Confess your SCUBA sins

[sabbath999]

Do you sin? Do you do something you KNOW you shouldn't on every dive?



I've been thinking about my own SCUBA sins, and my own SCUBA issues.

When boat diving, I always rush into the water on the second dive because I am very prone to sea-sickness and a boat wallowing at anchor just kills me... my diving partner (wife) and I know this, so I bail off the boat after a BRIEF buddy check (air turned on checked by watching the gauge while I breath, air in my BC) and jump in, and go to 15 feet. My rig is neutral so weights are not an issue. She joins me there and we do our COMPLETE buddy check and s-drill that we do on every dive at 15 on the anchor line. Yes, it's a sin but at least we do a buddy check before we start the serious diving.

Another "Sin" is in my gear configuration... I run my SPG on as short of a hose as possible around my left shoulder, and clip it to my D-ring on the right. This is a "sin" because it is an additional item that has to be disconnected in the case of an emergency. The reason I do it this way is because, clipped that way, it doesn't dangle at all, and I can glance down at any time and see my air pressure. My theory is that if I glance down at my gauge while swimming or hovering or whatever, I can see it without disturbing what I am doing therefore I check MUCH more often than somebody who has to go to the effort of pulling out his gauge and looking at it. I don't get "out of sight, out of mind". I am diving a hogarthian single-strap BP/W rig, and part of my pre-dive safety briefing with new divers is to show them how to get it off of me in the case of emergency (my rig you simply cut the straps and let it go, straps are cheap so if in doubt, just cut me out of it... my knife is handy right there on my harness strap.

Are you ready to enter the SCUBA confessional and tell us your sins?

 

[TMHeimer]

Well, I'm thinking. Only thing I can come up with yet is I do tuck my octo under the cumberbun. It's not that it dangles, but I am always very close to the bottom looking for shells and our shore dives here can be extremely muddy, so I don't want this in the octo. I only do this when diving solo, not when a buddy might have to grab the octo. I suppose I'd have to pull it out of there to use myself if ever the need arose-but that can be done in a second.

 

[Diver0001]

I've heard from fellow divers that clipping the spg to the left armpit is a sin because it needs to be on the left hip. When you're carrying stages, yes, but the other 90% of the time ... seriously..... but purists tell me that I will be unable to find my left hip D ring when it counts if I don't use it every time Oo.... whatever.

o...k...

so I sin. Bah. The critics need to dive more and not just stand around talking about diving... maybe that will help them convince themselves that the left hip can still be found when necessary.

.... another "sin" is solo diving. I do a fair amount of it. I've even made solo dives that involved serious amounts of deco.... to me that's pretty normal... but some people, I'm an accident waiting to happen.

.... and finally.... deep air..... What can I say.... well.... I CAN say this..... don't dive deep air.... at least that's the going wisdom. It's stupid..... but I do it..... I've been doing it since 1984 and I will probably continue to do them.... It's a question of "fun" for me, not a question of what's better, smarter, or whatever.

R..

 

[mselenaous]

Is it a Scuba Sin if everyone else does it too?

Yes, I pee in my wetsuit...there you have it. I confess, I'm so ashamed

Ever heard of the "urinecline"?

 

[fdog]

In warm water, I sin routinely, by diving with no BC, no Octo, no snorkel.

It is so much fun to be a rebel.



All the best, James

 

[TMHeimer]

I've heard from fellow divers that clipping the spg to the left armpit is a sin because it needs to be on the left hip. When you're carrying stages, yes, but the other 90% of the time ... seriously..... but purists tell me that I will be unable to find my left hip D ring when it counts if I don't use it every time Oo.... whatever.

o...k...

so I sin. Bah. The critics need to dive more and not just stand around talking about diving... maybe that will help them convince themselves that the left hip can still be found when necessary.

.... another "sin" is solo diving. I do a fair amount of it. I've even made solo dives that involved serious amounts of deco.... to me that's pretty normal... but some people, I'm an accident waiting to happen.

.... and finally.... deep air..... What can I say.... well.... I CAN say this..... don't dive deep air.... at least that's the going wisdom. It's stupid..... but I do it..... I've been doing it since 1984 and I will probably continue to do them.... It's a question of "fun" for me, not a question of what's better, smarter, or whatever.

R..

I clip mine across my chest. I find that when it is clipped close to my left hip it does in fact dangle a bit (as I mentioned, I'm usually right close to the bottom). Also, with the console in front of me it is handy when using the compass.

As far as solo diving, I don't know if it is a sin. Even PADI doesn't say you should NEVER do it, but that you should be experienced, aware of possible dangers, and willing to accept the risk. AND, of course, take the Self Reliant Diver course--I haven't done that (not offered here anyway)--so that's a PADI sin.

 

[BDSC]

Here are a few of mine:

1. I've dove in and around wrecks without taking a wreck specialty course.
2. I've dove deeper than 130 ft. without taking a deep specialty course.
3. I've been diving from a boat without taking the boat specialty course.
4. I've done drift diving without taking the drift diver specialty course.
5. I've done night dives without taking a night diver specialty course.
6. I've dove in caverns without taking the cavern specialty course.
7. I do underwater videography but never took that course as well.
8. Finally, I have read the National Geographic but never taken the National Geographic Diver course.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I hold my breath ... almost every time I take a photograph ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[super7]

Does urinating through the pee valve, just before your buddy does the basic 5, count?

 

[BDSC]

I hold my breath ... almost every time I take a photograph ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

And you call yourself an instructor!