Went for my advance in Dutch Springs Pa and went to the bottom, cannot seem to stay neurtally bouyant. it was so easy in the Bahamas and went to the lost Blue Hole and went 104.' enjoyed myself, but in fresh water i could not get bouyant at all, and another thing, when going under I normally dump all the air out of the bc and then try to re add the air when I hit the platform, My instructor got me going, but what about when he is not around.
How to stay neutrally bouyant in Dutch Springs
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Scott L
Contributor
You should be adding gas to your BC before you near the platform or bottom. My guess is you added too much air in order keep from making contact with the hard bottom and then corrected by dumping too much yet again...
Also, as compared to the Bahamas your stress level was probaly much greater with the cold, etc. translating to greater swings in buoyancy with erratic breathing. Just my two cents worth until some instructors arrive to the thread...
Also, as compared to the Bahamas your stress level was probaly much greater with the cold, etc. translating to greater swings in buoyancy with erratic breathing. Just my two cents worth until some instructors arrive to the thread...
Cold water diving is definitely harder the diving in the tropics. First, you really need to make sure you are properly weighted. If you are not your problems are compounded by the unnecessary extra air in your BC.
As you descend in the cold water, several things are happening at the same time affecting your buoyancy. The wet suit is compressing and becoming less buoyant and the volume of air already in your BC is reduced by both the cold and increased pressure.
You are just used to compensating for the pressure change in your warm water dives and if you were properly weighted this was a very small change.
As you leave the surface pay close attention to your rate of descent and add air to keep it under control. If you fail to stay ahead of it you will drop like a rock. The opposite is true as you ascend. Keep your rate under control by dumping air to keep from popping up like a cork.
I've had the same problems, knowing the problem and staying ahead of it are the key. Practice, practice, practice.
My son and I will be at Dutch tomorrow and Wednesday this week. Conditions look good.
As you descend in the cold water, several things are happening at the same time affecting your buoyancy. The wet suit is compressing and becoming less buoyant and the volume of air already in your BC is reduced by both the cold and increased pressure.
You are just used to compensating for the pressure change in your warm water dives and if you were properly weighted this was a very small change.
As you leave the surface pay close attention to your rate of descent and add air to keep it under control. If you fail to stay ahead of it you will drop like a rock. The opposite is true as you ascend. Keep your rate under control by dumping air to keep from popping up like a cork.
I've had the same problems, knowing the problem and staying ahead of it are the key. Practice, practice, practice.
My son and I will be at Dutch tomorrow and Wednesday this week. Conditions look good.
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Marek K
Contributor
There are a lot of variables that are different between warm salt-water diving in the Bahamas (mmmm!), and colder fresh-water diving in a quarry.
Someone already mentioned the wetsuit you were probably wearing, that you weren't wearing in the Bahamas; compressing as you went deeper and making you less bouyant.
But there's also the fact that fresh water is significantly less-buoyant than salt water. All other things being equal, you'd need several pounds less weight.
Of course, the thicker wetsuit would counteract that. But I do think a big problem was these two variables affecting your proper weighting.
Someone already mentioned the wetsuit you were probably wearing, that you weren't wearing in the Bahamas; compressing as you went deeper and making you less bouyant.
But there's also the fact that fresh water is significantly less-buoyant than salt water. All other things being equal, you'd need several pounds less weight.
Of course, the thicker wetsuit would counteract that. But I do think a big problem was these two variables affecting your proper weighting.
First off, make sure you are properly weighted for the fresh water and the exposure protection you are wearing. Then realize that, unlike your prior experience with warm salt water and thin exposure protection (if any), a thick wetsuit is going to lose significant buoyancy as you descend. In the tropics, a couple of puffs of air is enough to compensate for the gas you are carrying; in cold water, you have to add a LOT more to compensate for the thick neoprene as well.
As you descend, it is a reasonable practice to add a little air to your BC each time you have to clear your ears. It will slow your descend, so that once you acquire a visual on the bottom, you are moving slowly enough that it is easy to stop. You can also get an idea of your sink rate by watching how fast the particles in the water are streaming up around you -- if they're going fast, it's a good idea to add some air to the BC and slow the whole process down.
Assuming a large enough air bladder (which most BCs do have) you can get neutral in any water. It's just a matter of putting enough air in the BC. And that's why you don't want to be overweighted, because that will just make it that much harder to get enough air in to compensate for weight you don't need.
As you descend, it is a reasonable practice to add a little air to your BC each time you have to clear your ears. It will slow your descend, so that once you acquire a visual on the bottom, you are moving slowly enough that it is easy to stop. You can also get an idea of your sink rate by watching how fast the particles in the water are streaming up around you -- if they're going fast, it's a good idea to add some air to the BC and slow the whole process down.
Assuming a large enough air bladder (which most BCs do have) you can get neutral in any water. It's just a matter of putting enough air in the BC. And that's why you don't want to be overweighted, because that will just make it that much harder to get enough air in to compensate for weight you don't need.
Marek K
Contributor
Yeah, OP, I'd be interested in finding out what wetsuit and weight configuration you were diving with. It sure sounds like you were over-weighted in fresh water. Which, as TSandM pointed out, will force you to put more air into your BC to compensate.
But a larger air bubble in your BC will compress and contract much more than anything else with depth, making it very difficult to achieve neutral buoyancy.
I had 18lbs, a Farmer John 7 mil 3000 psi. I have since purchased a 7 mil Neo Sport ( made by Henderson) I have the correct weight I weigh 168lbs, so I purchase a cruz BC and invested in soft weights totalling 17lbs, I brought 2-5lbs soft, 2-3lbs soft and added a 1lb leg weight for the bottle, My instructor said I had funny weight so he said I need 17 lbs, so I will see in the pool and then at Dutch Spring in two wks, also let me ask you, how much weight should i purge when decesending, all of it or just enough to get me submerged, thanks for your help, I want this, but I want it right.
raying:
raying:
You should request access to the Dive NY subforum. There are a BUNCH of ScubaBoarders in that forum that dive Dutch, and some of them have some very helpful training with respect to weighting, buoyancy and trim.
When you start your descent, just let out enough to get started. As you descend you will need to add air because of the pressure increase on your wet suit and the air in your BC.
I find with my configuration, that I need to start adding air at 8-10 feet. You are probably diving the student side at Dutch Springs. Concentrate on making your descent without touching the bottom as you make your way to the platforms. The biggest change is in the first 20-30 feet, thats where you need to pay the most attention going down and coming back up.
I find with my configuration, that I need to start adding air at 8-10 feet. You are probably diving the student side at Dutch Springs. Concentrate on making your descent without touching the bottom as you make your way to the platforms. The biggest change is in the first 20-30 feet, thats where you need to pay the most attention going down and coming back up.
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