descent.

Sure ... your instructor can tell you all those things in class, and even make you attempt to do them as part of the training ... but we're not all rock stars, and some folks take a bit of time developing these habits. As you do, you shed weight you don't need anymore.

For the new diver, the important thing is to learn what you need to do and to dedicate a part of every dive to honestly trying to improve your technique.

Over time, you'll get more relaxed ... and that alone will resolve lots of the typical newbie blues that all of us experienced back when we started diving ... even those of us who started so long ago we don't remember it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Well, will this lead to a revival of old threads on differing attitudes toward wreck diving?

I guess the problem is that a lot of wreck divers around the world, and divers in general, did not realize that some people consider wrenches, hammers, chisels, crowbars, etc. to be normal equipment for diving a wreck and are pretty much stunned by people who think it is perfectly normal. Hence the confusion.

As with most things diving, "it depends" ... taking artifacts off of wrecks on the west coast is generally not cool ... I've known someone who got banned from a dive charter because he took a souvenir off a local wreck. Probably because we have fewer wrecks than the east coast ... so we tend to want to preserve those we do have.

A big part of why there's often so much contention on a worldwide forum like this is because what's "normal" or "acceptable" in some parts of the world are seriously frowned on in others ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[idocsteve]

Wouldn't a Spare Air be better for this application?

A Spare Air would give a false sense of security and probably only get him to a 45 degree angle before running dry. Then he'd tip over again and be no better off.

 

[boulderjohn]

A big part of why there's often so much contention on a worldwide forum like this is because what's "normal" or "acceptable" in some parts of the world are seriously frowned on in others ...

I made a similar point a few years ago in that raging thread that was started when a NJ wreck diver went to Florida, removed a control panel and telephone from the Oriskany, and then went online to revel in his feat and thank the captain and crew for their assistance in his acquisition. His online report and thanks showed that he clearly did not realize that, first of all, taking stuff from the Oriskany is against the law, and, secondly, a large percentage of the diving community was horrified that he would do something that was perfectly normal and acceptable in his diving experience.

In that thread, people on each side of the debate were talking past each other, and neither side could see the other's point of view.

It might be very interesting to see how those attitudes vary throughout the world. rather than hijack this thread, though, it might be interesting to start that in a wreck diving forum.

 

[aquaregia]

(a) breathe without cavitating the sides of my tank

I think I know what you mean, but I'm not sure how I would do this. Could I get an explanation? I checked out your website but didn't see anything on it.

 

[fnfalman]

A Spare Air would give a false sense of security and probably only get him to a 45 degree angle before running dry. Then he'd tip over again and be no better off.

I am not worthy...

 

[idocsteve]

I am not worthy...

Don't beat yourself up, at least you're trying to think outside the box.

Sometimes when you go out on a limb, it breaks off and you take a fall.

It happens.

 

[Walter]

... I'll bet it was back when you had a total of 0-24 dives ... ... which would explain why you can't remember it ...

It ain't exactly fair to hold a new diver up the standards of an old diver.

First, I'm not holding a new diver to the same standards as a new diver. I was kneeling in the sand when I learned to dive because I was told to kneel in the sand. I stopped kneeling in the sand after that until I started learning to teach people to dive. Then I was kneeling in the sand when I was teaching. I did that for a very long time. When I realized kneeling wasn't necessary, I stopped. A new diver might have buoyancy problems, but those aren't fixed by kneeling. They are fixed by not kneeling.

 

[idocsteve]

First, I'm not holding a new diver to the same standards as a new diver

Why not?

Seems unfair