Duck dive descent?

[Akimbo]

Duck dives are possible, but are generally bad idea in one of these.

Sometimes I think feet-first descents are a result of bad fitting drysuits and poor bubble control (in the suit).

 

[TooManyHobbies]

In over 4,000 dives I have only ever gone down head first. I have also never seen anyone descend any other way.

You Aussies are always head-down anyways.

 

[Storker]

Anyone else using this skin diving technique on scuba gear?

Once. And after about half an hour underwater, I took the elevator from ~15m (there's more to the story, but i guess that that's OT here). Never again. If i have to duck dive to get down, I'm underweighted. It may be different in a wetsuit, I really wouldn't know since >90% of my dives have been dry.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Interesting question. Come to think of it, I've only started doing the "elevator" descent since I started DM training a year ago. I think it was an "eye contact with students" kind of thing. When I'm diving for fun with a buddy I know, we duck dive down. Even on charter dive boats (as customer), I tend to let others start the descent first and duck dive behind them.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @northernone

I mostly dive solo in an area with current, often brisk. Nearly all my descents are head first, I don't dally. Having a flag on a reel slows me up a little. When diving with others, I descend horizontally, so that I can keep track of them, especially if they are on the slow side. It is easy to get separated in the current if one doesn't pay attention.

Here is an example of one of my solo reef drifts, my initial descent to 75 feet took a between a minute and a minute and a half:

 

[JamesBon92007]

For me it's the BC that got me started doing the elevator descent. The first time I wore one that's what everyone was doing so I followed suit--I had no experience with a BC. Now that I've figured out how to fit my backpack/small wing configuration into my carry-on and no longer need to bring a checked bag just to accommodate a bulky BCD I'll likely revert back to the duck-dive. I do think it's pretty cool, though, to drop down to the bottom at a rapid rate and hit the "add air" button just before hitting bottom and end up a foot from the sand, perfectly neutral, spread-eagle, just like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible (when he broke into the CIA or whatever it was). Kinda like jumping out of a plane with a parachute only I don't go "splat."

 

[chillyinCanada]

Exactly JamesBond!

 

[Chavodel8en]

I often end up duck-diving, because I feel like my initial descent is much slower than my buddies. Maybe my 8 mm suit is especially buoyant?

So my usual descent here in NoCal is try to descend in normal trim, see my buddies disappearing into the green viz, and then duck dive after them. I could probably just descend slowly, but I guess Im impatient.

For me it's the BC that got me started doing the elevator descent. The first time I wore one that's what everyone was doing so I followed suit--I had no experience with a BC. Now that I've figured out how to fit my backpack/small wing configuration into my carry-on and no longer need to bring a checked bag just to accommodate a bulky BCD I'll likely revert back to the duck-dive. I do think it's pretty cool, though, to drop down to the bottom at a rapid rate and hit the "add air" button just before hitting bottom and end up a foot from the sand, perfectly neutral, spread-eagle, just like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible (when he broke into the CIA or whatever it was). Kinda like jumping out of a plane with a parachute only I don't go "splat."

Im still working on not going splat. I often end up stirring up sand before I get myself neutral. But that happens whether I duck-dive or not -- in my heavy wetsuit once I get going down, I end up very negative at depth.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I often end up duck-diving, because I feel like my initial descent is much slower than my buddies. Maybe my 8 mm suit is especially buoyant?

So my usual descent her in NoCal is try to descend in normal trim, see my buddies disappearing into the green viz, and then duck dive after them. I could probably just descend slowly, but I guess Im impatient.



Im still working on not going splat. I often end up stirring up sand before I get myself neutral. But that happens whether I duck-dive or not -- in my heavy wetsuit once I get going down, I end up very negative at depth.

For me, it seems like the thicker the wetsuit the longer it takes for all the air to work it's way out. When I do a rapid descent it's with a thin wetsuit.

 

[rhwestfall]

flying a 3kt current mid water column is not my cup of tea.... Get down, and get it sorted out. Duck dive required...