Math question - am I an air hog?

[Jax]

Some people might think I'm a bit nuts for doing five adventure dives (AOW) in Kaua'i, and spending the time with an instructor, learning, instead of just going diving and enjoying Hawaii. My reasoning is that I'll be there by myself and don't want to get stuck with an "insta-buddy" I don't know when going diving. I don't want to dive with anyone other than an instructor or DM until I feel like I pretty much know what I'm doing in all these different situations. Nobody should want me as a buddy right now either - I'm too new and want to learn a lot more before putting someone elses life in my hands

Says more about the 'some people', doesn't it? Learning new stuff on a dive vacation is the BOMB!!!!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That is a pretty high breathing rate for someone in a pool doing gentle relaxing dive . If you are breathing that much air and you are not a huge person, then you REALLY need to work on slower, deeper breathing.

 

[RJP]

Some people might think I'm a bit nuts for doing five adventure dives (AOW) in Kaua'i, and spending the time with an instructor, learning, instead of just going diving and enjoying Hawaii.

I did my AOW in Maui the same way, for essentially the same reason. In fact my AOW dives were logged dives 5-9 for me. Trust me, you'll enjoy the dives just fine!

 

[RTee]

TK...17.44 mins plus ascend + 3 mins safety stop...over 20 mins. You maybe able to downgrade from 60 to 52 sunblocker.

You are not the first and will not be the last. It is a start so relax and enjoy. Attempt to work on one little thing at a time and learn to ...relax. As one previous individual noted, not all insta-buddy are hair losing experience. Some are more gifted at it than others in that regard.

I do have a diving buddy who is not frugal when it comes to air concumption and he has over 100 dives. Having problem with his knees, he is not the most gracious and efficient swimmer. You give him a camera and he is all over the place (still in close proximity to his buddy) and you can see his eyes sparkling with excitement...he's 52...lol.

In Oct 09 (Cuba) I swear I could see him smile at me when he ended up facing me at 80 something feet after 20 mins or so (he was down to 1000 psi) and pointing at my octo which, by the way, was not the first time he was trying.

Lately we were part of the same group on a live aboard and I did a couple of dives with him. We first ensured he got a 100cft while we used 80. Even though he still went through it faster than we did, we all had great dives and had fun. If it is not him, then it will end up being somebody else including myself who will eventually reach the magic thumb up psi.

Last point...we all enjoy diving with him...because he is still a very good and reliable buddy. So don't put extra pressure on yourself. I think most of us, if not all, went through the very same thing at some point in time.

That's a bummer though going to Maui for AOW...My experience was a cold and dark canadian lake.

 

[diveprof]

No. You're a new diver.

Air consumption will improve dramatically the more comfortable you get diving. Plus, here's my 13 tips to improve air consumption:

1. Slow down
2. Get your weighting dialed in
3. Slow down
4. Get your buoyancy control dialed in
5. Slow down
6. Get your trim horizontal
7. Slow down some more
8. Keep your hands/arms still
9. Slow down even more
10. Work on efficient propulsion techniques
11. You're still going too fast...
12. Get more comfortable in the water
13. Did I mention slowing down?

Note, you may well burn through air even faster than you calculated for your deep dive, simply because it's your first deep dive. You may be a bit more anxious, a touch of narcosis, etc. It's normal. Keep an eye on your SPG, and please don't calculate how long until you "run the tank dry" but rather how long until you need to leave for the surface, including a safety stop and reserve.

Good list, though you didn't address the need to slow things down adequately Movements need to be purposeful. How often do you see the "bird dog" divers? Rush to the left, rush to the right -squirrel! squirrel! Was there a squirrel ? ADHD. 20 minutes of hyperactivity followed by an ascent.
Let's make it a list of 14 or 15 by adding secure your gear properly - avoid the dangles. Also, wear proper exposure protection - or more than you think you might need. If the water ain't 98.6 you are losing body heat. Getting chilled means you tire easily and use more air. I wear a 4/3 fullsuit in the Carib.

 

[haumana ronin]

If you signed up for AOW for the pure reason of not wanting to be stuck with an insta-buddy, then I wonder if this forum has gone a little overboard. :hiding: I think everyone should have some concern, but it should not scare the bejesus out of you. And pre-dive interviewing should help a bit with that depending on how worried you are. Now if you are concerned about someone else being insta-buddied with you, then that is a different issue.

Also, if someone is taking the class at the same time, you will still be stuck with an insta-buddy anyway. Just sayin...

And for your original question: Yes. Yes you are, but we are supposed to be. We are new.. If you really are worried about the math, the Google "sac calculator" for a double check.

:zen:

 

[TexasKaren68]

If you signed up for AOW for the pure reason of not wanting to be stuck with an insta-buddy, then I wonder if this forum has gone a little overboard. :hiding: I think everyone should have some concern, but it should not scare the bejesus out of you. And pre-dive interviewing should help a bit with that depending on how worried you are. Now if you are concerned about someone else being insta-buddied with you, then that is a different issue.

Also, if someone is taking the class at the same time, you will still be stuck with an insta-buddy anyway. Just sayin...

And for your original question: Yes. Yes you are, but we are supposed to be. We are new.. If you really are worried about the math, the Google "sac calculator" for a double check.

:zen:

I didn't sign up for AOW for just that reason. I'd been planning to do a few dives in Kaua'i and when I started working out my schedule and looking at the cost of a couple days of diving compared to doing the five AOW dives, it made more financial sense to do the AOW. It also makes me a bit more comfortable knowing I'll be with an instructor for my first deep dive, not just an insta-buddy (who might have 5,000 dives, but then I'd feel like I might be holding that person back).

I wish I had a bit more time to work on my breathing, but I'm just going to have to try to relax and enjoy the dives, no matter how short they turn out to be :depressed:

Scubaboard hasn't scared me too much about insta-buddies. SB has done a better job of scaring me that I'm either going to run out of air, freeze to death, suffer from DCS, or be abandoned by a dive boat in Australia. :shocked2:

 

[shmuggy]

You have already gotten a lot of great advice here- just remember to enjoy the dive as well and take nice deep breaths. You cannot reduce your air consumption on a dive so get it in your head that you are going to take in all you want and when the dive ends- so be it. You will find with each dive it gets better and better- your enjoyment of the sport and your air consumption. The post telling you to slow down is right ont he mark- the people who use up their air the fastest are the ones who run around trying to see everything they can- all they do is scare the neat critters away.

I hope you have a really great time!

 

[Diver0001]

I didn't sign up for AOW for just that reason. I'd been planning to do a few dives in Kaua'i and when I started working out my schedule and looking at the cost of a couple days of diving compared to doing the five AOW dives, it made more financial sense to do the AOW. It also makes me a bit more comfortable knowing I'll be with an instructor for my first deep dive, not just an insta-buddy (who might have 5,000 dives, but then I'd feel like I might be holding that person back).

I wish I had a bit more time to work on my breathing, but I'm just going to have to try to relax and enjoy the dives, no matter how short they turn out to be :depressed:

I don't see a problem if you want to take AOW on your vacation. Hell... *I* took my AOW because it was cheaper than renting gear for 5 dives.

Don't let these guys get to you. This is the kind of board where everyone chronically over-analyses things. I'd apologize for them but they'd probably over-analyse that too

Scubaboard hasn't scared me too much about insta-buddies. SB has done a better job of scaring me that I'm either going to run out of air, freeze to death, suffer from DCS, or be abandoned by a dive boat in Australia. :shocked2:

I did mention before that over-stating things is out biggest pastime? If this was a fishing forum you'd think that every fish in the ocean was the size of Moby Dick.

R..

 

[diveprof]

I didn't sign up for AOW for just that reason. I'd been planning to do a few dives in Kaua'i and when I started working out my schedule and looking at the cost of a couple days of diving compared to doing the five AOW dives, it made more financial sense to do the AOW. It also makes me a bit more comfortable knowing I'll be with an instructor for my first deep dive, not just an insta-buddy (who might have 5,000 dives, but then I'd feel like I might be holding that person back).

I wish I had a bit more time to work on my breathing, but I'm just going to have to try to relax and enjoy the dives, no matter how short they turn out to be :depressed:

Scubaboard hasn't scared me too much about insta-buddies. SB has done a better job of scaring me that I'm either going to run out of air, freeze to death, suffer from DCS, or be abandoned by a dive boat in Australia. :shocked2:

Doing the AOW will add to your knowledge base and if it makes sense financially - go for it. You will still enjoy the dives and learn a bit too. Sorry if SB comments have contributed to your worries. Diving is a realtively safe sport. There are more injuries per 1000 participants in bowling than diving. My comments were about things you can do to increase comfort and extend your dives. Sorry if they added to your concerns.