OP
- Messages
- 2,739
- Reaction score
- 769
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Well, so far, so good. I figured out the calf cramps. My suit was too tight with the layering and socks under the suit! I removed the layers under the band that goes around my ankle area and all is good. I guess my suit has sort of a built in gator? Anyway, minor adjustment. I rolled my socks down and pulled the long underwear up a bit. By the way, I'm diving with a custom, Diving Concepts suit. Fits perfectly.
I added 4 more pounds ( probably only needed two, but the shop only had four pounders and I had no way to divide evenly on both sides without using 3 pounders), and that made all the difference in my control. I can now get down, hover, stay down and do what I want.
now, just need to work on staying horizontal and, my usual bugaboo, mask flooding.
I've always been an obligate nose breather. I finally figured out that when my breathing rate increases with stress or exertion I exhale through my nose and cause my mask to leak. Then, since I've never really mastered the skill of not breathing through my nose, I get a snout full of water. Of course, this increases my stress, which worsens the flood, and so on and so on.
Now that I finally figured out today what was causing it so now I know what I need to do to fix it. Just knowing the cause eased the problem significantly. Each time I increased my breathing rate ( much more of a problem with the added drag and stress of task loading and new skills) I would start the mask flooding. I was also having a bit of asthma this weeking, adding to the issue. Now, I know I this, I will slow the breathing and concentrate on exhaling through my mouth.I'll spend more time in the pool with my mask skills. I've spent a lot of time working on it before but its been awhile and I obviously need more, especially in odd positions (like inverted and laying on my back) and when I'm exerting myself so that I'm stressed or breathing hard. I caught a fin in kelp on a night dive last night and the worst part was not getting the fin loose, it was the darn mask flooding!
so, anyway, love getting out of the water toasty warm and dry. Love the drysuit. Now, just need to spend a bunch of time on some holes in my basic skills that show up under duress. Plus, more time on getting my trim nice. Isn't that always the case? Another thing, I need to work on communication with my hubby underwater. I'm terrible at my part of the team. I get lost and lose him too easily.
Really hoping that we get to do a Fundies class some day in the next year or two, after hubby finishes his doctorate.
in the meantime, could use recommendations on a toasty warm undergarment for women. Will be using it mainly in Southern California but also lake diving (50-60) and would also like to plan on going to WA state sometime soon.
Might need an undergarment for 50-65 degrees and an extra layer for slightly colder? If I do much diving in colder water I'd probably get a second, warmer undergarment for that but most of my diving will be in the 50-65 range.
I added 4 more pounds ( probably only needed two, but the shop only had four pounders and I had no way to divide evenly on both sides without using 3 pounders), and that made all the difference in my control. I can now get down, hover, stay down and do what I want.
now, just need to work on staying horizontal and, my usual bugaboo, mask flooding.
I've always been an obligate nose breather. I finally figured out that when my breathing rate increases with stress or exertion I exhale through my nose and cause my mask to leak. Then, since I've never really mastered the skill of not breathing through my nose, I get a snout full of water. Of course, this increases my stress, which worsens the flood, and so on and so on.
Now that I finally figured out today what was causing it so now I know what I need to do to fix it. Just knowing the cause eased the problem significantly. Each time I increased my breathing rate ( much more of a problem with the added drag and stress of task loading and new skills) I would start the mask flooding. I was also having a bit of asthma this weeking, adding to the issue. Now, I know I this, I will slow the breathing and concentrate on exhaling through my mouth.I'll spend more time in the pool with my mask skills. I've spent a lot of time working on it before but its been awhile and I obviously need more, especially in odd positions (like inverted and laying on my back) and when I'm exerting myself so that I'm stressed or breathing hard. I caught a fin in kelp on a night dive last night and the worst part was not getting the fin loose, it was the darn mask flooding!
so, anyway, love getting out of the water toasty warm and dry. Love the drysuit. Now, just need to spend a bunch of time on some holes in my basic skills that show up under duress. Plus, more time on getting my trim nice. Isn't that always the case? Another thing, I need to work on communication with my hubby underwater. I'm terrible at my part of the team. I get lost and lose him too easily.
Really hoping that we get to do a Fundies class some day in the next year or two, after hubby finishes his doctorate.
in the meantime, could use recommendations on a toasty warm undergarment for women. Will be using it mainly in Southern California but also lake diving (50-60) and would also like to plan on going to WA state sometime soon.
Might need an undergarment for 50-65 degrees and an extra layer for slightly colder? If I do much diving in colder water I'd probably get a second, warmer undergarment for that but most of my diving will be in the 50-65 range.
