Confined Dive Number 2

[DreamingOfScuba]

Carrying on from my last thread titled Confined Dive Number 1, last Monday I had my second lesson. This time round it was for two hours 7PM-9PM and we had a third person join us, he did his dive number 1 a few weeks back but had been ill. The school owners were away in the Carribean for two weeks and I found out Mondays is a LOT quieter because Thursdays is club night.

After studying and reading and going through it all in my head I was able to set up the kit without any problems really. I was very pleased as this had bothered me on the previous lesson. We all got kitted up whilst the instructor talked through the lessons program. Then onto the giant stride entry to get into the pool. I went first but I was nervous for some reason and despite watching the instructor go in first I messed up. I probably should have got a wide view but I was pretty much behind him and only caught a bit of how to do it. Despite reading it over I stepped over kept my head straight looking forward and took a long stride but kicked my push off foot too early I guess because I entered the water two footed although it felt okay I knew it was wrong. I've been researching and researching this and think I will be okay on the next attempt (we only did this once despite getting it wrong). It looks like you enter the water split legged but both feet at the same time and then close your legs to prevent sinking further. Does it not pull on your groin area? Any tips on this would be appreciated.

We practised the mask clearing which we had issues with from lesson one and was fairly okay with this. I'm still having a problem where I let too much water into my mask and I end up with a little bit left in.

We then did the clearing of the snorkel via the blast method which was no problem. Swam a length whilst breathing through the snorkel. Swam a length exchanging the snorkel for regulator a few times. Did a correct descent and ascent. Completely removed the mask and breathed under water for a minute and then put on the mask clearing it. Disconnected the hose from the BCD. Reacted to the instructor turning off the air although I hardly felt any problem with this at all.

My other problem came when manually inflating the BCD, I kind of forgot what to do but I was weighted down to heavy and could not maintain myself on the surface and had to swim to the side.

I then made the major newbie mistake that I read about and been warned about. I unclipped my weight belt (you know whats coming), grabbed the free end (not buckle) and tried to put it on the side. I couldn't so during my messing about to do this I let one of the weights slip and drop to the bottom of the pool. I felt a prize fool as this should have been simple as I knew what would happen - guess brain clicked off for a minute.

We then practised taking off the BCD and slipping out of it and then getting back into whilst in the deep end of the pool. No problem at all on this although the instructor asked my wife to keep an eye on me apparently as I was kind of floating away.

At this point we still had time and the instructor said due to this we would get the easy things from the next lesson out of the way. So we did budding breathing exercise, cramp removal, tired diver tow (2 ways). All of these were fine.

Now my only issues are the giant stride entry, mask clearing (I can do this just not well enough for my liking). I had issues with my mask fogging up and being too weighted but other than that it was a good effort I think. The new guy was a little too good for me, even my wife was better (although she has dived before once and is more practical than me), I felt like the group idiot.

Next Monday is lesson three and we will be doing the fin pivot, neutral buoyancy swim, free flow and emergency ascent. Looking back we have covered a hell of a lor although I still don't feel that comfortable doing all of the things.

 

[akscubainst]

The major thing I see with mask clearing is students will tilt the mask out away from the face to about 45 degrees. Then once the mask is clear they quit blowing through the nose and scoop up a bunch of water starting a vicious cycle. You only need to crack the seal on the bottom of the mask. The air will do the rest.

The mask fogging could be that you haven't totally gotten the mold release coating off the glass or you're exhaling through your nose.

The Giant Stride will come it's just a "Giant Stride" into the water. Don't Jump or hop just a long step into the water. Don't forget to hold your mask and belt.

Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[Ber Rabbit]

When you do a giant stride entry you don't push off with the back foot actually you don't do anything with it, you take a step (giant stride) forward with one foot while keeping your chin up and looking straight ahead. Your back foot will just slip into the water if you do it correctly. Make sure the balls of your feet are as close to the edge of your platform as you can get them, your toes should be hanging over the edge. This starting position gives you enough clearance to keep from hitting your tank on the edge of the platform as you enter. You should have control of all of your hoses, nothing flapping around that could bounce off the water and smack you in the face. Different instructors have you place your hands in different places, my students have one hand holding their mask and regulator in place and the other hand holding the mask strap, that elbow should be facing the direction you are stepping (not to the side like a chicken wing) to help control the hoses coming over your shoulder. The elbow of the hand holding your mask and regulator in place is tucked against your chest to help control the rest of your hoses.

Your body will go where your head goes, keeping your chin up and your back straight will help keep you from doing a face plant in the water. I promise my students I will not drain the pool between the time they look to make sure nobody is in their landing area and the time they step off the platform :biggrin:
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[fire_diver]

Don't worry too much about it. Comfort in doing comes from doing and doing and doing until you don't even give it a second thought. Some times it's the litte details that you develop or learn along the way that make things so much easier. Case in point: several years ago an instructor was teaching me to remove then clear my mask. I learned and accomplished it his way (head back, lifting out on bottom of mask) but was never comfortable with it. Then later a different instructor showed me an easier way. Simply apply pressure to the top of the mask (in a head-up position) and exhale through the nose. Worked like a charm and much more comfortable doing it too.

bottom line is just keep practicing. Before you know it, you're spending more time enjoying then 'practicing'.

 

[spectrum]

Sounds like you're doing fine. You should come out if the program competent at the skills but you will still need polishing. That's why the three best reasons to become a good diver are dive, dive, dive.

As long as you have a solid grasp of the skills and are not being allowed to slide by I would relax and enjoy the experieince. Your wife and fellow student are irrelevant, you are an independent learner as is every student. In the end you are earning a learners permit.

Once certified you should try to do some skill drills on every dive with your buddy. I'll do mask floods and clears while we swim along or if someone stops to look at something. Same with regulator R&R. If your dive includes hanging at a stop that is also a popular time to do some skills including staying comfortable while breathing sans mask.

Have fun,
Pete

 

[TSandM]

Mask clearing is one of those things a lot of people seem to have trouble with, so don't feel bad. The point about just holding the top of the mask against your face and exhaling is a good one. Also remember that you don't have to clear the whole mask with one exhale, and you don't have to do it fast at all. A slow exhalation into the mask repeated a couple of times if necessary was a lot easier for me to handle.

I have no useful advice about the giant stride. I remain convinced that I will plummet to the bottom of the ocean and never be seen again

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I have no useful advice about the giant stride. I remain convinced that I will plummet to the bottom of the ocean and never be seen again

I never put any air in my bc for a giant stride and always come right back to the surface after entry. A friend took me out in a pair of double 100's and he didn't know I don't put air in my bc to enter Luckily I thought to myself "You know, these are a LOT heavier than my AL 80, I better put some air in the wing."
If I hadn't considered that right before my giant stride I would have been a dirt dart on the bottom of the quarry
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[douglasville diver]

Great Advice From All! You Will Master These Skills And With Ease & Confort. Focus On You And Don't Worry About The Others .
I'm Still New To Diving But For All The Years I Hope To Have Ahead Of Me , I Don't Intend To Ever Forget To Practice Practice Practice The Basic Skills.

Good Diving