Anyone Here Scuba Dive?

Obligatory scuba joke here:

Why do scuba divers fall backwards off of the boat? Because if they fell forwards they would fall into the boat...

Deonb,
and his giant stride
 
I had a talk with one of my (PADI) instructors after the last pool session and before my open water work. I asked about gear and he said he liked having his own so he knew what he was getting. I reasoned with him that it was likely much the same as rental aircraft. Any how, I bought my own gear and didn't regret it. The only thing I don't have is tanks. Too hard to transport and they're pretty readily available just about anywhere you'd want to dive.
 
ChemGuy said:
Sounds like we need a "POA Fly in then Dive in" somewhere.

I vote Key Largo....or anywhere Fl. Since diving is really the only reason to visit that place...
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Closer to marathon to facilitate flying in.
 
deonb said:
It's pretty difficult for an average occasional recreational scuba diver to maintain horizontal trim when they have an air bladder below them.

It's not impossible of course but you need to maintain good neutral buoyancy, which mean at the beginning of a season people futz around with their BCD half the time or flap around with their arms in order to maintain trim. With a BP/wings, your BCD will never try and pull you upright - you just jump in and swim to where you want to go.

Simple illustration:

View attachment 56871
vs.
View attachment 56872
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I'm not going to get into a flame war about this topic, but as a semi-professional underwater photographer, I'm not a fan of a flotation device that "floats" me face down if I'm disabled or incapacitated, and with proper technique, you don't even need a BC while diving to keep proper form, you only need it at the surface if you're properly weighted.

JMO and I won't say any more on the topic.
 
PADI Certification thru Dive Master. Mostly dive local lakes (Minnesota) and Caribbean.

+1 For DIR-Style. More specifically HOG (Hogarthian). Specifically the backplate, wing, harness, long hose, short hose.

Order Of Equipment Purchase:
1.) Decent Mask (with readers if you need them)
2.) Decent fins with open heal straps...straps should be 1-piece bungy or spring, not ratcheting crap
3.) Any snorkel
4.) 3/3mm full wetsuit (or thicker if colder water), so nice to have a suit no one else pee's in :)
5.) Air delivery system you like, trust and no one else touches with a actual pressure gauge
6.) Dive Computer - if air integrated, please, please keep the mechanical tank pressure gauge
7.) Backplate, wing and harness (1lB backplate for travel, 6lb backplate for local)

...just like flying you will buy all kinds of other small, useless crap.

Enjoy, its awesome!!! Be careful.
 
Salty said:
I'm not going to get into a flame war about this topic, but as a semi-professional underwater photographer, I'm not a fan of a flotation device that "floats" me face down if I'm disabled or incapacitated, and with proper technique, you don't even need a BC while diving to keep proper form, you only need it at the surface if you're properly weighted.

JMO and I won't say any more on the topic.
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Yip, a BP/wing will float your face down. But a BC jacket will as well. You'll be MORE face down in the BP/wings of course, but the BC jacket will have your face down just enough to kill you... it's like the Piper Cub of flotation devices.

If you're concerned about being unconscious and alone, wear a horse collar BC or snorkeling vest in addition.

When you're conscious however, it's easier to keep your head higher out of the water with a BP/wing and remain relaxed - just turn over onto your back. With a BC you will spend more energy keeping your head up in choppy seas and it will make you more tired. At least was the case for me with the various makes and models of BC's I tried vs. wings.
 
Sinistar said:
2.) Decent fins with open heal straps...straps should be 1-piece bungy or spring, not ratcheting crap
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And Booties to go with the fins!

I've also been known to use Amphibian fins. You look like a dork, but they actually work. People laugh at you until they realize you're the only one who can get back into the boat without having to take your fins off first.
upload_2017-10-4_14-43-8.png

But it's just something neat - it's not a game changer. BP/wing is the game changer.
 
Sinistar said:
+1 For DIR-Style. More specifically HOG (Hogarthian)
...
6.) Dive Computer - if air integrated, please, please keep the mechanical tank pressure gauge
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Hmm...
 
Same prospect as buying a plane to learn in. It's going to depend on your situation totally.
I bought my scuba gear right away, as I knew I was going to go often.
+1 on the diving computer, if you plan to dive much.

I started diving back in '96 and
You can do some pretty good diving off the south east coast of Florida, especially around the Pompano/West Palm beach area. Even beach dives if you don't mind the swim. Just use your snorkel till you get out there, and on the way back to keep from burning through your tanks. If not diving, we snorkel all the time out to the 2nd reef line at Pompano. Even the 1st reef line is pretty good diving/snorkeling, especially if you take your time and appreciate what's there. Some folks just want to go fast. I like to explore every bit. Lot's there most of the time if you look around.

Bahamas is great, Cayman's, Cozumel, Keys... hard to go wrong, unless it's just bad timing.
I've found SE Florida to be most consistent in late May early June.
Cayman was mostly deeper dives (100's) but good Lord the vis was insane for that depth.

At at minimum get a nice mask, fins, booties, and snorkel.
Here is a mask I really like. Really soft silicone for a good seal, and comfortable: http://www.leisurepro.com/p-csbmbec/cressi-big-eyes-evolution-crystal-mask
I like split fins now too. Always had the Scubapro military style, but man they are ankle killers after a long hard swim or heavy snorkeling.

Whatever you decide, be safe and have a hell of a time!
 
I was SSI in '96. I'd like to get recertified PADI, since I haven't been wet in 15 years or so.

Anyone know if PADI still requires an actual regulator exchange when practicing buddy breathing? I don't care what the science says... don't want another dude's spit in my mouth.
 
Mistake Not... said:
I was SSI in '96. I'd like to get recertified PADI, since I haven't been wet in 15 years or so.

Anyone know if PADI still requires an actual regulator exchange when practicing buddy breathing? I don't care what the science says... don't want another dude's spit in my mouth.
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You don't need to re certify. It is like your PPL; just go get a refresher.
 
John221us said:
You don't need to re certify. It is like your PPL; just go get a refresher.
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Well, I don't think SSI has a record of me any more. I can't even find my card. It was 21 years ago. Does PADI offer a class for that sort of thing? Honestly, given that it's usually just a couple of weekends, I figured it couldn't hurt to do it again.

I have some brand new U.S. Divers stuff that I'm not even sure I can get service for any more. The dive computers are amazing now.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Well, I don't think SSI has a record of me any more. I can't even find my card. It was 21 years ago. Does PADI offer a class for that sort of thing? Honestly, given that it's usually just a couple of weekends, I figured it couldn't hurt to do it again.

I have some brand new U.S. Divers stuff that I'm not even sure I can get service for any more. The dive computers are amazing now.
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I am pretty sure you don't need that. Just contact PADI https://apps.padi.com/scuba-diving/replacement-card/Agreement.aspx?languageID=5
 
Mistake Not... said:
I was SSI in '96. I'd like to get recertified PADI, since I haven't been wet in 15 years or so.

Anyone know if PADI still requires an actual regulator exchange when practicing buddy breathing? I don't care what the science says... don't want another dude's spit in my mouth.
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What about from a lady?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
deonb said:
Yip, a BP/wing will float your face down. But a BC jacket will as well. You'll be MORE face down in the BP/wings of course, but the BC jacket will have your face down just enough to kill you... it's like the Piper Cub of flotation devices.

If you're concerned about being unconscious and alone, wear a horse collar BC or snorkeling vest in addition.

When you're conscious however, it's easier to keep your head higher out of the water with a BP/wing and remain relaxed - just turn over onto your back. With a BC you will spend more energy keeping your head up in choppy seas and it will make you more tired. At least was the case for me with the various makes and models of BC's I tried vs. wings.
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If you're weighted properly, your BC, whether jacket or wings, won't be full. It will have an air bubble which will move to the highest point. As you shift your attitude, the bubble will move and help maintain that attitude. If you're head up, the bubble will be high up in the BC, and if you're head down, it will be in the bottom of the BC. It's much easier to maintain any desired attitude if you're not overweighted, so that the air bubble is small and can move. Overweighted means an overinflated BC.

This is also why I prefer a weight belt over integrated weights in a BC jacket (among many other reasons). It's easy to shift a belt up or down your torso to adjust and maintain trim. Wear the belt just a little bit loose. When you're head-up on the surface, the weight belt should be low on your hips. The air pocket in your BC will be near your shoulders, and you'll float head up. At depth in a swim attitude, slide it up your torso a bit.

For cave diving, of course, I mount lead to my backplate and don't use a belt. No benefit to dropping weights in a cave. In open water, however, I put some weight on the backplate to help with trim, then wear the rest on a belt.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Nope.

Aside from my reluctance to swap spit with anyone, this article makes the point that's an antiquated skill with better modern alternatives: https://dtmag.com/25th-anniversary-vintage-articles/buddy-breathing-time-change/

Alternate air source is the way to go. I just need to find a school that recognizes that, I guess.
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Shared regulator breathing is not great. But just having a second regulator somewhere in someone's BC is not going to help anybody - you're not going to find that thing in a panic. Buddy breathing is safer in that aspect since you at least know where the regulator is.

HOWEVER, DIR solved exactly this... (find a GUE school):
upload_2017-10-4_16-4-32.png

In an emergency in DIR there is one place, and one place only to look for an emergency regulator - in your buddy's mouth. No actual buddy breathing, but the donor does give his primary regulator (or more to the point - you're probably going to rip it out of his mouth anyway), and he switches to the backup around his neck. And the regulator he gives off is attached to a really long hose so you don't have to cling unto him.

You of course don't avoid the "spit" part in an actual emergency, but in an actual emergency under water you're not going to care. When you practice it on dry land, you don't ever put someone else's regulator in your mouth (obviously). And even for the under-water practice a GUE instructor should allow you to just hold on to your budy's primary while you switch to your own backup. You need to know how to get hold of his regulator and how to swim in tandem with the long hose. But you don't need to really practice how to put an ordinary regulator in your mouth and breath as normal. If you don't know by then, you have other problems.

With buddy breathing the skill is different - in that case you actually need to practice the act of sharing, breathing, and not holding your breath while you don't have the regulator etc.
 
Yep! Donating the reg from your mouth ensures that the out of air diver gets a working reg. The donor will be able to clear out the backup reg if needed and won't be in the panic that the OOA victim will be feeling.

I use a 7' hose in caves, so that we can go single file through a restriction if necessary, but only 5' in OW. I think 5' is adequate, and it's easier to manage the hose.
 
Diver since 1965, Instructor since 1985. Owner of a dive shop on Lake Champlain, NY for 30 years.
Assuming you already have a mask and a set of fins, go for these items:

Depending on where you dive (cold vs warm water) the first thing I would buy is a well-fitting wetsuit of appropriate thickness. If you're warm and comfortable, you're more at ease about the dive. If the rental suit is too tight, you will have trouble breathing and stress levels go up. If it's too loose, you're going to be cold and you won't enjoy the dive.

Next, a regulator (and gauges/computer). Since your life depends on it, you probably want to know it works, who used it last, how well it has been maintained, etc. While all regulators on the market today will deliver you air when you inhale, the better (read more expensive) ones deliver that air much easier then the cheap ones. So, buy the best regulator you can afford at the time.

Next, your BC. Rent a few different designs first to see what works for you. I prefer integrated weights, but that's just me. Consider the mission. If you plan on doing resort diving at exotic locations, how easily it packs is a major factor. Wreck/cave diving have different requirements. The type of diving you plan on doing should guide your choice. Once you decide the style you like, get one of your own. Knowing where everything (inflator, dump valve, pockets, etc.) is makes diving that much easier.

The rest of the stuff can be rented or put on your Christmas list for others to get for you. Notice I didn't say buy a tank. If you do mostly resort diving, tanks are usually included. If you plan on diving on your own, you have to decide the number of dives you're going to do. A simple spreadsheet will show you the break-even point of renting (they usually come filled) vs owning a tank (cost of tank + fills + annual visual inspection + 5-year hydro test)

A few thoughts about weight belts. If you don't like integrated weights and wear a wetsuit, you're going to need a weight belt. Buy the cheapest belt and plain old uncoated lead. Don't get fancy weights in the shape of hearts or grenades, and don't put a bunch of hooks and loops on the belt to attach your camera, flashlight, tools, knives, etc. Except in an overhead environment (and a few other situations) you are trained to dump the weight in an emergency to establish positive buoyancy. If you think you need to do this, but don't want to say good-bye to your camera, tools, lights, and pretty lead weights, you're more likely to try to tough it out and get yourself in trouble.

YMMV
 
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Wow I've definitely got more of a response then I was expecting. The general trend seems to be people get certified, then rarely use it. I hope to get a good amount of use out of it, but life happens, so we'll see. Also, I'll have to balance what money I want to spend on flying vs. scuba diving. I want to get the basics, but I'll probably stick to renting the more expensive stuff for the time being.

P.S. Just started today. Today was all book stuff, decided to go ahead and get nitrox certified, so it lasted a little longer than average. Tomorrow we go to a calm enclosed beach to get down the basics and then do a open water dive or two, then Friday we'll go out on a boat and do the rest of the dives.
 
I dove a few dives off of Hatteras with some hardcore DIR guys.

I DIW. I've survived thus far. I manage to float horizontally with something other than a plate/wing (though my BC has only a back bladder, so it's not far off). I don't wear a snorkel, though. You guys have that right.
 
SaltH2OHokie said:
I don't wear a snorkel, though. You guys have that right.
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Yea I'm not to clear on the benefit of the snorkel. I mean if your doing a lot of surface swimming fine, but I intend on being under water most of the time, so is the snorkel basically a "just in case" tool?
 
SaltH2OHokie said:
I don't wear a snorkel, though. You guys have that right.
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I keep a folding snorkel in my pouch when diving OW. No need to wear it, but if I'm forced to do a long surface swim and my tank's empty, a snorkel could be useful. Some dive boats require you to have a snorkel, so a folding one satisfies the rule.
 
Half Fast said:
I keep a folding snorkel in my pouch when diving OW. No need to wear it, but if I'm forced to do a long surface swim and my tank's empty, a snorkel could be useful. Some dive boats require you to have a snorkel, so a folding one satisfies the rule.
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That's what my instructor suggested doing.
 
ChemGuy said:
Sounds like we need a "POA Fly in then Dive in" somewhere.

I vote Key Largo....or anywhere Fl. Since diving is really the only reason to visit that place...
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Excellent idea - someone bring the monkey...
 
Matthew K said:
That's what my instructor suggested doing.
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I like a dry snorkel if I have a long swim, but for boat diving it isn't needed, usually. Snorkels are pretty cheap and you will want a good one anyway for the times you aren't diving (just snorkeling). In Hawaii, the snorkeling can be almost as good as diving (better in some ways).
 
When I went through PADI certification back 14 years or so ago, we didn't swap mouthpieces, just let people use our octopus.

The instructor did point out that you should be well practiced at grabbing your own octo. Your panicing buddy is likely to grab the one you have in your mouth (easier to see and grab) and you'll want to reach down and get your octo.
 
Did my certification in college (so about 10 years ago). I would definitely suggest getting your own mask and snorkel when you are starting out and go from there. See how you like it an how much you want to invest. I haven't been diving in a long time, but I imagine if I did it more often I would probably buy everything but the tanks. Learning to clear you mask sucks until you get it right, other than that, it's a lot of fun. Enjoy it!
 
+1 For DIR-Style. More specifically HOG (Hogarthian)
...
6.) Dive Computer - if air integrated, please, please keep the mechanical tank pressure gauge

deonb said:
Hmm...
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Silly me...its worn on the right wrist :)
 
Long Hose & Short Hose w/Necklace vs. standard octo clipped away someplace:

During my dive training one of the Instructors was a old Navy diver and then commercial diver. He is also about 70lbs bigger than me and quite well built. We were talking about out of air situations. He looks right at me and said "I'm bigger and stronger than you. If I run out of air and panic, that regulator in your mouth will become mine. I see it and know its working and I need air now. My will to live is gonna eventually trump protocol and logic and go with whatever will work."

Even he thought the standard teaching of the octo stupidly clipped off somewhere, god only knows where is pretty ridiculous. I have helped DM many, many classes. Never an out of air situation. However, the location of the octo, the color, the type of clip....always different from one person to the next, even if the dive shop strives to have common rental gear.

You do typically see air sharing on dive trips. Its either a really nice DM trying to extend the bottom time of a heavy breather near the end of a dive and trying to keep the group together. Or you see a husband breathing down the rest of his wife's air! The divemaster who is willing to share air often has a longer hose. The couples case, especially when new divers...well they get some nice cozy time with that short octo. And watching them ascend can be interesting all jammed together like that.

Buy a nice air delivery system. Put the primary on a 5" hose with one loop around your neck. Put the octo on a short hose with a simple 1/8" bungee necklace.

One place where the octo on the bungee necklace is nice is crappy shore entry/exit. If your primary is already out of your mouth and you take a spill you can literally just tip your chin down, bite and have more air while both hands are still busy holding stuff. Same is good in really heavy swells when getting back on the boat and you get ripped off the back or pulled back under while on the ladder taking off fins (I've had that happen to me).

I wish the dive industry would teach this and the backplate, wing, harness. I know my daughter will start this way.
 
On my ex-wife's last checkout dive for her cert, in Maui, the bozo instructor took her down to 120 feet (I was along for the dive). I kept trying to tell him to go up (but she had asked him to go deep, unbeknownst to me, and he complied). He ran her out of air and had to buddy breath with her to get her through decompression. The captain was ****ed, and so was I. We never dove with that outfit again. Hopefully he got fired.
 
My octo is rubber banded near the bottom of my BCD. I know where to grab it if someone pulls the one out of my mouth. You're comment about the lack of standard configuration is true (it's true for the primary mouth piece as well. Mine is desiged to come up under my armpit rather than over my shoulder). The only thing "standard" is that it's stuck in the diver's mouth.

The good thing about me and my wife is that we have identical equipment so at least we know each other's.
 
after how much of the knowledge test and practical test touched on scuba diving, i hope everyone that flies gets their scuba license, otherwise it's pretty wasted and could have been reduced to "don't fly passengers that have scuba dived in the last day".

but seriously, I am going to get certified some time, looks like a lot of fun.
 
First day done, went down to 36ft. Tomorrow we go out on the boat to around 60ft. It is definitely fun, but I think I went down a little fast today without giving enough time for pressure equalization b/c the ear pain was quite significant.
 
Matthew K said:
First day done, went down to 36ft. Tomorrow we go out on the boat to around 60ft. It is definitely fun, but I think I went down a little fast today without giving enough time for pressure equalization b/c the ear pain was quite significant.
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If your ears hurt, don't keep going down. Come up a little and clear them (a foot or two). Take your time and don't force it (good way to put holes in your ears). Once you get down to 32 feet, you shouldn't have issues.
 
John221us said:
If your ears hurt, don't keep going down. Come up a little and clear them (a foot or two). Take your time and don't force it (good way to put holes in your ears). Once you get down to 32 feet, you shouldn't have issues.
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Yea I agree, I guess I just saw my instructor not having any problems and expected the pain to go away quickly. I'll DEFINITELY make sure to take it slower tomorrow.
 
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