Vegas

Hi - I have another newbie question...I'm hoping you can help me out.

Where I really feel I am getting the hang of alot of diving skills, my descent (i feel) is a terribly graceless thing to watch. Each dive I improve a tiny bit, but If I could get a really clear picture in my mind of exactly what I'm trying to do when I descend, I think it would be easier for me.

would you help me out?

What I am asking is if you guys, with your knowledge and experience, could describe, sort of step by step maybe, what the "ideal" controlled descent looks like. (assume I know nothing ) ...if you would, please include details from how you position your feet to how & when you go from vertical to horizontal in the water.

I really appreciate all your help and advice!
thanks a million!

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-The power behind me is greater than the task before me.

glynneco

If you get to the depth you want without your ears hurting you've had a controlled descent. Purist would have you gently sinking as if you were freefalling from a plane. The main thing is to equalize, equalize, equalize.
Descents are like plane landings ... any one you walk away from is a good one!

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

MgicTwnger

What he said.
I tend to go horizontal, drop like a rock till I see the bottom coming up, then gradually add air till I float down like a feather or get a mouthful of dirt, whichever comes first. It helps that I can equalize without pinching my nose.

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I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

James Goddard

I tend to disagree with the above. IMHO a "controlled" descent also involves not landing on the bottom (unless that is your intent such as going to a training platoform).

That means adding air and getting neutral before you hit the bottom in a puff of silt.

Sounds like your issue is not your descent but your trim. I drop vertically for a couple of feet and then switch to a near horizontal (head lower than feet) position. This allows me to see the bottom approaching (if vis allows) as well as watching any descent line I may be following.

What I call an uncontrolled ascent is the butt down descent, which is common among newer divers. Sometimes this also involves a bit of multi tasking, i.e. finding things, clipping off things, etc all of which should have been done before the descent. Many times this is a trim issue and you will note that these divers never seem to be horizontal at any point in the dive.

Major trim issues are usually the result of being overweighted. Minor trim issues can be worked out with practice and adjustments, ie moving your tank up or down, shifting weight, etc.

For example, I have always been "feet heavy". I found that I prefer using a backplate over a BCD because it moves some of my weight north of my center of gravity. I also find that using a steel tank helps as well for the same reason.

Many BCD's come with trim pockets that will help achieve the same result. I would recommend playing with dropping weight before you try to fine tune though.

James

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Scuba Mama

Ahh the additional joys a being a girl floating legs and feet. Went I first learned to dive my intention was for my feet to go first, as I would decent my feet would float up. This will take control on your part learning and teaching your legs and feet to stay down. I have seen people dive head first this is very hard on your sinuses. The other reason to keep you feet below is if you drop to fast and have trouble clearing the easiest way back up is by kicking. When I am diving my heavy wet suit 7mm I dump all the air as I hit the negative zone I add air so I don't crash in the bottom. A buoyancy class my help that way you can work on all the trim stuff. One last suggestion is if you pull up the shoulder straps high on a weight integrated BCD this will pull the weight up high. Try leaving to shoulder straps lower and pull the BCD down so the weight is centered over the middle. That helps keep the lower part down.

Scuba Mama

MgicTwnger

Of course, you're right. I was messing with a dead computer when I hit bottom last weekend. I saw it coming, hence landing on my knees. Sorry about the silt.

__________________
I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

James Goddard

I was in no way referring to any specific individual or event, no matter how well it may have fit .

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Vegas

You guys definately hit the nail on the head....
the "butt-first, fall like a slow-motion goose that had been shot out of the sky, with optional puff of silt on the landing" WAS my specialty.

I am really happy to hear your answers though...that ALOT of my solution is in my trim.

I took the AOW P.P.Buoyancy last weekend (was the first dive - second was our night dive) ... and was able to improve ALOT. We took two pounds off of me for the second dive, and after two dives, tank at 500 psi, did another buoyancy check, and my instructor suggested I take off 2 more. (going from 24 lbs. to 22, will dive next time with 20).

During that second dive EVERYTHING went better. I took the weight off my butt, and that cinched my being able to swim, then just stop, be still and hover without my position changing in the water (rear end and feet not dropping down, or whole body rolling over like an otter).

My descent on that second dive was alot closer to something like "controlled" too, but definately not there yet.

Like Scuba Mama I'm a girl with floating legs and feet, & with the extra weight off my butt it seems to make this not really a problem (I'm not falling over backwards anymore). In my O/W descending feet first was suggested for the same reason (if ya gotta go back up to clear, just kick -- and once or twice i've had to) so I am hoping I can get the hang of that.

as far as "teaching your legs and feet to stay down" --- got any tips on this?
Or is it just practice? Feet together? or apart? I read a post somewhere about one girl saying that she hooked her ankles together - do you think that would help, or make it harder?

I can't thank you enough for all your help! I'm so happy to find out what I was hoping for - that half the problem may already be solved.

__________________
-The power behind me is greater than the task before me.

MgicTwnger

Just keep diving, be aware of your weighting, trim, etc., and take peak permance bouyancy down the road.
As far as hooking your ankles togeather, I'll play it safe and let others comment on that one.

__________________
I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

James Goddard

A lot of divers use ankle weights. Wether that's a solution or a crutch, I'm not in a position to say since I have the opposite issue. A lot of fins now-a-days float, which is real nice if you loose one but can be counter productive if you have floaty feet . I'd say if you were able to sucsessfully do fin pivots in your OW class without someone holding down your feet then ankle weights should not be needed, just some practice and trim adjustments.

What type of suit are you using? If you're in cold water with a 7mm that will make your legs want to float as well.

I would think it would be difficult to swim with your feet hooked together... Might not be an issue if you're just dropping strait down but if you're trying to follow an anchor line in low vis you'll want to be able to stick close to the line on an angled descent.

I think practice is the key. PPB will help and give you some pointers but with some practice things will probably just click...
James

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