Diving straight down in murkey waters, no line

[sheepeck]

I will try diving with closed eyes. Have to wait till spring though.

[azapa]

thanks again for the great comments. The eyes closed idea I have practiced in the upper part of the dive when the waters were clearer, mainly as a tool for deep relaxation. Knowing the bottom is way off, no fear of hitting it, it was easy.

On Sunday I knew the bottom was way off also, so what was the difference?
I am therefore puzzled as to why I was getting so lost, and coming to the conclusion that I was simply dwelling on the issue and phsycing myself into the problem.

I am pretty sure the bubbles and small weights idea, although sounding good, would not work. There is current and forward motion that will negate all these indicators that might otherwise work for a static scubie.

I need to jump in the water again badly and practice, but i'll not even be seeing the ocean for 10 days sniff snif...

thanks again

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by sciencemike

A small piece of mono around your wrist with a "bobber" on it to keep reference is what i have heard, or some like a small lead weight, they seem to get affected less by current and your movenments. The only problems people say is when going down a bobber is bad, and going up a weight is bad. because they stick to you. So if you have trouble going down use a small lead weight. and follow it. If its up you need then use a small bobber. maybe one for each wrist.

I'm just imagining having both a lead and a little float on lines, getting halfway down into the murk then they are at 45 degrees to one another or pointing in the same direction... PANIC!
Perhaps i didn't think it through enough. the only thing that scares me in the green is jellies... and brittlestars eww.

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by efattah

In many cases of bad visibility, diving with eyes totally closed can be more relaxing.

Good point... I get really disorientated on surface swims when there is a bloom on and closing my eyes makes it stop... as does stopping swimming.
Neither of which helps me get where I'm going tho lol.

[hyeparis]

I dive under this bridge it is about six meters deep and then you move horizontally to a cave for another two or three meters, trying to stay along the wall. The viz is about two-three meters at surface, but then at six it drops to about one meter and it is dark in the cave. My breath holding ability in such condition is reduced by about 30-40 percent. It is because I get nervous when I cannot see much and being nervous increased my consumption of oxygen. I also lose orientation when I o up from cave, often re-surfacing several meters from the bridge even though I was thinking I would pop up right under it. The strong current factors in, but also the fact that I cannot see much at the bottom.
I lost orientation almost imediatedly when scuba diving under ice too and I relied on the line to get back.