gbray
Contributor
I did it. I strapped (what seemed like) a bathtub to my back and jumped in the water. I now have a new respect for tech divers. It was my first dive with double hp100's. One thing is for sure, I didn't run out of air on either of my dives. I only have a few dives with my double lp 72's so I am not real experienced. I had an aluminum B/P and a 40 lb evolve wing and my hollis bio dry dry suit. I put a few weights on the dock just in case.....what a joke. The last thing I needed was more weight.
The first thing I did was head right for the training platform to work on buoyancy. I learned nothing happens quickly. I would add air and nothing. Add more and then start right for the surface. Dump air and nothing. Dump more and head right for the bottom. then I would start to roll to the right, then to the left. Next I would go feet up then head up. I am so glad no one had a video camera. I felt like a real noob again. Please tell me I am not the only one to go through this.
The real climax came when I was practicing reaching my valves. some how I strayed over to the float and line marking the platform and the rope got hung up in my right manifold valve knob. I was stuck like a fish in a net. I tried everything to get loose. fortunately I had plenty of air to hang there until my buddy finally noticed I wasn't practicing and came over and rescued me. The vis was only about 5 feet. I was just about ready to get my knife out and cut the blasted rope. That may have worn out my welcome at the quarry though. The interesting thing is my buddy is my wife. The weekend before I scolded her for swimming off and leaving me ( she is fairly new at diving). she said "but I was fine" to which I replied but what if something had happened to me? The rest of this day she now kept saying now I get it and telling everyone "I got to save my buddies life". ..... not exactly but whatever.
All in all quite an interesting day. I see it is going to take a little more practice before I get good with these tanks. The next dive went a little better. We actually got away from the training platform. The next day I came back and my wife wasn't diving. I dove with a new buddy so I decided to use a single tank. The entire dive I had to keep checking to make sure I actually had a tank on my back. What a difference.
some oneplease tell me they had a learning curve with these tanks so I don't feel like the only dorky diver out there. I think it will take a few more dives before I am ready for a fundies class in these tanks.
The first thing I did was head right for the training platform to work on buoyancy. I learned nothing happens quickly. I would add air and nothing. Add more and then start right for the surface. Dump air and nothing. Dump more and head right for the bottom. then I would start to roll to the right, then to the left. Next I would go feet up then head up. I am so glad no one had a video camera. I felt like a real noob again. Please tell me I am not the only one to go through this.
The real climax came when I was practicing reaching my valves. some how I strayed over to the float and line marking the platform and the rope got hung up in my right manifold valve knob. I was stuck like a fish in a net. I tried everything to get loose. fortunately I had plenty of air to hang there until my buddy finally noticed I wasn't practicing and came over and rescued me. The vis was only about 5 feet. I was just about ready to get my knife out and cut the blasted rope. That may have worn out my welcome at the quarry though. The interesting thing is my buddy is my wife. The weekend before I scolded her for swimming off and leaving me ( she is fairly new at diving). she said "but I was fine" to which I replied but what if something had happened to me? The rest of this day she now kept saying now I get it and telling everyone "I got to save my buddies life". ..... not exactly but whatever.
All in all quite an interesting day. I see it is going to take a little more practice before I get good with these tanks. The next dive went a little better. We actually got away from the training platform. The next day I came back and my wife wasn't diving. I dove with a new buddy so I decided to use a single tank. The entire dive I had to keep checking to make sure I actually had a tank on my back. What a difference.
some oneplease tell me they had a learning curve with these tanks so I don't feel like the only dorky diver out there. I think it will take a few more dives before I am ready for a fundies class in these tanks.