Wall Dive?

[MEDICJOJO]

Got a question and wanting suggestions. I just booked a trip to Nassau Bahamas in April and have been researching dive sites and have read a lot about these wall dives I still consider myself a new diver been diving about 2 years logged 52 dives been to various Caribbean places diving and dive black water on the dive team for the ambulance service I work for. BUT have never dived a wall before especially with 6000+ to the bottom. And not afraid to say a little nervous about doing them but have read the coral and marine life are amazing and you never know how something is till you try. I feel comfortable with my buoyancy but always learning and love my computer. But still every other dive I’ve ever did I could at least see the bottom even though it may have been out of reach of my training you could still see it. May sound stupid to some but was wondering from more experienced divers how you approach those types of dives I mean do you stay real close to the wall, is it best to kind of follow a reference point or follow the computer/console? Or am I being overly concerned? You tell me.

 

[paddler3d]

It is good to be aware that it is a long way to the bottom and you definitely want to be sure your weighted properly so if something were to happen to your BC, you could swim it up.

With that said, it is an awesome experience swimming over the edge and looking down! You feel so small.

Stay within your limits and just remember that shallower you are the longer you can stay.

Learn what to do if you get into a down current.

Watch your depth guage.

Enjoy the experience!

 

[StuartT]

If you are really comfortable with your buoyancy I wouldn't worry about it. Just pick a max depth for yourself and watch your depth as it can be easy to go deeper than you planned especially in very clear water. You will likley be close to the wall looking at stuff so you will notice if you are descending or ascending. My 2 cents worth. Have fun

 

[diver 85]

Just don't look down..........honestly, it's not gunna be that dramatic......

 

[Bubbletrubble]

There's nothing to worry about provided that you have good buoyancy control. On most wall dives that I've done, it's possible to spend a fair amount of the dive on top of the wall, too. "First times" can always be nerve-wracking. I wasn't comfortable breathing off of a reg underwater the first time I did it, but now I'm quite comfortable doing it. In a similar vein, I was a little uncomfortable doing my first wall dive where the bottom was beyond recreational limits. Now I'm perfectly comfortable in those conditions.

One thing you may want to do on your first wall dive is do the initial descent over a hard bottom. Furthermore, you should always be practicing adding air to your BCD in short bursts throughout the entire descent. This effectively slows your descent down to a manageable pace. Some newbie divers don't touch the inflater during descent and consequently crash into the sandy bottom creating a huge silt cloud. (I call those divers "dirt darts.") Descending in control means being able to stop at any depth "on a dime."

Have fun on your vacation...

 

[boulderjohn]

As others have already said, the problem with wall dives is getting absorbed in what you are watching and not realizing you are getting deeper than you want.

As for looking down and getting the willies, well, you won't be dong that much at all. You will be looking at the coral and sponges on the wall, and very soon you won't even think about what is below you.

 

[rivers]

One thing you may want to do on your first wall dive is do the initial descent over a hard bottom. Furthermore, you should always be practicing adding air to your BCD in short bursts throughout the entire descent. This effectively slows your descent down to a manageable pace. Some newbie divers don't touch the inflater during descent and consequently crash into the sandy bottom creating a huge silt cloud. (I call those divers "dirt darts.") Descending in control means being able to stop at any depth "on a dime."

Have fun on your vacation...

If you're properly weighted, would you not descend at a reasonable and manageable pace anyway? If I added any air to my BC as I descend, I would stop immediately... just a thought.

 

[paddler3d]

If you're properly weighted, would you not descend at a reasonable and manageable pace anyway? If I added any air to my BC as I descend, I would stop immediately... just a thought.

If you're properly weighted, you're going to be heavy at the beginning of a dive.

To descend, you start to dump your bc and exhale. Once you start on your way down your going to have to add air along the way, because remember, your heavy. If you don't, you'll simply pick up speed. Which means if you are having problems equalizing your ear or something that speed is hard to slow down and you could injure yourself.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

If you're properly weighted, would you not descend at a reasonable and manageable pace anyway? If I added any air to my BC as I descend, I would stop immediately... just a thought.

@rivers: Yes, being over-weighted on blue water descents makes it more challenging, but being properly weighted is only one factor that influences descent rate control. If you are wearing a thick wetsuit, you'll have to add a surprising amount of air to achieve neutral buoyancy at 100 fsw. Being able to stop immediately at any given depth is a sign that you are descending under control.

 

[The Mighty Thor]

Assuming you are diving with a DM in the water, as long as you stick close to your DM, and/or the group, keep good buoyancy and frequently check your depth guage, you will be fine. It is very easy to get very deep very quickly while diving a wall, especially in great vis. It's the people who go off on their own, overestimate their skills, underestimate their air consumption, and forget to check their depth that run into trouble on walls.