Descending Vertically Vs Horizontally

[Daner]

I must be very confused. I keep air in my BCD at the surface. It helps me not sink till Im ready.

I think Xanthro was referring to that very brief time on the surface just after you decide you are ready to descend. While you are one the surface getting prepared, performing your last minute checks or swimming to the place where you want to descend , then sure you would have air in your BC.

 

[Daner]

Oops missed the wink on the first read.

 

[ScubaTwo]

Oops missed the wink on the first read.

Sorry, I was having a silly moment. Good thread tho. I have also been practicing horizontal decents so I like hearing all your different methods.

 

[ScubaTwo]

Please excuse my spelling.

 

[randy54]

I usualy decend, horitontal to head down following the down line. I like to see where I'm going, and what's waiting for me. I can roll over to look for my buddy if needed, and if I have to wait for him/her, I generally go head up. I don't have a greater or lesser problem equalizing in any position.

 

[Double_D]

I'm with the skydivers in the water column - fun to do and the body position is nearly identical. But the reality is I'm eventually finning down because I'm weighted dead even for the end of my dive and even after I fall through the first ten feet of the "compression zone" (my term) I still sink s-l-o-w. Others in my group overweight to compensate and they just cruise down. I equalize the same in most all positions, so it's no big deal. Considering going to a HP steel 130 instead of my aluminum 100, which would definitely help with my trim throughout the dive. Enjoy!

 

[StSomewhere]

I descend horizontally (starting at about 5' depth). The only problem is that you descend slower than people who do fin-first descents, and they have a disturbing tendency to clobber you on their way down because they aren't looking down to see where they are going.

 

[ScubaTwo]

I descend horizontally (starting at about 5' depth). The only problem is that you descend slower than people who do fin-first descents, and they have a disturbing tendency to clobber you on their way down because they aren't looking down to see where they are going.

I havent had the being clobbered problem yet because Im always the last one down. Im a slow poke

 

[Xanthro]

I must be very confused. I keep air in my BCD at the surface. It helps me not sink till Im ready.

I mean when you are ready to descend. Obviously, if you at simply floating at the surface you should have air in your BCD.

I was confused by dumping air during a descent, you shouldn't have any air to dump.

 

[ScubaTwo]

I mean when you are ready to descend. Obviously, if you at simply floating at the surface you should have air in your BCD.

I was confused by dumping air during a descent, you shouldn't have any air to dump.

Got it, ty