See Crompsin Get SCUBA Certs
 

Okay, I'm all signed up for a PADI SCUBA cert class. Good deal. Takes place over six days... two in the classroom, four days in the drink. Final exam takes place in a flooded quarry. I'll be attending the class in mid July. I'm really excited about the idea of breathing under water.

Any veteran SCUBA Steves out there amongst the TFP masses have advice for the future Crompsquid? Protips? Any cherry mistakes to avoid? Tragic first time experiences? Funny stories?

Try your hardest not to breath water into your lungs!!!!!!!!!!

Hrm .. been diving for 15 years now and the best advice I can offer is to remind yourself to just stop and experience - ie. live in the moment. You miss a lot of what is going on around you until you become more comfortable with diving, so look around, take it all in - you won't regret it (most times ;)). Aside from that, slow and controlled breathing will save you tons of air (thus provide more "bottom time").

Have fun!

I've been certified for 35 years (Holy crap!)

I will tell you that all you will learn in 6 days will be how not to kill yourself the first week. (hopefully)

The real learning begins after the certification. Tips:

Only buy your mask, fins, snorkel, and basic stuff. Do not get caught up and buy $1,000. worth of regulators, BC's, and other expensive stuff. There will be plenty of time for that. Take some more advanced classes where you will meet divers with lot's more experience than you. Open Water, Advanced Open Water are good ones. Take a vacation to the Carribbean to really experience the beauty of the underwater world. Cozumel off the coast of Cancun has some of the best diving in the Western Hemisphere. In that quarry you will not experience currents, coral reefs or mysterious critters, but you mght find a few cars and catfish.

One last tip--- Good scuba technique is all about bouyancy control. Don't use too much weight. Don't put too much air in your BC. You will have mastered bouyancy control when you are able to control your ascent and descent with your eyes closed by breathing. Try to go to the bottom of the pool and 'float' 6 inches off the bottom.

Good Luck. Have FUN. Be safe.

Not a diver, but I was told to always double check your tank before diving. A fellow I knew was short-changed on air. His brother panicked and headed straight up - while getting him under control my friend got ruptured ear drums. So goes the story.

I'm basic certified but I've not done it in years (I prefer warm water). The most fun I had was riding a bicycle underwater in Grand Cayman, the coolest thing I saw was a huge hole in the seafloor in Mexico. (I think this was the Cozumel that DDDDave refers to) The hardest part of training was having to throw all our gear to the bottom of a 10ft pool and go down and put it all on while staying underwater.

Tips? Don't panic! That's all you need to know. :lol:

You will get a lot colder than you initially expect. Diving isn't particularly strenuous so you won't be burning the calories you need to stay warm. Wear a thicker wet suit than you think you need. Especially in a quarry where the water below the surface is much colder than that on top.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are ascending rapidly (for any number of reasons) remember to exhale forcefully if slowing your ascent isn't possible.

Don't panic. Most diving accidents that I am aware of involved a simple, easily rectified problem that caused the diver to panic and kill themselves. I.e. a guy gets his air supply knocked out of his mouth and loses his mask. The right answer is to reach back and trace your air-hose back to your regulator and put it back in your mouth. The wrong, but unfortunately common response in the PADI world is to panic and either bolt to the surface while holding your breath (which can rupture the tissue between your lungs and an artery forcing a gas bubble to your brain, killing you) or furiously thrash about hoping that if you do so enough you will gain the ability to breath water.

Don't blow your tables. The bends are sneaky and far more serious than any classes you get will indicate. If you do push your limits and something just doesn't feel right afterwards go immediately to a hospital (i.e. if your hip aches a little for no apparent reason). If you wait until DCS develops further you will likely be permanently crippled.

Remember that the basic course is designed to give people a 'good enough' block of instruction to allow people to conduct simple dives under ideal circumstances. You need to read on your own how to handle some of the more serious things that can happen underwater.

Download the US Navy Dive Manual (revision 6 is the newest). It has all kinds of information that will make you a better, more confident, and safer diver than your PADI classes.

Have fun.

Been a diver for years, although not actively for a while. Been lucky enough to have gone diving in Australia, Japan, Guam, etc. So my advice to you: Take the training seriously. And, even though it will seem cool to dive the quarry, once you go in the ocean you will be hooked. Diving is a great hobby, and if done correctly, very safe. Have fun!

I dive at least two or three times a week (when I can get my tanks filled.) Been diving since the early 90's. I think I'd go stir crazy if I couldn't dive.

If you have your own equipment check it out, see how to put it together, get used it. Of course when in doubt leave it alone. Don't go tearing apart your first or second stage. Most long time divers I know have never torn down a first stage. But check out how the BC, Gauges and Regulators are assembled. Adjust the BC so it fits you correctly.

If you have your books already you can start learning your dive tables. Knowing how they work and what they mean ahead of time makes quick work of a rather boring, yet important, part of the course. Not getting "bent" is right up there with not drowning when it comes to having a successful dive.

Here's a link to a site that helps (not my favorite) but it's free and free is a very good price-

Link Here

I'll also second the above comment to work on buoyancy. I have somewhere around 1000 dives. I see divers all the time that say they have 100's of dive yet they jump in the water and can not maintain a depth. I almost always take extra weight with me because I end up with people who overfill their BC's and can't stay down. It's easier to pass off a couple leads then train someone you don't know underwater. I've always gone by the rule that if you jump in the water and exhale you should sink to you mouth, when you inhale you're shoulders should be about surface level. Your lungs are basically built in BC's. Practice breathing in and out and see how much you ascend and descend. And yes you should be able to maintain yourself about 6" off the bottom, belly down, for an extended period of time without effort or movement. If you can do that you're head of a lot of long time divers I know.

Don't work to hard at anything underwater, let everyone else run out of their air swimming around in circles. Relax enjoy yourself and have fun.

I 'third' the buoyancy advice. One of the easiest ways to practice this in a pool (when you first start out) is to lay flat on the bottom of the pool and slowly breath small amounts of air into your BC until you rise up onto your fin tips when you inhale and sink when you exhale.

Just remember that your buoyancy decreases as you descend, requiring you to add a little air to your BC and the reverse is true in ascent....divers who do not bleed extra air when they ascend sometimes end up rocketing to the surface due to stupidity.

Unlike Tully who I guess carries extra weights to help fix others, I try to use as little lead as possible because the more lead you use the more your buoyancy will change as you alter your depth (because you will have to use more air in your BC which is compressible). Just remember that you need to add an extra couple pounds to compensate for your tanks becoming slightly buoyant during the course of your dive.

A single AL-80 tank (usually the standard) is about 2 lbs negatively buoyant when full and 4 lbs positive when empty. Of course, you won't typically stay submerged until you flat out run out of air, so you don't need to pile on a full 4lbs for each tank, but 2lbs lead per tank (i.e. if you dive twin tanks then use 4 lbs lead) is a good rule of thumb in addition to any lead you need to stay submerged (natural buoyancy, wetsuit, etc.).

When I dive twin 80's I usually only wear 6 lbs of lead, and it is more than enough for me to stay down without fighting provided I don't drop below about 800psi. If I know I will be pushing the limits of the tanks I will add a little more.

Not over-weighting yourself makes it much easier to control your buoyancy...you will notice that some people pile on the lead and are constantly either sinking or floating up...forcing them to continually waste air by inflating/expelling air from their BC.

I used to this until I moved to the Yucatan and started diving the Mayan coast regularly. I got tried of herding cattle, gave up and just added extra weight. I've found the better they're able to maintain buoyancy the longer the dives last. After a couple 25min. dives I decided extra weight was worth the trade off.

Thank you all for the advice. I'm so glad TFP has many seasoned divers that I can ask the dummy questions to without breaking my lurk in these other diver forums.

I've got this PADI "Open Water Diver Manual" as homework from the SCUBA class. Seems to be pretty basic, but I'm glad they want me to actually know stuff before hitting the classroom.

Excellent link, Tully. It's like being back in high school science class! I'm eatin' it up. It's a lot like the manual I was given, but brainwashing myself can't hurt.

...

NEWB ALERT:

I have an Oceanic Ion 4 mask... they look ready to go but the girl behind the counter said I need to use generic toothpaste on the lenses to remove some kind of shipping coating that'll fog up like crazy in the drink. Anybody else do this? I'm kinda leery about using cheap abrasives on $70 eyewear.

...

Turns out I'm a mediocre / lousy swimmer but a good distance runner so I figure I should be okay in the endurance and form department when it comes to maintaining proper fin kicking or whatever it's called. I think the tank advantage of not having to worry about holding my breath is really exciting.

I'm pretty good at managing stressful situations and only panic when said situation involves my GPA, so I should be okay should I lose my mask / regulator. I'll definitely practice tracing the it from the tank so I'm comfy with ditching it, finding it, and putting it back on.

I'm tempted to put blaze orange / dayglo yellow tape on my gear in case I lose it in the pool / quarry... most of my gear is clear / black and would be impossible to see at any depth. Is marking tape a good idea or too dorky?

Stupid paratrooper question, but is there anything I should lanyard to myself with 550 cord?

I'll definitely be checking out the Navy Dive Manual, Slims. I need all the no-fluff info I can get here.

...

My goal is to be the buoyancy control ninja you guys are... I'm going to drill it 'til I float like a storm cloud.

Thanks again, guys. I'll try to get pictures of my misadventures so you can all get in some good rib shots.

Typically you don't want to tie things down....they can drown you if they get tangled. A lot of guys I work with have to fight the same urge and eventually accept that every once in a while they will lose a dive tool. Most of your gear will be worn, things that you keep in an accessory pocket can be tied down with string or something breakable if you really desire. You should not tie down your dive tool as you may not be able to get it out when you need it (strange tangles happen in the water). Some people tie their masks to their BC's, but it really isn't an issue for recreational diving.

Just about everything else won't just 'float away' without your notice. If you lose a fin, for instance, it is pretty obvious and it will just hang out until you grab it and put it back on. Likewise with just about everything else you actually need.


....but everything does need to be secure. Just no 550 cord!

Hahaha... thanks. I've gotta see a shrink about my 550 issues.

What about the lenses on the mask? Do I have to Colgate them?

Ha! I missed this. I've done this. One of my first OW dives was in Tillamook Bay with my instructor. The vis. was so bad I lost him almost immediately after descending to approx. 80ft. After looking around for him a few minutes I decided to surface. I was watching my gauge and thinking about the 3min. safety stop when I noticed I was picking up speed. My first reaction and thought was to swim down. Didn't work at all. I never even thought about letting air out of my BC until after I shot out a few feet out of the water right next to two old guys fishing in a small boat. Scared the shit out of them and me. Never did find my mask or snorkel. Yep stupidity.

Speaking of stupidity...

Years ago I used to regularly do the drift dive on the jetty in Tillamook Bay, Oregon. I had a house with a view of the bay and could see if the water was clear from my deck. On low vis. days I'd always do the incoming tide. On clearer days I'd sometimes do the out going tide, putting in at Barview and drifting down the jetty toward the end. One day I got off work on an out going tide and looked at the bay and thought some cod sounded good for dinner. I put in at Barview and started the drift. Two things happened- one I put in farther down the jetty then I usually did due to parking and two the tide was moving faster then I realized. I drifted down the jetty watching my air and stabbing a few fish on the way. I looked at my air and had about 1500 left and thought "Ok, should have another 10-15 mins before the end of the jetty, better start thinking about looking for a good spot to climb out of here." As I got that thought through my tiny brain I noticed the large rocks of the jetty seemed to disappear. "Hmm, that's odd... Oh, crap I'm headed out to sea!" I quickly became aware of the fact my light was full of nearly dead bats. I'm dressed in a mostly black dry suit with a black Zeagle BCD and the suns setting fast. I did have one small orange whistle. At first I tried to swim against the tide, that was stupid and a waste of air. I kept thinking I can read the headlines now- "Man's truck with one scuba tank found parked at Barview." I finally managed to get out of the main current and on to the north side of the jetty. I got the living tar pounded out of me and my gear climbing up the jetty's north side. Tore and flooded my suit, lost my gun and crushed my gauges. I honestly thought my arm was broken as well as my leg. An x-ray proved that not to be the case but they were swollen for a week or two and it took 24 stitches to close up my leg.

I have always used toothpaste and without harm to the mask

My only anecdotal evidence supporting the practice though was a dive with a new-issued mask which fogged up so bad I had to leave seawater in my mask so I could 'defog' every couple seconds. Following that dive I gave it the usual toothpaste treatment followed by good anti-fog and haven't had any problems since. I don't know whether the tooth paste helped at all as I did use anti-fog, but it didn't hurt anything either.

I feel for you. I have done several 'swims to nowhere' where we ended up fighting a losing battle against the current.

Cromp: A good rule of thumb is that with no current a fully charged 80 will allow you to swim about 750 yards at a pace of about 100 yards every 3 minutes. If you find yourself stuck in a current you don't really have a whole lot of 'wiggle room' to escape the current or swim out of it as even a modest current can propel a diver faster than they are able to swim.

Tully: Yeaaah, I think I'll stick to "Ideal Circumstances" for my first 100.

Slims: Alright, I'm getting a toothbrush, some generic paste, and sitting down with my mask for 15 minutes. Elbow grease'd!

I do, but I haven't bought a new mask in years. The Mares I use is at least 10yrs old. I've heard people buying stuff at the LDS (local dive shop) that will take the coating off for you. They claim it's better then toothpaste. Most DM's (dive masters) I know use toothpaste.

They also sell a bunch of stuff to keep your mask from fogging. I've never found one better or cheaper then spitting in your mask.

For currents, people usually say never to swim against them, but rather in a direction that's perpendicular to the current. Swimming against it will only get you tired and will use your air much faster.
About your goggles, I don't toothpaste will be too abrasive for them. Go for it.
A good thing to practice if you have access to a pool in which you can submerge yourself easily is putting your mask on underwater, or clearing out water that you intentionally let him. Sometimes if you're not careful, or your partner isn't careful, a fin, or something else, could knock your mask partly off, and you need to be able to refill it with air without panicking because your vision is suddenly impaired in a possibly dangerous environment.
Don't worry though, as any good instructor will probably practice this with you in the bottom of a pool.

I wouldn't worry, Crompsin. You're a soldier, which means you've had your life depend on your partners and gear. I'm sure you will study every aspect of your BCD, your diving suit, and maybe even customize them to your liking one day. Underwater Camo, maybe, with special holsters for diving tools.

Most importantly, though, enjoy your time underwater, it's truly amazing to dive.

Swimming against the current is like trying to hold back the tide. Work with it, not against it. It's going to happen regardless of your actions.

Lot's of good info goin' on here....

Cromp, since you are a soldier, you understand that it is all about your gear. One of the things that keep you from panicking in a stressful situation is having confidence in your gear. There have been many times when using rental gear of some sort I looked at MY dive watch and immediately felt at ease. I have had first stages come apart, mask and/or fins break, BC's fail to inflate, gauges flood, and seasickness strike at 100'. Slowing down and being able to think straight can keep you alive.

Definitely do the toothpaste idea. Sometimes the simple things just work.

On ID'ing your gear....yeah, dayglo tape would be kinda dorky, until you have to fish YOUR black fins from a rinse bucket full of 14 other black fins. I changed out my fin straps to the stainless steel spring kind and it helps me ID them easier. Also a trick I have used is to use a black strap on a clear mask or clear fin straps on black fins. Anything to help ID them as yours is good.

I can tell already you're gonna love it.

I just took a refresher course in Scuba in March. The instructor of my first class was fired by PADI because he was too lax and I hadn't dove since the open water dive so I figured it was worth retaking the class. Only difference was my cert class was PADI and the class I just took was NAUI. I find that NAUI puts more emphasis on the dive tables and water rescues.

Since the bouyancy thing has already been established I'm gonna go with caution for my advice. Don't dive in situations that are beyond your skill level. Diving is fun but a beginner class doesn't qualify you for every type of diving. The good news is you'll probably love diving and continue doing it until you're able to handle more advanced dives.

Oh and learn the dive tables even though it's not vital with the new dive computers.. Knowing the dive tables gives you a better idea of what to expect as far as dive times. Tables are actually really easy once you learn it anyways.

My first cert was NAUI, all the rest have been PADI. I think NAUI takes things more seriously. I'd do more NAUI courses but the only ones I find down here are PADI. I'm not an instructor but I have a friend who cert. with both NAUI and PADI he said the difference in the courses was like going to boot camp and going to a Amyway convention at the Holiday Inn near the airport. MY AOW course was nothing more then a way to separate me from a few a hundred bucks, IMHO.

Well, at least all the acronym tossin' is helping me learn via Google. ;)

WTG Crompsin! I recently got my scuba certification as well. I went ahead and invested in a really good mask, pair of fins, snorkel, scuba bag and dive knife. The place I got certified at had an amazing special $100.00 for a set of gear, I went ahead and indulged. My mask was about $125.00 regular without the special. Invest in a good mask, that's why your down there in the first place right. It's so much better having your own gear. I had borrowed their gear initially just to get a feel for what I liked and didn't which is a good way to go too. I agree when they say don't blow your money on regulators,BC, etc. Personally I hated the split fins, I got some aquablades.

My biggest advice is to take as much time as you need to allow your ears to clear when going down. Unfortunately I was the person who took 10 minutes to equalize and had to catch up with the group later on, but it wasn't worth harming my ears. Also never hold your breath!! Also breathe regularly.

Why not get your own BC and regs? I like having my own set-ups. Been using the same Zeagle Ranger set-up since I got my first card. I hate going places without it or one of my other set-ups. Rental gear can be so hit and miss. Being at 100ft. with gear I don't really trust doesn't make me relax. I see rental gear every week that leaks or has worn out straps etc... I'm always following someone's bubbles.

I buy used gear as often as I can. When I still lived in the states E-Bay and CL were great for used dive gear.

I wouldn't run out and buy a computer. New people won't be doing any solo dives so someone else, the DM, will be doing your dive calc's for you and computers get better all the time. Plus like all tech stuff the price drops quickly. My first DC was a Cochran Nemesis which set me back nearly 2k. It went tits up after 700 dives or so and couldn't be repaired. I recently bought a Mares DC for under $200, other then not being air integrated it actually does more, like nitrox calcs.

Some of my mistakes you can learn from:

- Always have a dive buddy you trust, when possible. i ended up being 3rd wheel on my cert dives in Channel Islands, in the extremely low visibility it was easy to get nervous and feel lost without someone watching my back.

- Always realize panic can happen at any time. The pool is not the same as a larger body of water. I did all the exercises in the pool, no problem. We hit the pacific ocean which was 55 degrees compared to the pool's balmy 75. When I took my mask completely off, I freaked out when the freezing water hit my face and the saltwater impacted my visibility. All of my practicing had not prepared me for the shock. My instructor got me to calm down and I was able to finish the exerrcise and get my mask back on and cleared.

It is personal preference, but I would recommend getting neoprene booties and fins that fit over them. It will protect your feet, lets you dive in all temperatures, and is more comfortable. You usually need to make sure the booties fit snug in the store (for me about a half size smaller than my street shoes).

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...eanicBoots.jpg

Great advice. Turns out I totally did that when I went in to sign up for the class and bought the required gear. I told 'em I wanted stuff I wouldn't outgrow, stuff that would be versatile, and about my experience dunking outta the back of a CH47 into ~40 degree water (I didn't stop shivering for like 36 hours), so I ended up with these Oceanic "hiking" boots, half-size too small so that they're just right when I point my toes. They should keep my tootsies warm(er). Sadly, I'm a scrawny dude and my body is lousy in the cold, submerged or not. Gah, I was randomly shakin' at the gun class I took in February after dark. Other people seemed fine but I needed a jacket. I may need to invest in a hood or something if I'm going to be Mr. Popsicle in the training quarry.

I like the idea of being able to kick off my fins and have the shoe sole protecting my pads. Kinda makes me feel like an aquatic ninja.

Now, if I could just get my little helper off my damn fancy pants manual so I can finish reading it.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...CUBAHelper.jpg

Once again, thanks for the tips and stories. I'll keep researching / learning and come back here for some of the dummy questions.

I absolutely prefer this too. Unless, of course, I'm diving dry suit.

---------- Post added at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:41 PM ----------

Hey I got one like that-

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2246/...2f74f9.jpg?v=0

Keep going and the upgrade the folder to a black bag-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/...285b28.jpg?v=0


It's a lot like the one the Navy gave me on the way out the door-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/...d5dace.jpg?v=0

Only unlike the Navy one, which came with some Med records and DD-214, my PADI bag BWRAF's out a bunch of manuals, tables and slates-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/...f9aa40.jpg?v=0

My guess is if you've ditched out the back of a CH47 more then once or twice you'll be a great diver. I like the booties. If I were you I'd invest in a comfortable mil suit that keeps you warm and comfy. Being cold, least for me, take the pleasure out of diving. I got tried of being cold in the Pacific off the Oregon coast and invested in a dry suit. I actually got hot in that in 55 degree water.

Dunno, Tully... I'm kinda a crappy swimmer. My form is iffy and I don't have a lot of confidence in the water. I'm hoping that the blunt force trauma associated with learning to dive will improve my swimming confidence. I know that sounds kinda backwards, but it makes sense in my head.

SCUBA certs... all part of my plan to become a better Swiss Army Human.

I may be one of the worst swimmers I know. Obviously I can swim. But it takes me about 9.5 mins to do 400yards. I can tread water without much effort at all, been like that since I was a kid. Drown testing in the Navy was a breeze for me. The swim? Moving myself from point A to point B, yeah not so much. And as far as form goes it's, well it's not good. I've literally had people see me and think I'm being funny. No that's how I swim. I've had instructors tell me "Hey you're doing that wrong." I've tried it their way, doesn't seem to work for me. Why? I have no idea. I've decided I'm an old sea dog and can't learn new tricks. My reply anymore is "Yep, it's wrong, I know."

Once I'm underwater I'm at ease with everything, completely comfortable with my surroundings.

FWIW we have some of those same booties and I personally find them to be too bulky to fit into my fins. They also feel real slow in the water.

Just make sure when you buy fins (if you have not already) that you take your booties with you and actually try them.

I don't mean to patronize, just trying to keep you from wasting money in the same ways I have.


I 2'nd being a really awkward swimmer. I will never win a race, but I am able to swim for extended periods of time and am comfortable with fins. It all comes down to staying relaxed and not working harder than your ability to breathe allows.

Any suggestions on booties to buy?

The Oceanic "Neo Classic" booties fit real good in the Oceanic Viper fins (size XL) I have. Solid, no wiggle. The booties are comfy to walk in, remind me of desert Bellevilles. I figure they're not going to be like a tight neoprene sock, but I'm kinda okay with that if they afford the peace of mind by preventing me from another nasty hospital visit to stitch up the underside of my foot. Happened before while playin' frogman. I was on crutches for a bit while it healed.

The SCUBA shop I bought this stuff at obviously pushes Oceanic products. I'm guessing they're basic issue to cherries.

I didn't get the goofy SCUBA cherry split fins... but I didn't want solid fins just yet because I might suck and fins are inexpensive.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...icFinViper.jpg

I would consider returning my initial purchase to exchange it for your recommendation if you've had less than spectacular experience with what I've got.

Once again, thank you for the advice. Heh, patronize all you like. I'm definitely into saving a buck and having functional, quality kit.

I looking at the more closely I think there's way too much sole on them. Great for walking, not for comfy fit in fins. I'm currently using NEO-sports 3mm's. I'll get a pic.

Here-

http://hudsontrail.com/getproductphoto/3352/

If it works with your feet/fins, then no worries.

I did the "Hey, I think I would like booties that are also like boots thing" and signed out the model you pictured. They ended up being too bulky for me...too much of a focus on performance on-land and not enough focus on performance in the water.

I am so thin I don't use XL fins. The cup in the large fins I typically wear simply did not accommodate my foot in those booties. If yours do then fantastic.

If you decide to get different booties nearly everything will perform fine. I typically look for a hard sole without excessive thickness (no padding other than the neoprene). I have always purchased fins with side-zippers because they are much easier to put on, but the zippers often break/unzip while finning which doesn't make the booties come off (they are held on by your fins at that point) but is really annoying as your booty will start to feel like a parachute attached to your ankle. My solution has always been to just put a rubber band around the top of the booty.

If you can find booties with felt for the bottom snag 'em. That's all I used in Japan/Australia/Guam. The felt was stiff and a bit cumbersome in fins, but they also stopped pretty much everything, including sea-urchin spikes, from penetrating. Just an idea.

Damn, this thread is making me want to dive! I'll need a full wetsuit around here, and I'll still be cold.

I had some felt bottom booties once. Wish they'd never worn out. Mine weren't that stiff but on the surface climbing over jetties and break barriers they grab the wet rock like glue.

OK, since your dive instructor will probably show you all the necessary moves, here's a tip that maybe will come in handy:
When at sea, when you first get in the water, if you feel any nasal congestion at all, I find it's a good idea to snort up a little sea water, the salts inside will help clear your sinuses, which is crucial in adjusting to water pressure as you go deeper. If you're very congested/sick, and you feel any persistent pain while on the way down, stay at that depth for a while, just watch from up there, and keep trying to decompress. Never force it.
Also, before a dive, it's a good idea to rinse out your mask, spit in it, rub it inside and rinse again. Spit will take care of fogginess, etc.

Don't worry about being a good swimmer. That's where divers don't have to worry. Once you're in control of buoyancy, you're no longer fighting against the water, and fins can propel you with very little effort.
I'm excited for the inevitable photo of Crompsin in full tactical Scuba-ops gear.
Let us know how your first dive went.
(This thread just gets me giddy because I haven't had the chance to dive in 3+ years)

You poor bastard. How do you do it?

Good advice above. They make nasal spray called "Ocean" sea water works the same way.

I've never had much of a problem equalizing. On one of my first dives I forgot to adjust the pressure in my mask and ended up looking like I got sucker punched in both eyes. I remember being on that dive and thinking "man, my forehead hurts." D'oh!

I think we've all done dumb things diving, especially in the beginning. I was helping with a discovery dive class a few months back. Went over everything with about 8 students, they watched the DVD, got them all ready and in the boat. I was just about to say it's time to put on fins and masks and this young lady next to me, regulator in hand, asked "so if I keep this in my mouth underwater I'll be able to breath?" "Yep, that's pretty much how this works."

I've been unable to leave New York, and haven't wanted to dive around here, nor do I know of any good place to dive around here.


Crompsin, what's going on with the Scuba training? Any new developments?

Starts in the middle of July, bro. I'll keep everyone posted.

I'm going get into the pool and practice my half-ass strokes.

I've got all the gear I need for this entry-level cert class.

I'm way excited.

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.

Try crossing your arms across your chest.

Wait til you get down here and I show you turtles and rays in water with 100ft+ vis.

Master that BCD, become Zen with it. Anytime you're in the water and not completing tasks work on buoyancy. Three keys to a good diver- buoyancy, buoyancy and buoyancy

You'll get this. Make sure the top of the mask is sealed on your forehead, crack it just enough to let the water out and exhale. You can tilt your head back you just keep it vert. Air naturally rises and forces the water out. I don't tilt my head much. Yes it can be done in one breath... or less. This will become second nature to you shortly.

I have a mustache, I'm always clearing. I dive with half drunk tourist who once and a while manage to kick my mask off. I've literally had to chase it to the bottom and put it back on more then once. Plus if you work with tourist long enough some are going to want an underwater picture of you and them. The standard pose is to remove your mask smile, snap and re don your mask.

Again you'll get this, it will become second nature.

You mean like dog paddling? If so, yeah don't do that.

Try doing a frog kick, your instructor should be able to help you do this properly.

Sounds like great progress, thanks for the update.

Aaah, my front crawl is a front crawl, but it's not very coordinated. It's like the bastard child of the breast stroke and the front crawl. But, yeah, I think after I get SCUBA down, I'm going to go take some instruction on how to be more of a torpedo and less of a sinking ship. This water stuff is gnarly.

Thanks, Tully. I was pondering an army-buddy Mexico trip for spring break next year. Got an independently wealthy buddy I was in Iraq with who wants to dive in Mexico next year. I heard Cancun is a nice dive site (touristy), but somebody else mentioned another C-name place and said it was better. I have no desire to dive anywhere close to cold, I've got like 5% body fat and I was shivering cold in the hotel pool last night anytime we surfaced.

If you go AOW they'll teach you that.


Probably Cozumel. Both have decent dive sites but if you want when you come down give me a call/PM/e-mail and I'll take you to empty boats, cheaper dives and more to see.

I have an "in" with a couple condos if you need room and board.

Hey, this spring break trip is totally looking better by the minute.

Clearing your mask is hard at first. Once you get it, you won't really have to think about it again though. I think the thing here that screws people up is resisting the urge to breath through your nose. Make sure you're consciously thinking about everything and eventually you'll get it. As Tully said, a small crack at the bottom of the mask will be fine, and leaning your head back will help trap the air.

If you're still having trouble next time, your instructor should be able to let you spend some more time working on it. The last thing he wants is for you to get out there on the open water dive and have problems.

Oh and one other note, I picked up clearing my mask pretty quickly but on the open water dive it was different. When the cold water hit my face, I forgot what I was doing for a second. Just something to be aware of if you're doing your open water dive in colder water.

Keep moving in the water, it'll help you stay warm. I'm sure it looked funny when I was taking my refresher course but I was bobbing up and down while the instructor was talking. I wasn't shivering though!

Good luck! :thumbsup:

If you need to, go lay in your bath tub and practice putting on and clearing a flooded mask. Air is only a breath away if you begin to choke.

If you can get the hang of breathing while wearing a flooded mask (you have to pinch-off your airway above your throat) you won't have any problems.

We make guys swim laps in the deep end with weight belts and flooded (charged) masks as well as do flutter kicks the same way. It forces them to learn not to panic every time they get a little water down their throats.

Good luck.

Seriously, bathtub. Your old lady (if you have one) will think you are crazy, but it will get the job done.


The other way to 'cheat' is to blow out slightly through your nose as soon as you BEGIN to put your mask back-on under water...it will keep water from getting pushed into your nose by the pressure the mask generates. If you are not able to clear it right away, take your time, grab another breath and keep working at it. It is important to (at first) tilt your head way back so you are looking straight up, that way all the air you blow will automatically go straight into the cavity of your mask. Later, you can get away with a little pressure on the top or side of your mask and a quick snort.



I thought I warned you about panicking under water? It's a different animal when you suddenly start to choke and don't have any air to breathe. Try not to bolt to the surface, you can really hurt yourself even in a relatively shallow pool. I have seen over inflation injuries caused by people freaking out in a pool.

All good advice.

Update 2:

Yay, I got it. Gold star!

Mmm, I don't think you can really "warn" somebody about water jetting up their nose. They have to experience it and learn to deal with it.

Seeing that I'm a mildly insane... I did the mask clear thing half a dozen times and now I'm pretty comfortable with it. My issue was that I was breaking too much seal at the bottom and the instructors didn't correct me. Just pushing on the top of the mask with my fingertips is sufficient... or so now they tell me. Anyway, I unfucked myself. I suppose I deserved to flip out and flop to the surface... I was trying to clear a mask that was largely off my face. Way-to-go, genius. Heh. Anyway, I will continue to practice this and the exercise you mentioned, swimming with a flooded mask, sounds like a great way to get me acclimated to the sensation.

I'm embarrassed at my chokes, but at least I exhaled on the way up (we love bubbles!) and blew out my BCD. "Out 'n out for up."

It's a learning process.

...

I also did runaway regulator, buddy breathe swims, "CESA," etc. Zero cherry ZOMG panic issues despite water creepin' in all over. I found my happy place, pushed it out, and resumed the exercises whenever something went wrong. Seeing that my very first experience doing any diving (or subsurface swimming, really) was yesterday and I have a total of maybe 4 hours under my belt now... I'm figure I'm not doing too bad.

I feel a helluva lot better. This is going to be way fun. Get me over my water nerves as well as provide a rewarding hobby.

Thanks everybody. I appreciate the comments, stories, and suggestions.

I've got the quarry on Saturday and Sunday.

I was giving advice, not criticizing, just in case I gave that impression.

You will find that as long as you make a conscious effort to stay calm...you will be able to work through nearly everything underwater. Your body really does betray you at the first hint of trouble when you are submerged...it's something instinctual that makes us instantly stupid and it takes time to get over that (hence the drill I mentioned above, among others).

Good job for blowing out when you made your 'emergency' ascent.

Oh, no... I didn't mean to suggest any such thing. But I'm all for criticism and I genuinely appreciate all the tips and advice in this thread. I'm starting out here and the last thing I want is to come off as a douchey Know-It-All. There's a reason why KIA and KIA go together.

But, yeah... I've surprised myself with the "stream of bubbles" mantra I've been ohming to myself while doing this relaxed yuppie training. It makes sense and is a good practice. If I'm not sucking air, it should be a slow stream of bubbles at all times. It's kinda comforting to see the stream go by, really. Calms me down to feel the flow.

I'm definitely going to have to get a BCD with integrated weights. The instructors overloaded us... some dude had 12 fucking pounds of lead. They've got me running 8, I could probably do 6. The crusty old weight belts are annoying as fuck, dig into my hips, and distribute the weight about as well as a T10 harness. The Cressi BCD I'm using has the two hip-area pockets that seem like they'd work well. Any thoughts?

Conclusion'd!

Okay, so basically... I'm a PADI Open Water SCUBA Diver now. Yay. I feel like I should take a tougher diver course now, though. Something like the NAUI "basic training" mentioned above. I didn't feel nearly abused enough after my dives Sat/Sun. I got a tan, but no flutterkicks on the "beach," etc.

I had less issues in 30 feet of ~55 degree quarry water with 5 foot vis (rainstorms like crazy last few day, stirred up the sediment) than I did in a bathwater-warm hotel pool. Go figure. Mask removal, replacement and clearing at depth? It's like a joke now that I've practiced it a bunch of times.

I stayed on site after the class and did an additional dive with one of the instructors to work on my buoyancy control. He was almost impressed; I managed to glide over top of the 30 foot platform, exhale, sink below the platform, glide under it, repeat a few times. Only banged my noggin on the underside once. I'm pretty good at keeping myself level, but I'm probably relying too much on the low pressure inflator to save me. I expect instantaneous results at depth and I know that isn't the case. I shall learn patience, I'd imagine. It's really an amazing feeling to hover and move just by breathing in or out.

Water was way cold below 30 feet, definitely in the 40s. I was close to shivering in a 7 mil. I don't know if it's because I'm a scrawny wanker or because I'm not comfortable with the skill set yet. The hood and gloves kept me relatively comfy, but my face and down the front of my torso was getting a little chilly by the end. Maybe get one of those thin torso covers some of the instructors were wearing. That and not being nervous as hell at first would have probably helped. Three of the instructors had dry suits and those look like the way to go for quarry diving adventures. When they don't leak at the neck.

If nothing else, I need to get a fancy dive-tracking computer now so that I can record my dives. I think I want a wrist-mounted model, although the all-in-one SPG is pretty dang handy as well. I've determined that I like regulators with longer hoses, too. I used a Sherwood (?) and a Tusa (?) and the Tusa made it kinda hard to look around, whereas the Sherwood is long enough to string under your armpit with the octo. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable... I feel more streamlined that way. Jacket BCD versus back BCD is another pros 'n cons debate.

Either way, SCUBA totally kicks ass and I shall be doing it in the future. I think I'm going to Mexico for spring break next year.

Thank you all for the tips and support. Not only did I learn how to dive in this class, I also got over my water-related anxieties. Instruction and experience create confidence. I have that now.

Blunt force trauma wins again!

Very cool, Crompsin, I'm glad you survived the PADI. I got a cool feeling once I got my card, knowing I was OK to dive.

Water's never been an issue for me, I spent many a summer near the ocean, often in adventures with my cousins where we would go snorkeling deep, while holding our breath, collecting urchins to bring them back for soup later. We also loved taking risks and jumping off of rocks and cliffs into the sea, where depths and waves had to be examined carefully before jumping.
Looking back, I'm fortunate for having the opportunity to do so, and also lucky for not having injured myself. But I think it's a part of growing up.

Scuba diving does take it to the next step, though. You're in a medium where humans aren't meant to be in, and once a certain depth/time has been reached, one has to wait and decompress before returning to surface conditions. I mean, there's always decompression tanks, but the dangers of quick decompression are multiple and not to be taken lightly. So, in a way, it's a sport that's unlike many others.

It can get a bit scary, the concept of waiting in an environment with no surrounding oxygen except for the one in your tank. Especially since there's been a few times where I've noticed a faulty O-ring on somebody's tank, or some other problem, right before the dive. These kind of things force you to know it's best to have a buddy you can rely on, in case things turn ugly.

As soon as I return to the Mediterranean, I'm gonna try SCUBA there. There's a few local caves/underwater landmarks I've heard about many times in my childhood there, that I'd like to take a closer look at.
My dive instructor said he befriended an octopus/squid, not far from Marseille, where he lived and worked as a professional diver. The squid would come out and play when he recognized him, messing with the BCD, and wrapping it's tentacles around his face and limbs.
To me, it always felt like I was entering a sacred place when diving in the ocean. The way sound is, in the water, the feeling of entering a place completely alien to our own environment... I need to go back in there. NOW.

Thank you for the story, Biznatch. It's inspirational.

heh, didn't mean for it to be. I do get carried away whenever water/ocean/family comes into play, as I haven't been close to any of those in years.