Frustrations trying to gain experience

[Kevin Carlisle]

Thank you for the warning! (The same could probably be said for technical diving in general)

Well Tammy, today was one you might not be envious of. We scootered to 2000ft, dropped scooters and swam to the memorial for Richard Mork ( packetsniffer ), rest in peace buddy. After that we went through 300ft of pure sidemount stuff, got stuck twice going through it. Ended the dive around 3000ft back after playing in several jumps. All in all a good day. With no flow and heavy traffic JB is a little milky from 1500ft forward. Tomorrow is river cave time . No report will be available for our secret river caves tho.

 

[CamG]

Greetings Tammy and as Lynne "TSandM" has mentioned SM is no less than BM but it is a awesome option to have in your dive arsenal.
Do not let the cost bother you after all as you have mentioned we all are crazy anyway when it comes to gear.
SM ,BM, NM or what ever it takes to get to where we want to go!
I have found it matters not the cost but how bad you want it!
So by all means research then jump in you will enjoy the technique and where it allows you to go.

Personally I love it and do not regret my move in that direction one bit.
Honestly though a SM class with a SM instructor will save time and cash in the long run.
I chose the school of trial and error, hard nocks, bad habits, then cleaned up with an instructor. Not ideal but it allowed me to ease into it and appreciate the advice I was given and learned far more than one approach to SM.
There is something about the configuration that if it works for you it gets into your blood very fast when your rig meshes with you.

There are some really great guys out there to learn from if you desire but I am certain you know many of them already.
Take care and catch up with you soon.

CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[tstormdiver]

Well Tammy, today was one you might not be envious of. We scootered to 2000ft, dropped scooters and swam to the memorial for Richard Mork ( packetsniffer ), rest in peace buddy. After that we went through 300ft of pure sidemount stuff, got stuck twice going through it. Ended the dive around 3000ft back after playing in several jumps. All in all a good day. With no flow and heavy traffic JB is a little milky from 1500ft forward. Tomorrow is river cave time . No report will be available for our secret river caves tho.

Well, I'm no where near ready for a scooter in a cave, just yet. I only have 2 dives out of my class, to date. I do have a very nice Hollis scooter for the day I am ready, but for now, I am learning to use it proficiently in open water. I attached some pictures.
You do not have to worry about me finding any of your secret caves any time soon, I live 10hrs away. Its hard enough for me, still, to find the popular ones. Thanks for the report on JB. Looks like I may be going there in Feb (at least that's what my buddy mentioned). Hopefully will still be low flow, since I'm stuck swimming for a while. So far, I've been able to get to the first T on back gas. Want to further that a bit.

Greetings Tammy and as Lynne "TSandM" has mentioned SM is no less than BM but it is a awesome option to have in your dive arsenal.
Do not let the cost bother you after all as you have mentioned we all are crazy anyway when it comes to gear.
SM ,BM, NM or what ever it takes to get to where we want to go!
I have found it matters not the cost but how bad you want it!
So by all means research then jump in you will enjoy the technique and where it allows you to go.

Personally I love it and do not regret my move in that direction one bit.
Honestly though a SM class with a SM instructor will save time and cash in the long run.
I chose the school of trial and error, hard nocks, bad habits, then cleaned up with an instructor. Not ideal but it allowed me to ease into it and appreciate the advice I was given and learned far more than one approach to SM.
There is something about the configuration that if it works for you it gets into your blood very fast when your rig meshes with you.

There are some really great guys out there to learn from if you desire but I am certain you know many of them already.
Take care and catch up with you soon.

CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

Eventually, I will probably go to sidemount as a tool, but then I look at backmount also as a tool. Each has its reasons for being. Cost doesn't bother me. My instructor gives me very nice discounts on equipment, as he can, being I am an instructor on his staff. Right now I am a learning sponge & want to absorb everything I can. I find most types of diving thoroughly fascinating & challenging. The day I stop learning, is the day I will hang up my fins for good.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Thank you for the warning! (The same could probably be said for technical diving in general)

Lynne is right, when you get those STEW-PID heavy tanks off your back its awesome. No sore backs and legs when you have to tote them a good ways. Once your comfy in them you can do so much more. One of my faves is turning on my back and swimming and looking at the ceiling of the cave. Much easier when diving off john boats and stuff too.

 

[CamG]

Grreetings Tammy and Lynne I have just returned from cave country and have to mention that our team was 3 divers with one set of tanks, "one rebreather".
We managed very well to pack the gear and cloths into a Honda Element and still have room.
We took stage rigging but did not need it. We actually did quite well on just primary gas.
Having traveled with BM and SM there really is no comparison for both packing and handling.
There is no contest on the issue.
I am 42 and plan to dive till I have to crawl to the water so I will do whatever it takes to extend my diving career.

An option it is but it offers a less stressful dive physically for many who would be willing to extend their diving capabilities.
Not all would be so limited if they truly understood the philosophy behind the different configurations.
It can be intimidating for anyone to consider diving two tanks at first but it really depends on the diving the individual wants to do and the commitment "how serious" they are about achieving their goals.
As far as BM divers already understand the added level of dive planning and training considerations that embody SM.
It is a end to a means, a different method to reach the same goal!

Personally the versatile nature of SM can make it very case specific and very adjustable for the individual.
As stated before the travel issue is less physically demanding and easier to pack.
It is pretty easy to travel with tank bands and rent your tanks if need be.
My goal is to get to Cave as often and anytime I can so whatever that takes it is going to happen!
We are planning a red eye weekend run today and I got home yesterday!
Build a base of dive buddies that share the same passion and look out!
Just keep working to pay the rentals and gas fills!

Tammy just get down there it will work out!
Seek out some dive buddies from different occupations and or variety of vocations that will allow vacation travels.
This is going to be a crazy year for me but it will be interesting to look back on next year!

CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[tstormdiver]

Looks like things are really coming together for some experience at the end of this month & the beginning of Feb. Right now it looks like the guys who were in my class are going down for about a week & then I may go back down a few days after returning from that to dive with a good friend & mentor. I guess I need to have a little more patience.

 

[CamG]

Practice makes perfect Tammy I hoped in the local watering hole at 39º I am thinking that Florida is the place to be right now!
Good to hear of your plans we are planning a red eye run to JB end of Feb.
Safe diving and I hope travels have improved by the time you leave.
It is only getting warmer I hope so by the end of the month it should be good.
Just ran into a couple of divers from Michigan that are heading down the same time as you are.
Peacock bound and Cave Excursions to stay.
I am jealous but I will be down before long just need to recharge the funds,

CamG keep diving....keep training....Keep learning!

 

[tstormdiver]

Practice makes perfect Tammy I hoped in the local watering hole at 39º I am thinking that Florida is the place to be right now!
Good to hear of your plans we are planning a red eye run to JB end of Feb.
Safe diving and I hope travels have improved by the time you leave.
It is only getting warmer I hope so by the end of the month it should be good.
Just ran into a couple of divers from Michigan that are heading down the same time as you are.
Peacock bound and Cave Excursions to stay.
I am jealous but I will be down before long just need to recharge the funds,

CamG keep diving....keep training....Keep learning!

Well Cam, only 2 weeks to go! I've got all my equipment packed up & tanks filled, except for a few things I may need to do some little recreational diving sessions in the pool (Try Scuba sessions & skills updates), I'm chomping at the bit to go. I know for sure we're heading down on the 28th & coming back on the 5th. Then, I may come back down a couple days later, with a couple of friends/ mentors for a few more days. I have 3 weeks off during that period & am very much looking forward to it.

I did make it down to Ponce de Leon, last weekend, to finish up some of my OW students. They all did fine. I was going to stay an extra day to get in a little extra diving & play a little, but it was not meant to be. We wound up leaving right after the students finsihed up on Sat., to try to beat the southern states ice storm. Glad we did. Even though I was in no rush to get home, some of the students had to be back at work on Monday.

 

[tstormdiver]

Lynne is right, when you get those STEW-PID heavy tanks off your back its awesome. No sore backs and legs when you have to tote them a good ways. Once your comfy in them you can do so much more. One of my faves is turning on my back and swimming and looking at the ceiling of the cave. Much easier when diving off john boats and stuff too.

I thought it was always, "no pain, no gain". Right now, I can swim on my back too in BM, turning back right side up however, is another issue

 

[ucfdiver]

Lynne is right, when you get those STEW-PID heavy tanks off your back its awesome. No sore backs and legs when you have to tote them a good ways.

But you have to walk back and forth gearing up and breaking down, PITA!

swimming

eww

Much easier when diving off john boats and stuff too.

100% agreed. There's a few sites I won't dive BM just because of the risk of falling.