OP
Pettyfan45
Contributor
Thank you for the generosity. I will see about getting in touch with you about this when the financers are sorted.
I am interested in learning to Dive, but I am landlocked and I have physical disabilities
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Np. Thanks for being awesome. I can't imagine overcoming the obstacles you've spent your whole life dealing with. You're way stronger than most of us, even if by outward appearances people can't see it.
OP
Pettyfan45
Contributor
I think a lot of it is my sister and I are twins, so it becomes one of us is able to do something why can't I? One of the most heartbreaking things I see with people how have CP is they are alway told what they can't do, but not what they can. Too often people with CP or even disabilities in general are not allowed to explore their limits while they are younger and (sorry this is going to be a bit morbid) just kinda sat in front of a TV or computer while they wait for death basically.
My sister has less the 1% brain activity on the left side of her brain and she went from my being told she was going to spending her live in a wheelchair and never mentally progress past a toddler to graduating High School taking normal classes and even doing some college. The fact she can walk unassisted is probably my fault, she would try and case after me but her walker would keep getting caught on things and she got fed up with it tossed her walker aside to start chasing after me. Hell she can tie her shoes and knit one handed.
She can do it too. Get a note from the doctor. Same deal as yours.
OP
Pettyfan45
Contributor
So have anyone of you guys heard of or tried Fin Clips? Would they be something to look into or wait for some future iteration?
Do it! Enjoy it!
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I've never needed anything like fin clips in 3 decades of diving. Something like that comes around every few years.
Mares had a locking system once - it expanded on both sides to put your foot in then locked.
I just about broke a fingernail getting them unlocked more than once Waste of $29 - I threw them away a year later.
An adaption your sis might need to make is tighten her fin straps then sit down and buckle them on instead of the standing doff/don most divers do.You could even do it for her or the dive crew will..
You do it near the back of the boat then stand up and shuffle to the back - fins are hard to walk in.
My somewhat overweight friend sits, puts on her fins then sits on the swim step and the crew brings all her gear, gets her in it and shoves her off the step. She also takes all her gear off in the water and hands it up before climbing the ladder.
On some boats they lower the swimstep into the water when they arrive so it's almost possible to just climb on. w/o the ladder. Once you're back on the boat the crew will guide you to your seat and help you sit down as needed.
I usually hand up my weights since my system has them in pockets with handles so easy for the crew to grab - you don't want them coming back down at you...lol.
There's even a couple boats that have a lift on the back - I know of one in CA and a couple in south FL. - they lower the step, you get on and they lift you back up. Some boats have fin ladders - the sides are open so you can climb them with fins on,
Something to consider for your checkout dives - most operators have pictures of their boats online - esp. if they;ve gone thru the trouble of adding a swim platform or other dive-friendly features..
Mares had a locking system once - it expanded on both sides to put your foot in then locked.
I just about broke a fingernail getting them unlocked more than once Waste of $29 - I threw them away a year later.
An adaption your sis might need to make is tighten her fin straps then sit down and buckle them on instead of the standing doff/don most divers do.You could even do it for her or the dive crew will..
You do it near the back of the boat then stand up and shuffle to the back - fins are hard to walk in.
My somewhat overweight friend sits, puts on her fins then sits on the swim step and the crew brings all her gear, gets her in it and shoves her off the step. She also takes all her gear off in the water and hands it up before climbing the ladder.
On some boats they lower the swimstep into the water when they arrive so it's almost possible to just climb on. w/o the ladder. Once you're back on the boat the crew will guide you to your seat and help you sit down as needed.
I usually hand up my weights since my system has them in pockets with handles so easy for the crew to grab - you don't want them coming back down at you...lol.
There's even a couple boats that have a lift on the back - I know of one in CA and a couple in south FL. - they lower the step, you get on and they lift you back up. Some boats have fin ladders - the sides are open so you can climb them with fins on,
Something to consider for your checkout dives - most operators have pictures of their boats online - esp. if they;ve gone thru the trouble of adding a swim platform or other dive-friendly features..
Danny Lucerne
New
Just recently did some diving with a ladie in a wheelchair. Paralysed from the waist down. Obviously she needed extra help gearing up and getting in the water and the dive master helped her by towing her under the water. She did fantastic and had a great time. I think you should go for it.
OP
Pettyfan45
Contributor
I was thinking, the only real issue I can see with my sister having a regulator on her right side would be if it comes out and goes behind her, is there some kind of tether or something to keep the regulator from going behind her so she could use a normal set up and rent gear. That way we can take our time getting gear instead of feeling we need to basically get her everything but the tank at the start, we can space it and decide "do we really need BCDs or regulators" especially if we only go diving every 2-3 years+. Though if we go diving yearly it might be more worth it to get our own BCDs and regulator.
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if your sister accidentally drops her regulator - she has both her octo and yours to breathe from while she recovers it.
Someone with a normal range of motion will be tuaught to reach behind and locate the primary 1st stage hose near the 1st stage then keeping it between your fingers - as you pull your hand forward, the reg comes with it.
You're also her buddy usually so can help her.
As a accommodation I don't see the downside to a short tether either but I'm not your instructor. People who dive a certain style are taught to donate their primary and keep their octo on a bungee around their neck for their use.
Tanks are either provided by the boat operator or can be rented, You can't effectively fly with them anyway due to TSA regulations requiring the valve to be removed for transport so most occasional divers don't bother. In 3 decades I've never owned one.
Many people rent for years - especially occasional divers. Most rentals are decent jacket style bcd's and standard 1st/2md/octo regulator setups with gaugues. Some operatorswill provide a computer also for use on the dive and to help them monitor your dives.
Many people buy mask/fins/snorkel as part of class since you want those items to fit well so you're not bothered by leaks etc. during training and rent everything else fro a while. If it works out that you dive often it makes sense to buy/be familiar with your own gear.. I know several people who dive on cruises - they rent from the cruise operator - usually it's included in the price. Just about every dive operator has some sort of rental option - it's pretty standard.
The only exception in your situation would be any needed accommodations such as moving the inflator to the right side - that's not normally done as part of a rental. Also no one that I know of rents a BC with an I3 inflator that I'm aware of - they're only on premium models that typically are not in rental fleets.
If you get medically cleared to dive, start with a Discover Dive thru a shop as they will provide all the gear in the price. Don't buy a lot of expensive gear that is going to sit in the closet most of the time. Also once you buy a regulator - there are annual/bi-annual service costs even if it's not used - the rubber parts decay over time. .
With advance notice some operators may be willing to provide special accommodations as needed, just don't show up expecting it without prior contact.
Someone with a normal range of motion will be tuaught to reach behind and locate the primary 1st stage hose near the 1st stage then keeping it between your fingers - as you pull your hand forward, the reg comes with it.
You're also her buddy usually so can help her.
As a accommodation I don't see the downside to a short tether either but I'm not your instructor. People who dive a certain style are taught to donate their primary and keep their octo on a bungee around their neck for their use.
Tanks are either provided by the boat operator or can be rented, You can't effectively fly with them anyway due to TSA regulations requiring the valve to be removed for transport so most occasional divers don't bother. In 3 decades I've never owned one.
Many people rent for years - especially occasional divers. Most rentals are decent jacket style bcd's and standard 1st/2md/octo regulator setups with gaugues. Some operatorswill provide a computer also for use on the dive and to help them monitor your dives.
Many people buy mask/fins/snorkel as part of class since you want those items to fit well so you're not bothered by leaks etc. during training and rent everything else fro a while. If it works out that you dive often it makes sense to buy/be familiar with your own gear.. I know several people who dive on cruises - they rent from the cruise operator - usually it's included in the price. Just about every dive operator has some sort of rental option - it's pretty standard.
The only exception in your situation would be any needed accommodations such as moving the inflator to the right side - that's not normally done as part of a rental. Also no one that I know of rents a BC with an I3 inflator that I'm aware of - they're only on premium models that typically are not in rental fleets.
If you get medically cleared to dive, start with a Discover Dive thru a shop as they will provide all the gear in the price. Don't buy a lot of expensive gear that is going to sit in the closet most of the time. Also once you buy a regulator - there are annual/bi-annual service costs even if it's not used - the rubber parts decay over time. .
With advance notice some operators may be willing to provide special accommodations as needed, just don't show up expecting it without prior contact.
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