Ascending

[scubafool]

Do you usually have to "kick" to get up to the surface, or just let your lungs do the work?

I would say that if you "have" to kick to get to the surface, than you are not neutrally bouyant. It is my aim to be very close to neutral at all points during the dive, & if I can do that, then all I need are my lungs to start my ascent. IMO, you should use your lungs as the "up" button, not kicking. Being negatively bouyant means that either you are on the bottom, or continuously kicking to stay off of the bottom. I don't think either is a good idea, for a variety of reasons.

 

[Randy43068]

Thanks!

Also, should I press the deflator before I start up?

Also, about how many times will I have to deflate? Will all my air be out of my BCD before I reach the top?

I can't answer your question exactly as you asked it.

When I go up I'm heavy enough to swim up. I keep just enough air in the BC so I don't drop like a rock but not so much that the BC pulls me up, either. I hold the hose up as taught in basic OW class and vent some air when needed. I want to be in control of the asccent instead of the BC controlling it...

Clear?

 

[Randy43068]

I personally like to keep myself negitive enough so that I must fin slightly to ascend. For me, I find it easier to manage the air expansion in my wing using that method.

It hasnt been mentioned either in the question or in a response... but be sure to start your ascent with ENOUGH air in your tank. If you are new and looking at a red gauge air reading....it will make you tend to ascend faster than you should.

Just take your time and enjoy the ascent as much as you did the dive. Practice being neutral at diff depths as you go up. Make the ascent a learning time too.

Take care...rich

This is good advice on all points... it's how I do it. I also like to practice on a line so you can see how heavy you get when not buoyant.

 

[spectrum]

My related lesson learned today is as follows....
Did dive 16 today (got to update my profile!) in a local quarry and it was also my deepest dive so far getting down to 52 feet. Would have done the whole 60 but me and my wife both had trouble equalizing probably from descending with too much gusto. It was very different from the shore diving we've been doing.

Anyhow back to my point... I've been using my bottom and right shoulder dumps quite a bit and when ascending I was using the right shoulder pull dump. I figured out that after 3 or for resets that it dumps air much faster than the inflator and was venting too much even with a quick burp. Switched to the inflator dump and I had much better control. Actually I knew all of this but was probably trying too much new stuff at once. So at least as a novice I'd say ascents are best managed with the inflator button dump.

Pete

 

[ShakaZulu]

Wow, you guys are lucky no DIR guys are responding to this thread.

http://www.fifthd.com/fifthdnew/education/videos/ascent.asp?from=education&level=2

That's how you ascend........

 

[String]

This really does sound like worryingly poor quality training from reading this post. No idea how to ascend or what to do. Surely thats basic open water stuff that absolutely HAS to be taught.

 

[RICHinNC]

Shaka...maybe one has. And contributed nothing. Training can be great....but its practice that makes it work. I can remember back to my classes and how many things were running through my mind. It wasnt until after certified and I could get in some water and really practice what I had learned. Some would rather be judgemental from a particular point of view than believe all dont follow their point of view. Oh well....I have always said... to each his or her own. Some dont follow that belief. And, every time I check my GAS level....(and i dont mean air... i mean give a s***)) ... it is very low.

 

[Gryz]

It has been taught, just having trouble repeating it.

 

[CIBDiving]

Don't let it bother you - it's not so much a critisism of you, as of OW training in general.
Good bouyancy is not taught in OW, and it is impossable to ascend slowly, stopping as needed, for as long as needed, without those skills. It's All a matter of practice and how many ascents did you do in OW class, ones where you were shown How to ascend.
yeah - none?

That's the problem with that DIR ascent - DIR doesn't do OW, you are ( at least supposed ) to have skills BEFORE they'll take you.

You did the right thing - you asked how to do it better. A lot us US are afraid to do that.

 

[Gryz]

Thanks,

This is a great forum, and will continue to come here for help.