I look awful when I'm diving.

[crpntr133]

If you are dog paddling, then you most likely are over weighted. Try loosing a few pounds.

I thought we were going to have a fight when I first read this. :11:
Of course by her pic I didn't think so.

Now on to a serious note. I am not really comfortable with my arms being to my side. I like to relax as much as possible. I tuck my thumbs under my harness and I can relax my arms and still can be fairly streamline. (I look like a farmer with his thumb under his bib strap) This also gives me control of my inflator button while decending without moving my hands from my side.

I know what you mean about the instructors comments feeling really good. On my 15th dive my instructor commented about my bouyancy and being able to hover and move around without my hands ever moving. Made me feel pretty good.

 

[DandyDon]

Any pointers?

Yeah - a hundred more dives. At this point, I'd suggest a refreseher course for safety.

Girl, you gotta' dive a lot more! :shades:

 

[BluOrchid2]

Yes, Pasley was right that I was overweighted. I was struggling to get down, so had added more weights, but all I really needed to do was RELAX, and keep my arms/legs motionless like he said. I went diving this past weekend, and did it perfectly. Sunk like a rock because I was still overweighted, but was advised to keep the extra weights to compensate for an emptier tank later in the day. I dove with 12 lbs in fresh water, and I think I could have gone with 8 or 10. This coming weekend, we are diving again, and I will try 10. I understand about needing more for later in the day, but 12 was too much as when I did my buoyance check I sank under the surface about 2 feet. I would rather have had the correct weights when beginning, and added more later. Our dives are not lengthy or deep ones, and we will use the same tank of air for the whole day, or at least last weekend I did. So it would be easy enough to grab a couple more pounds from the boat prior to a 2nd or 3rd dive.

Don, I'm working on it! And I have been "refreshed," as I sat attentively through the OW instructional a couple of weekends ago when my son was doing it, and then last weekend got back in the water with my instructor for a couple of dives. I'm hoping to not let it go so long between dives this time, but with winter coming in the midwest, and no tropical trips planned until April, that may not happen.

DH and I are taking Peak Performance Buoyancy as part of our AOW this weekend, and I'm sure that will help me even further. Simple practice, and more dives as you said, will help. But having only 9 dives under my belt since certification, I'm happy with where I am now, after this past weekend. Unless we move to the beach, I doubt I'll ever feel like I'm "advanced." That's not the point of our taking the AOW; it's simply to continue our learning and get more practice.

crpntr133, thanks for your comments!

I tried to view the videos on the link given yesterday, but no luck even after d/ling QT. I'll try something different today. Thanks!

 

[whitedragon13]

There's not much reason to keep your hands posted at the inflator/dump all the time. With a lot of practice, you can get to where you will rarely touch them. With a lot MORE practice, you may be able to eventually get to where you can dive without weights at all, especially since you're already thin enough to be only using 8-10 lbs.
sounds like you're on the right track.

 

[BluOrchid2]

already thin enough

Remember that old Bud commercial? "I love you, man!"

But I know you're right about keeping my hands on the controls.....I just read that last night in my AOW book. Practice, more dives. We just need to move to Florida. It would be worth the hurricanes to be near the ocean.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, I live as far from good diving as you, except I think you get better airfares. Anyway, as you can afford to direct the money, go! When I was brand new at this (still a newbie at times), went to Key Largo, got on a cattle boat with a number of other newbies, and did the shallow reefs all weekend. It was fun, and it got me well started. Overall, with the qualify of operators, background infratstructure (just in case you need a hospital, there are good ones), US Coast Guard oversite, and the threat of US courts - you cannot ask for safer practice, and it's good diving.

I'm going there again in Nov, although I tend to dive the deeper wrecks now.

 

[dbulmer]

BluOrchid,
Keep your hands off the inflator until you need to use it. Why? Earlier in the year I got too fixated with the inflator and I ended up disconnecting it from my wing accidently. I don't know how I did this but it's the only plausible explanation. The water was cold and neither I nor my buddy could connect it again due to the cold. It wasn't stressful but it could have been had I not been with an experienced buddy.

And I bet you look wonderful in the water! If a bloke cannot lech underwater, he aint' doing it right

 

[DandyDon]

Oh, about the arms & hands. Once I've adjusted, I like to keep my arms at my side, hands together under my weightbelt, to discourage me from moving them. Stremalines me well, and I can hold my console in one so as to watch my air and depth closely. rofile:

 

[scubahorse]

How about put your hands in your pockets?

 

[crpntr133]

There's not much reason to keep your hands posted at the inflator/dump all the time. With a lot of practice, you can get to where you will rarely touch them. With a lot MORE practice, you may be able to eventually get to where you can dive without weights at all, especially since you're already thin enough to be only using 8-10 lbs.
sounds like you're on the right track.

I didn't say that I mess with the inflator button all the time, nor the dump. I deflate, sink and adjust and leave it unless I am going deeper and need to. Putting my thumbs under my harness is more comfortable for me. If I relax my arms when they are at me side they end up flapping in the water. I guess I could tuck them under my tank but then I have shoulder issues that would probably flair up.

8-10 lbs wearing a wetsuit suitable for midwest diving??? I would like to see that!! A couple of guys that I know that dive a BP use a little bit.