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Old 07-21-2009, 09:56 PM   #44 (permalink)
Plan9
I Confess a Shiver
 
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Gnarly SCUBA Action Update:

The Good:

Holy fuck... flying underwater is one of the most amazing experiences I've enjoyed. It's amazing. Go horizontal, tuck your arms at your sides, flip-flip away like a fish. I feel like a frickin' ninja. I can't wait to get out to the quarry and experience the murky depths, wrecked cars, and occasional bluegill.

The Bad:

Turns out having a teaspoon-sized experience pool with swimming and being underwater is a bad idea for an adventurous guy like myself. Worse than that... is doing a crash course in SCUBA diving with said experience. Not only am I learning how to dive, I'm learning how to be comfortable with being in the water as well. I did fine with the vigorous [entry] and fucking around with the BCD to get myself to hover. That'll require some time to master.

Where I fucked up tonight was on the "flood mask, remove mask, hold out mask for a minute, replace mask, clear mask, all okay." Removing and replacing your mask underwater is exactly what everything I've read has said: it's difficult to do at first and must be mastered to be a safe diver. As I attempted it multiple times, I lost my happy place as water jetted up my nose and choked me... I surfaced like a pansy three times during the replacement and clearing phase. Turns out the class was already running late and ran out of time before I could get the technique down. I wish they'd let me stay another 15 and get it right. Meh, I'll see if I can't practice it tomorrow in the apartment complex pool with my snorkel instead of the reg. If that doesn't work, I'll be doing it again in the next class anyway. I'm guessing it's all getting comfortable in the water and not turning into Mr. Panic Pants if I get a shot of water up my nose even while I still have the regulator in my maw and I'm streaming bubbles. I feel like a total cherry and it's okay... I want to do more training.

Just gets me that a 13 year old kid and a grandma managed to do this the first time with no issues. I'm not a genius, so I fucked it up. Talk about embarrassing! Oh well, I'll only get good through practice, right? I figure I'm not getting it because the instructors aren't seeing how I'm mucking it up.

As far as I know, this is how you do the drill that I fucked up like a champ:

- close eyes and flood mask completely by cracking top of seal
- remove mask, hold in hand (they let you pinch your nose while your mask is off)
- breathe normally through reg without mask for 1 minute
- replace mask
- clear mask by lifting bottom seal and blowing air hard from your nose to push the water out
- open eyes into cleared mask, signal okay

What I'm not sure about and what I'm sure I'll quickly learn is when / how to lean my head so as to fill the mask up with air while not letting water into my nose. God, that sensation feels like I'm choking even if I'm sucking air at the moment. I know that while I have the mask off, I squish my nose down and breathe through the reg... but the order of operations for the replacement and clear is getting me. I figure I need to take a deep hit from the reg through my mouth, then use it to clear the mask by exhaling forcefully through the nose. Is it realistic to clear the mask in one shot? They said some may require multiple breaths to do it.

Any tips? Suggestions? Why am I messing this up?

The Ugly:

My front crawl. Heh. 'Nuff said.

...

Yeah, I'm really excited about the next class and hopefully I'll get through my mask-clearing issues next time 'round.

I'll take any tips and wishes of luck. I'll need 'em both.

Next class is Thursday evening. Quarry is Sat / Sun.
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Last edited by Plan9; 07-21-2009 at 10:03 PM..
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