Matt's Trip Report -- Sunset House

[FPDocMatt]

Day 1

Weather perfect -- 84 degrees, water temp 81. Water completely calm, deep blue, gentle breeze. Checked in with Jaxx, forms filled out. Not sure about appropriate amt of weight. Last visit here I used 8 lbs, but that wasn't enough, so chose 10 lbs. Guided shore dive with Aaron, couldn't have been nicer. Very patient with my newby ignorance: basically, if there's a wrong way to get kitted up I did it. Step entry from dock. New mask flooded, had to tighten strap. Couldn't descend, so Aaron added 2 more lbs to make 12. Still had trouble descending because had trouble equalizing ears. Needed to exhale to descend, but every time took a breath to equalize bobbed to the surface. So we swam on surface to buoy offshore, used the line to descend. Took about 5 minutes to descend to 25 feet due to equalization problems. Visibility about 70 feet. Beautiful fish. Swam out to mermaid statue (55 fsw). New split fins much easier and more effective than previous fins. New mask with prescription lenses very effective, it's great to be able to see everything so clearly. New wrist computer working well. Careful to watch pressure gauge. Started with 3300. When got to 1600 signaled to start back (used "home" sign). When nearly back to shore, at 13 fsw, started to bob to the surface. Wondered why, then realized it was the decreased wt of the half-empty tank. Had forgotten to do rest stop. Spring releases on new fins much much easier to take off than releases on previous fins. Noticed that weight of tank and gear not nearly as exhausting as on previous dive trips, due to strength training I'd been doing. Rinsed gear. Got 2 lbs more weight from dive shop for tomorrow's dive, to make 14 lbs. After showering and hanging wet suit up to try, went to bar to fill out dive log and have a delightful Indian meal (tofu with curry sauce). How is it that the best Indian restaurant I've ever eaten at is at a dive resort? Took awhile to figure out how to get dive info off dive computer. Amazed that total time under water was only 34 minutes, seemed a lot longer.

 

[Dr Dog]

Hey Matt

Sorry you had so many problems, but it sounds like you still had fun under the waves. I find not bobbing up tough too. My main issue is with my buoyancy, and I am working hard to correct it.

An Instructor in Mexico gave me some advice, "try to exhale twice as long as you in inhale". I have been trying to do that since I got back.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Great report Matt! I can definitely get a sense of the dive from your detailed description.

 

[TSandM]

Oh, DD, don't rib him. A lot of my early logs read something like, "Tank too low; couldn't keep air in my dry suit. Lost touch with my buddy. Didn't hold my safety stop." When you are trying to work on stuff, it's what you focus on, and there isn't a lot of bandwidth for anything but "Lots of pretty fish!"

Matt, if your buoyancy is suffering when you equalize, it's because you are taking a big breath prior to Valsalvaing. Valsalva is not really a great way to equalize, because of this -- far more useful, and with no effect on buoyancy, is the Frenzel technique. Here are two links describing it, and how to learn to do it:

http://folk.uio.no/gardot/frenzel.pdf
The Frenzel Technique

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Hey, it WAS a good report! :blinking:

Now about the diving..

 

[FPDocMatt]

Day 2

Boat dive. Got to know lots of interesting people on the boat ride. One diver 73 years old, makes me feel good about not being a whipper snapper myself. DM's were Pete, Charlotte and Kyle.

First site Orange Canyon. Still taking me forever to descend. The good thing is that I can equalize my ears, just takes me a long time. Got down to 102 feet. Wanted to go through the tunnel, but my buddy didn't. Not sure if I'm certified for that, however. Need to brush up on the difference between a cavern and a cave. On the way up my computer beeped at me. Finally figured out that it was telling me I was ascending too fast. Did the 15-feet 3-minute safety stop. Very happy with this dive, I really like swimming in canyons, and going deep.

Second site La Mesa, which was shallower. More fish, but not as enjoyable a dive for some reason. The only really interesting thing was that we did our safety stop without the aid of the line. It was interesting maintaining 15 feet for 3 minutes without the aid of a line, but quite doable.

On the boat ride back, got up on the upper deck (where the wheel is, don't know what they call it). I really enjoyed the boat ride. Talked with the DM piloting the boat (Pete) about the boat's capabilities.

After a delightful Indian food lunch, did day 1 of the Rescue Diver course. The instructor (Jaxx) and a DMT (Kyle) and I swam out from shore. The water was blue, calm, and warm. A gorgeous day. Jaxx made it fun and easy. Of course it helped that I'd completed the on-line portion already. She would tell me what was next, Kyle would demonstrate with Jaxx being the victim, then I would perform with Kyle the victim. Jaxx was having a great time playing the panicked diver, she seems to really enjoy that.

There's something about being on the surface of the water when it's calm that's really fun. As much fun as being under the water, even.

In the bar afterwards met a Scuba Board member, CaliDenna, who runs dive trips year-round, and several members of her group. It's amazing to me how friendly divers are.

Somehow I need to figure out how to descend at my own pace without feeling guilty about delaying my buddies. Being the first into the water so I have a head start is one thing. I just think I'd enjoy diving more if I weren't in a hurry. My ears equalize, but it just takes awhile.

By the way, I read the recommended article on the Frenzel technique. Couldn't do it. I don't just valsalva though. I valsalva and swallow at the same time. I'm not sure, but this might be pretty close to the tongue action of the frenzel technique.

Oh and, by the way, more beautiful fish.

 

[CajunDiva]

Nice job Matt :cheerleader: I am really enjoying reading about your dive trip. Another couple of dive days like this one and you will learn the value of using Nitrox

 

[FPDocMatt]

An Instructor in Mexico gave me some advice, "try to exhale twice as long as you in inhale". I have been trying to do that since I got back.

On my Thursday dive the DM gave me the same advice, and it's been quite useful. Basically, as I'm descending from the surface, I exhale to descend. The thing is, if you're on the surface and appropriately weighted, if you want to descend, you exhale. But it isn't enough to just exhale once, because if you inhale as much as you just exhaled, you'll bob right back up. So you have to exhale more than you inhale, and keep doing that until you're down to about 15 feet. Then you can just breathe normally.

 

[Dr Dog]

Awesome you are having a great time, snowing here, lol. Very Jealous of your warm locale.

I found descending very tough my first couple dives also. Alot of it is nerves, doing something you are not used to, I remember being on the surface looking down at all my dive partners for that trip on the bottom looking at me. And what am I doing, breathing hard trying to get down. Mainly, the best way to descend is to relax

 

[Dan G]

Matt, thanks for the trip report. I think it is great to include us in your learning as you go. Makes me think about my own training and learning.

Have you noticed a difference between your ability to descend on your first dive of the day compared to your second dive? A dry wet suit on the first tank can take much more time compared to a wet wet suit for the second tank. One strategy is to pull on the collar of your suit and let the water in (better than coffee).

Also, equalization has always been a focus of mine in my own diving because my ears are a bit screwy. I always just keep thinking "early and often" and I end up in good shape. In the first atmosphere, that can mean an equalization perhaps every breath.

Looking forward to your next installment. Enjoy!