Duck dive for descent?

[Zinman]

Newly certified diver here.

Can you duck dive from surface to descend with all your gear on your back?

I recently floated up to the surface during a recreational dive (my buoyancy control not established yet), (I am very accustomed to duck diving in non scuba environments) - but found I couldn't duck dive or even swim downwards from surface as the gear kept weighing me down in the opposite direction. Was the first time I tried it, as deflation on BCD wasn't working.

 

[MidOH]

Sounds like you could add a little weight.

I've always been heavy enough, to just dump my wing and down I go.

 

[Rilelen]

Newly certified diver here.

Can you duck dive from surface to descend with all your gear on your back?

Yes, you can and I have (when I’ve been a little underweighted but too lazy to bother to get back on the boat/climb the steps and go back to my truck). But if you have to do it to get down, your weighting is probably off.

The inability to descend and your uncontrolled ascent are likely due to the same issue. First, are you sure you are completely emptying ALL of the air in your BC? I find new divers often don’t fully empty - if you aren’t sure, locate the shoulder dump valve on your BC. With mask on and reg in, floating upright on the surface somewhere shallow (you don’t want to do this somewhere you might plunge 60’+ to the bottom), pull the dump valve. The rapid exhaust should fully empty your BC of air and send you descend rapidly (quite possibly too rapidly, which is why you want to do this somewhere shallow with someone assisting you). If this solves the issue, then you may be correctly weighted but aren’t dumping air properly or efficiently. I personally only use the dump valves, I’m just very gentle with them - I find using the inflator to dump air is slow and persnickety.

If you dump ALL your air, and still aren’t descending, you’re underweighted. Add a couple pounds and try again. Repeat as needed.

 

[tursiops]

Newly certified diver here.

Can you duck dive from surface to descend with all your gear on your back?

I recently floated up to the surface during a recreational dive (my buoyancy control not established yet), (I am very accustomed to duck diving in non scuba environments) - but found I couldn't duck dive or even swim downwards from surface as the gear kept weighing me down in the opposite direction. Was the first time I tried it, as deflation on BCD wasn't working.

Work on the buoyancy and BCD control (your other thread) and forget the duck dive.

 

[johndiver999]

The gear weighted you down in the opposite direction? Does that mean that your gear made you float?

A duck dive can be done with scuba gear. The primary purpose of a duck dive is to allow the diver to descend with a minimum amount of energy AND while buoyant at the surface.

Some people may find it is easier and faster to duck dive and power down rather than wait on the surface for all the air to drain from a BC and from a wetsuit.

If you are a new diver, it is probably better to descend feet first in the vertical position, until you are very comfortable with it. It is probably slower, but it gives the diver a little more control, most people feel more natural in a vertical heads up position and it is easier to clear your ears from this position as well. Doing an effective and powerful duck dive can also mask a diver who is underweighted, so you want to have your weight dialed in pretty well, if you are in a big hurry to get down and want to start a dive like that.

 

[formernuke]

You can but that is establishing bad habits.

Work on proper weighting and descents.

 

[MidOH]

That's how I descend on most warm water dives. Feet first. So I can fin to a stop while equalizing my ears.

After the first equalize, my ears are fine with just a jaw wiggle in trim.

 

[TMHeimer]

On my shallow shore dives I either descend feet first or horizontally. Never thought to try a duck dive. I do pull myself down an anchor line head first.

 

[Zinman]

Edit - this is not to descent. I descent as taught, feet first, exhale, deflate BCD.

This is for when I float up during the dive and when BCD is already deflated and exhaling won’t bring me down. Exploring an alternative, rather than being stuck on the surface. I couldn‘t duck dive cos’ the weight of the gear was pulling me behind my shoulders (towards my back) and duck dive requires a curl forward. If that paints a picture.

 

[grantmac]

You are underweighted or not getting all the air out of your BCD.