Interesting Temporary Buoyancy Issue

[Shasta_man]

As you mention, I always think at this point the best teacher is more dives. Time spent in the water getting used to equipment, getting used to how your specific equipment works, how your body works, making observations, little tweaks and getting experience, while getting calmer when diving to also eliminate that effect.

 

[Patrick Star]

I agree, Shasta. At least the way my brain works, if I pick at a leaned skill for a bit on my own, I develop better and more refined questions for the next round of instruction. Too long and I begin to develop bad habits. Too short and I have deprived myself of that necessary self experimentation. It's a sweet spot.

 

[DaniDives]

Let some water in the wetsuit once you are in the water, from the neck. It makes any air escape out of your suit. You can also stay vertical, but head up, and use the dumpvalve on the shoulder rather than the inflator hose to deflate the bcd. And exhaaaaaleeeee... Take your time.

 

[Patrick Star]

Let some water in the wetsuit once you are in the water, from the neck.

BUT IT'S 50 DEGREES! Easy to say when you are in Dubai!

All kidding aside, Dani, I think you are absolutely right. However, my suit borders on semi-dry, so I am going to work on trying to squeeze out the air with pressure as I descend without intentionally flooding it. I have been coming up remarkably dry after dives and like it. Of course, the suit is new, so as the seals wear and stretch, there goes the semi-dryness. But I hope to ride this wave as long as I can.

exhaaaaaleeeee... Take your time.

On this, truer words have never been spoken. Thank you.

 

[DaniDives]

It's 50 degrees here as well. Celcius, that is

I've seen people take a single weight extra to help them descent and leave it at the anchor line. Though if you do a drift dive, that might not be a solution.

 

[Patrick Star]

It's 50 degrees here as well. Celcius, that is

Ha!

I've seen people take a single weight extra to help them descent and leave it at the anchor line.

Great idea, at least for experimentation. Though all of the dives I am doing now are shore dives, I think I can still make it work. When we go, there are usually 12-16 divers, and it is always the same location. So I could figure out a conspicuous place and I'll be someone would grab it for me on their way up.

 

[DaniDives]

If you have a buddy in that group not minding a few extra pounds, you could ask them to give it to you and take it back to experiment. I personally always carry extra weight, being the dive leader most of the time, so I'd be happy to help you out in that and I'm sure countless of divers would do the same.

If you're really desperate you could bring a liftbag for the extra weights.

 

[Patrick Star]

That's an even better idea, Dani. The people I dive with are so nice, I am sure I could find someone who would be willing to indulge my experiment.