Is horizontal position really better?

[Blackcrusader]

If you want to talk to scuba divers using lingo, definitions from the 80s and have them understand what you are talking about, you'll have to get your time machine working. If you want to talk to divers in modern times, you will need to suck it up and learn the modern lingo.

OK lol Use of the ad hominem attack when you have no useful discourse to offer.

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[MichaelMc]

OK lol Use of the ad hominem attack when you have no useful discourse to offer.

​

That is not an ad hominem attack.

Ad hominem - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So, back to horizontal.

 

[rongoodman]

Some people think night diving should be classed as technical diving.

Who would these "some people" be?

 

[gbf]

Yes, just like golfing, do it however you want to enjoy it, but if you want to improve and maybe reach new highs- may have to get a better form (or trim )

Wait. The guy at Edwin Watts told me I could BUY a better game. You mean I spent all that $ for nothing??

 

[Adobo]

OK lol Use of the ad hominem attack when you have no useful discourse to offer.

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You not understanding my point is not the same as me not having a point.

My training is from an agency that is, like BSAC, small compared to agencies such as PADI, SSI and SDI. Yet they are an agency that has instructors world wide.

When I engage other scuba divers in conversation, I am not so arrogant to think that this comparatively small agency's verbiage and definitions are commonly understood and accepted. I allow for the fact the overwhelming majority of the diver population use a different lexicon.

 

[VWRdiver]

I won't claim to be the expert of buoyancy but I will offer my 2 cents...

I used to think the same way - a diver needs to be able to maintain their depth without any reference. I thought that I was a pretty sucky diver as I could not maintain my depth without a reference. Then it dawned on me - maybe its not that I need to be able to maintain depth without a reference but rather, I need to know what references I have at my disposal.

In recreational diving, you almost always have a visual reference. These references include:
- the reef - during the dive, you are usually looking at the reef. The reef gives you a visual reference
- anchor line - if you are diving from a boat, the anchor line can serve as a visual reference. Note that if there is a lot of swell, the boat will move the anchorline up down and therefore it becomes less reliable
- spool with your SMB - if you are ascending and the boat is not anchored, you will have to deploy your SMB. You can lock your spool such that there is tension on the line while you are at your desired depth. This actually works great for you as you can feel when you are ascending or descending just by holding the spool. It is also works great as the spool will give your buddy a visual reference.
- computer - ideally, you will have other reliable references for depth. But if you don't, for example, if you are travelling mid water or you are ascending on an anchor line and the anchor line is moving a lot due to swell, you can use your computer's depth gauge. Just keep in mind that you cannot fixate on your computer. You need to be diligent to maintain situational awareness of other things beyond your current depth.
- your buddy - in an unfortunate case where you lose your mask during a dive and no backup mask is available, your vision will be impaired. In this case, your buddy can serve as your touch reference for your depth
- if using one, your drysuit - this one is kind of imperfect. At least for me. But it will tell you - if you have adjusted your drysuit for the current depth you want to be at, you will feel it get tighter if you descend and get loose if you ascend. For me, by the time I know, I usually moved a couple of feet already. Anyway, it is an indicator all the same.

I can't think of a situation where you have no reference for depth when doing recreational dives. The only one I can conjure up is if you purposefully dive when the environment has almost zero vis.

Yep, all good stuff, but all stuff I already knew. There's a lot of good info in there for newer divers though.Thanks for the write up though, I appreciate it!

 

[Adobo]

" BSAC varies from many agencies in allowing some staged decompression within recreational diving."

Precisely

 

[boulderjohn]

I suspect that the shift in language regarding the use of the word "recreational" began nearly 40 years ago with the introduction of the PADI tables. These tables had a significant impact on the diving scene because they enabled the 2-tank diving protocols we have today. Before that, nearly everyone used a version of the US Navy tables, and those tables called for a very long surface interval between dives. PADI's research led them to use the 60 minute compartment for surface intervals instead of the 120 minute compartment. They also shortened the NDL for first dives and nearly doubled the pressure groups to limit rounding. They eliminated mandatory decompression. These changes all combined to create dramatically shorter surface intervals and came to govern pretty much all the common NDL dives done around the world.

PADI called its tables The Recreational Dive Planner, and said that people exceeding the limits of those tables had to use a different system to plan those dives. Thus, within the PADI system, recreational dives were those within the limits of the Recreational Dive Planner.

The term "technical diving" did not emerge until some time after that, with Michael Menduno getting credit for its introduction.

 

[Centrals]

Some people think night diving should be classed as technical diving. By the way you will find many divers who would tell you they also consider deco dives as recreational dives.

Some people!!!!!
You made that up without any references/quotes.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is a portion of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, as Alice has a puzzling conversation with Humpty Dumpty.
...................................

'I don't know what you mean by "glory",' Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. 'Of course you don't — till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!"'

'But "glory" doesn't mean "a nice knock-down argument",' Alice objected.

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'

'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master — that's all.'

Alice was too much puzzled to say anything; so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. 'They've a temper, some of them — particularly verbs: they're the proudest — adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs — however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That's what I say!'

'Would you tell me please,' said Alice, 'what that means?'

'Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. 'I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.'

'That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

'When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'I always pay it extra.'

'Oh!' said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark.

'Ah, you should see 'em come round me of a Saturday night,' Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side, 'for to get their wages, you know.'