Need help please with NAUI skindiver ditch and recovery

[japan-diver]

The skin ditch and don always proves to be one of the more challenging skills for new NAUI leaders. I find that when teaching new candidates this skill we start with a simple intro- dive down take fins off, go up put fins on. When you are easily repeating this do just the mask until you can easily repeat this. Then put the two things together. For those having trouble with the mask clearing part we practice just going down to the bottom and flooding and clearing the mask on one breath- seeing how many times you can do it (5-6x should be pretty easy)

Knowing how to properly weight yourself is an important part of this skill and sometimes requires playing in the pool a bit. Also using the deepest part of the pool is best as it allows the suit to compress a bit and makes staying down a bit easier. Properly weighted you should have no problem swimming or staying down- do not try to stay up to long as this only tires you out- I tell my candidates think a max of three breaths when you come up and go right back down - seems to make things easier.

Also have found that putting the fins on first usually helps as many who clear the mask tend to want to come right up then, so if its the last thing you do you are coming up anyway.

I also introduce this skill in my Master Scuba Diver course so they have plenty of time to practice it before leadership courses.

Doug Bennett
NAUI Course Director
17952

 

[Divingguy]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been working on the component parts, and the weighting. Once I get done helping with this OW class at the lake this weekend, I will try to put it all together in the next week or two.

 

[Divingguy]

Well, I am VERY happy to report that with practice, I was able to get the ditch and don completed today!!! Thanks for the help and suggestions.
Tom

 

[Thalassamania]

You should be neutral if using a suit. Just enough weight to offset the suit buoyancy. We have to do ours with no weight but the pool is warm enough for that. It also helps if you practice exhaling a little as you go down. Coupled with the air you use to clear your mask this should help you stay down. I also recommend springs straps on the fins. This makes that alot easier. It also helps to hyperventilate a bit-maybe three breaths before starting the skill and diving down as this puts more oxygen in your system and helps you to delay the breathing response and exhale as you descend.

We do it two ways, mask and fins and mask and weightbelt. We do it full suit (7mm), that means for the latter your surface dive has to be perfect. Put your belt on first, then mask, etc. For mask and fins, put your mask on first.

Contrary to popular belief on the ScubaBoard, Hyperventilation does not put any more oxygen in your body, that's a function of your hemoglobin's concentration. All it does is scrub a bit of your CO2 (and raise your level of physiological arousal at a time when relaxation is more important). Take 5 breaths, long and slow, concentrating on exhaling all your air with diaphragmatic breathing and comfortably and slowly filling your lungs without any attempt to jam all the air possible in.

FYI, purging CO2 also means purging some still usable O2 in your lungs.

??? on both counts.

 

[tceylan]

I meant when you exhale during a freedive, you exhale O2 and CO2. It's better to keep the air in your lungs since you might still be able to metabolize O2.

 

[Thalassamania]

I meant when you exhale during a freedive, you exhale O2 and CO2. It's better to keep the air in your lungs since you might still be able to metabolize O2.

Makes no difference if you keep air in your lungs, you feel better psychologically that's all.

 

[tceylan]

It does make a difference. Try emptying your lungs on the way down and see how long you can stay down there.

 

[ClayJar]

The tips in this thread seem to have helped me. I knocked out the skin ditch and recovery last night. :biggrin:

I wore a full 5/4 wetsuit and weighted myself so I could just float high enough to breathe with my head leaned back. The pool was somewhere around 15 feet deep where I put my fins and mask, so the moderately thick suit compressed enough to give that wonderful added negativity.

It took two attempts. The first try, I was nervous, so I took too large a breath, tried to get down too quickly, and had to abort after one fin. The second time, I was no longer nervous. I didn't take so deep a breath, which let me almost coast down to the gear. I didn't rush things (and knock a fin away, like I did on try one), because it felt like I had much more air.

After I donned the fins (spring straps are wonderful ), I grabbed my mask but did not bother trying to put it on right then and there on the bottom. I started my ascent first and then just pressed my mask against my face so I could clear it. Once it was clear (and by the way, the exhalation to clear it felt really nice ), I just pulled the neoprene strap over my head, popped the snorkel in my mouth, and surfaced with the snorkel pleasantly clear enough to take a nice (deeeeeeeep) breath.

Anyway, thanks everyone. The pointers here gave me the insight I needed to make the proper adjustments between the first and second attempts. It felt *quite* a bit easier on the second (successful) attempt than it had on the original failure. :biggrin:

 

[Thalassamania]

Glad you got it done. Now that the pressure's off ... work on it till you can demo it.

 

[ClayJar]

Now that the pressure's off ... work on it till you can demo it.

Absolutely.