DIVE LIKE A PRO / TIPS FROM TOM
BCD SURVIVAL SKILLS:
YOU CAN MAKE A SAFE ASCENT!!!
Back in the dark ages of diving (60's-late70's) divers worried that BCD use would cause them to have out of control and shoot them to the surface faster than my ex girlfriend could get to a shoe store on buy one get one day!!
The old timers used to quip about power inflator's as being "elevator" buttons for diver's and figuring that safe ascents mean keeping your hands behind your back to avoid that "fool's button". I was one of them!!
And the unfortunate part of all this was that a lot of them were instructor's!! Yup, our pro's!!
I remember being taught to dump all the air from my BC and trying to swim up against negative pressure! NOT NICE!!
The thinking back then was that swimming up against the negative pressure would prevent out of control ascents, all I remember was cramps!!
So what's the modern diver too do??
Here is some basic "now" thinking!!
COMMUNICATION:
Signal your buddy before you're about to head up, assess the current conditions, the enviro. condition's, check with each other and check your equipment!!
GET NEUTRAL:
Get neutral with the aid of your BC before leaving the bottom, a little negativity here is a bad thing.
VENT:
And that's not yelling at your buddy! Be ready to vent your BC while gently kicking to the surface.
MONITOR:
Use your gauges to check your rate of ascent. Below 60' a faster rate is appropriate to get you out of the range where Nitrogen is still in-gassing. From 60'-30' a rate of 60 feet per minute slows you down, BUT IS STILL COMFORTABLE!!
At 30 feet use the turtle's pace of 30 ft per min., but because of this rate your buoancy becomes a bit harder to handle!
Use a reference point like your anchor line, kelp beds, slope of the bottom to help you control your ascent. It works!USE IT!!
USE YOUR BC!!
Use your BC to control your ascent. This slow rate of ascent also allows to to arrive at your safety stop more in control of things. And once more, having a reference here is VERY HELPFUL. We're all taught to make a safety stop at 15' for 3 mins., but it's not unreasonable to stay at 20'-10' until your computer is out of the caution zones that may be showing. If you have the air and want to hang for 10 mins., so be it!!
STAY ALERT:
Ascending slowly not only lessens your chance of a DCI hit or AGE but you have time to look around, look up, and not get clunked by a boat!!
It also gives you time to avoid getting snarled in lines, kelp clusters, and watching your buddy sink to the bottom of the sea.
Never lose contact with your buddy!!
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS/ THE UNCONTROLLED ASCENT:
Be it through human error,(you), equipment screw ups, and you should have an out of control ascent, DON'T PANIC!!
Relax, breathe, and LOOK UP!!
Immediately dump all air in your BC either through the oral inflator( damn elevator buttons) or your shoulder dump. WHICH EVER IS HANDIEST!!
But be warned, on some BC models the oral inflator is the QUICKEST method. (The RIG)
FLARE:
This isn't taught enough and should be. I make sure my "kiddies" pratice it at least 6 times!
Flare yourself by throwing your arms back, arching your back, spreading your legs, and looking up.Once you're back in control it is time for a bit of self assessment.
If this out of control was caused by a BC malfunction, FIX IT!! DO NOT USE THAT BC AGAIN UNTIL IT IS FIXED!!!
If it is diver error (most of the time), take more care when you're diving, especially when moving into shallower water. And practice your flares!!
Tom
PSD Level 4 MSDT
SSI IANTD NAUI PADI
PSAI SDI/TDI/ERDI
IADRS (member)
DCBC (Canada) SSA DIVER-TENDER Non-Restricted
PSDA(Member)
PSD/Police Diver RCMP/GRC D Div Dive Team 3 Training Officer
and a pretty good pilot!!
2005-10-13
BCD SURVIVAL SKILLS:
YOU CAN MAKE A SAFE ASCENT!!!
Back in the dark ages of diving (60's-late70's) divers worried that BCD use would cause them to have out of control and shoot them to the surface faster than my ex girlfriend could get to a shoe store on buy one get one day!!
The old timers used to quip about power inflator's as being "elevator" buttons for diver's and figuring that safe ascents mean keeping your hands behind your back to avoid that "fool's button". I was one of them!!
And the unfortunate part of all this was that a lot of them were instructor's!! Yup, our pro's!!
I remember being taught to dump all the air from my BC and trying to swim up against negative pressure! NOT NICE!!
The thinking back then was that swimming up against the negative pressure would prevent out of control ascents, all I remember was cramps!!
So what's the modern diver too do??
Here is some basic "now" thinking!!
COMMUNICATION:
Signal your buddy before you're about to head up, assess the current conditions, the enviro. condition's, check with each other and check your equipment!!
GET NEUTRAL:
Get neutral with the aid of your BC before leaving the bottom, a little negativity here is a bad thing.
VENT:
And that's not yelling at your buddy! Be ready to vent your BC while gently kicking to the surface.
MONITOR:
Use your gauges to check your rate of ascent. Below 60' a faster rate is appropriate to get you out of the range where Nitrogen is still in-gassing. From 60'-30' a rate of 60 feet per minute slows you down, BUT IS STILL COMFORTABLE!!
At 30 feet use the turtle's pace of 30 ft per min., but because of this rate your buoancy becomes a bit harder to handle!
Use a reference point like your anchor line, kelp beds, slope of the bottom to help you control your ascent. It works!USE IT!!
USE YOUR BC!!
Use your BC to control your ascent. This slow rate of ascent also allows to to arrive at your safety stop more in control of things. And once more, having a reference here is VERY HELPFUL. We're all taught to make a safety stop at 15' for 3 mins., but it's not unreasonable to stay at 20'-10' until your computer is out of the caution zones that may be showing. If you have the air and want to hang for 10 mins., so be it!!
STAY ALERT:
Ascending slowly not only lessens your chance of a DCI hit or AGE but you have time to look around, look up, and not get clunked by a boat!!
It also gives you time to avoid getting snarled in lines, kelp clusters, and watching your buddy sink to the bottom of the sea.
Never lose contact with your buddy!!
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS/ THE UNCONTROLLED ASCENT:
Be it through human error,(you), equipment screw ups, and you should have an out of control ascent, DON'T PANIC!!
Relax, breathe, and LOOK UP!!
Immediately dump all air in your BC either through the oral inflator( damn elevator buttons) or your shoulder dump. WHICH EVER IS HANDIEST!!
But be warned, on some BC models the oral inflator is the QUICKEST method. (The RIG)
FLARE:
This isn't taught enough and should be. I make sure my "kiddies" pratice it at least 6 times!
Flare yourself by throwing your arms back, arching your back, spreading your legs, and looking up.Once you're back in control it is time for a bit of self assessment.
If this out of control was caused by a BC malfunction, FIX IT!! DO NOT USE THAT BC AGAIN UNTIL IT IS FIXED!!!
If it is diver error (most of the time), take more care when you're diving, especially when moving into shallower water. And practice your flares!!
Tom
PSD Level 4 MSDT
SSI IANTD NAUI PADI
PSAI SDI/TDI/ERDI
IADRS (member)
DCBC (Canada) SSA DIVER-TENDER Non-Restricted
PSDA(Member)
PSD/Police Diver RCMP/GRC D Div Dive Team 3 Training Officer
and a pretty good pilot!!
2005-10-13