Buoyancy concerns

[editmojo]

30 years after taking a scuba class in college, I’m finally fulfilling a lifelong dream of getting my OW certification. My 2 boys and I are doing a NAUI class in June and then going to Cozumel the end of July with the dive shop we‘re taking the classes thru.

After doing a lot of reading I’m concerned about the drift diving and buoyancy. This seems to be one of the skills that comes with experience. My dive instructor, who will also be the dive master on the trip, assures my that he will help us with any problems.

I’m just wondering if any of you would be willing to share any tips on buoyancy.


joe

 

[shotthebreeze]

Joe,

Congrats. Practice makes perfect. Your lungs and breathing are both pretty much boyancy in a nutshell. I took my OW class a week ago and 4 hours in a pool was definitely not enough time to master it. Your OW class will also touch on drift diving and how to dive in currents. Have fun, its a real blast...

 

[rahuck]

Take a look at http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=189935

The original post by Rick Murchison is a great place to start -- it will give you ideas of what to practice in the pool. Be patient -- it really does come with practice practice practice.

 

[rakkis]

You have the beginning and middle of July to dive as much as you can locally

Practice makes a world of difference!

 

[MaconBubbles]

30 years after taking a scuba class in college, I’m finally fulfilling a lifelong dream of getting my OW certification. My 2 boys and I are doing a NAUI class in June and then going to Cozumel the end of July with the dive shop we‘re taking the classes thru.

After doing a lot of reading I’m concerned about the drift diving and buoyancy. This seems to be one of the skills that comes with experience. My dive instructor, who will also be the dive master on the trip, assures my that he will help us with any problems.

I’m just wondering if any of you would be willing to share any tips on buoyancy.


joe

Drift diving is a blast! I'm a new diver and part of my OW was in a slow-moving spring-fed river. There was no problem with that. Then, last weekend, I went to Boca Raton, Florida and did some drift diving there. It was a pretty strong current but I can't tell you how much fun it was. It was like flying! You just kind of relax and go with the flow. I think you'll love it.

 

[Splitlip]

My advise, don't try and figure it here and now.
Wait for your class. Speak to your instructor. In BOW they cover it.
Then practice, even in a pool.

 

[Crowley]

Two of the best skills you can practice are the "fin pivot" and "hover". I'm a PADI instructor and I know these skills are taught differently by different agencies but they teach you how to use your lung volume to control your buoyancy which as far as I'm concerned is the whole key to recreational diving. The key is understanding the delay between taking a breath before you actually start to move. Something I found useful is the "visualisation" technique - once you've experienced the change between negative/neutral/positive buoyancy is to think about it and rememebr what it felt like and even practice out of the water. I try to get my students to practice these things at all given opportunites - in a pool, in the ocean, wherever they happen to be. pick a reference, concentrate and use your breath to maintain station. It's a skill that obviously comes with practice.

Does Tiger Woods practice golf? Of course he does - so every dive you do, practice buoyancy!! I used to do a drift dive out here, and practiced by trying to do the whole thing upside down...!!

Good luck and most importantly, have fun!!!

 

[spectrum]

Read Rick's write-up mentioned above and then keep reading. I'd like to say wait for your class but buoyancy education ranges from "try this and you'll figure it out" to being exquisitely detailed and I don't know which version you will be getting. Anyway you slice it you can't know too much.

Be sure to make lot's of local dives before the trip. A drift dive is not the place to be sorting things out.

Pete