My first uncontrolled ascent! didn't even know I was moving?

[CaseyJr]

.... as most of the other posters said! About a month ago, and just a month past our OW, my family was at that same plane and I experienced an unexpected ascent. I went up slowly, but wasn't able to control it. I've since practiced more and read a lot. We learn a lot more from our mistakes than we think we do. I love the statement I've read here that says your C-card is more of a "learner's permit" than a drivers license!

 

[HakoFugu]

One other suggestion in regard to multitasking (or task loading, as we hear it called in diving)... Go nice and s-l-o-w with everything you're doing, especially at the beginning. There's no rush. Make sure your buoyancy is well trimmed and under control before you begin your task, and then do things slowly, in small steps, taking little breaks to monitor your status. A few weeks ago, I learned how to deploy an SMB for the first time. I find that the best way for me to deal with new skills is to make very slow, deliberate, almost exaggerated hand movements in very specific steps. By the end of the weekend, it was coming more naturally and I was able to speed up, but I still kept my "take your time" mantra playing in my head. It really helps me.

One question.... Where was your buddy while this was happening? Don't forget the importance of keeping your buddy close. A gentle nudge from him/her if you start to rise too much might help keep you from being too distracted by the other task at hand, until you're more used to things.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

First we have to get you to stop standing on the attractions Spending time working on staying horizontal will pay off in the long run. Playing with the fish is a great place to practice horizontal trim. We are human and upright is our natural stance, it's instinctive to move to an upright position to solve problems but you can change that instinct over time. It's far more comfortable to remain horizontal when you're diving.

When I am fixing a problem I like to be horizontal above an attraction that remains in my field of vision while working on the problem. When I notice the attraction getting farther away I quit dinking with what I'm fixing and re-establish my buoyancy near the attraction.

Some people tend to hold their breath when they solve problems, clearly that can be dangerous underwater. You need to focus on your breathing and think through the steps of your solution.

A mentor can be a wonderful asset. there are a lot of divers from Texas on the board see if you can find an experienced one who is willing to help you improve.

Good luck and safe diving!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[ScubaSteve]

First of all thank you for sharing this. You have been given some pretty darned spot on advice here as usual and I just want to add a different spin for everybody. This happened while you were adjusting something on your set-up. This very same thing applies to underwater photography and any other other added task. Many new divers want to jump into underwater photography because of the incredible photo's they see all over the place (especially here). But this is a prime example of why they are told to master their buoyancy and diving skills first. Any added task no matter how simple it is on the surface is exponentially more complicated while diving. I really learned this the first time I tried to launch my SMB attached to my reel. That was the intention of the dive....to practive launching it. What would have taken mere seconds on the surface, took minutes down below. I had to pay close attention to my buoyancy, my location with respect to my buddy, inflate the SMB without being affected by the additional buoyancy, launch it without getting caught up, and not sink to the bottom with the now loss of the extra buoyancy. It was done safely but with very little grace.

Bottom line is, watch where you are in the water column always no matter what you are doing and ensure that before you take on additonal "optional" task loading, your diving is at a point where they can be done safely. Take the information passed by the people here and implement it. You will be a better diver for it.

Be safe and enjoy.

 

[robertarak]

I am not going to say much that has not been said already, but....

1) Buddy skills. This is a very important skill to work on and develop. You should be able to rely on your buddy, and your buddy should be able to rely on you. If you are going to stop to fiddle with something on your BC, or fix something, first, let your buddy now what is going on, then have them watch you. Your buddy could have signaled you to mind your buoyancy if he/she saw you drifting up. Your buddy could have even helped correct the clip issue you were having. The second buddy issue, is while you were looking at your swivel, clip thing, not only did you not notice you were going up, but you lost your buddy. No way you can be that focused on your task and still be watching your buddy. Really, it just takes some time and practice to get the feel for all this underwater. Remember, as long as you have air, no need to rush. Take your time. Remember your buddy. So, fiddle for a few seconds, stop, check your buddy (by doing that you will be more aware of your surroundings), fiddle some more, check your buddy, and so on. Relax, breath, enjoy.

2) Standing. Don't stand on anything! OK, enough said.

Go have fun, be safe and enjoy your new world underwater.

 

[Ladyvalea]

One other suggestion in regard to multitasking (or task loading, as we hear it called in diving)... Go nice and s-l-o-w with everything you're doing, especially at the beginning. There's no rush. Make sure your buoyancy is well trimmed and under control before you begin your task, and then do things slowly, in small steps, taking little breaks to monitor your status. A few weeks ago, I learned how to deploy an SMB for the first time. I find that the best way for me to deal with new skills is to make very slow, deliberate, almost exaggerated hand movements in very specific steps. By the end of the weekend, it was coming more naturally and I was able to speed up, but I still kept my "take your time" mantra playing in my head. It really helps me.

One question.... Where was your buddy while this was happening? Don't forget the importance of keeping your buddy close. A gentle nudge from him/her if you start to rise too much might help keep you from being too distracted by the other task at hand, until you're more used to things.

Buddy...was playing with the perch and trying to get one to come up to his finger! They have giant perch in the lake, that come up to look at you

 

[kmrEMTPRN]

Thanks for this post. I too did this last weekend. My situation was a bit different. I became OW certified on the 22nd and was finishing my AOW dives on the 27th. The first dive of the day was the deep dive to 85 feet. I got to the bottom just fine, completed the skills and we were starting to swim around. The best we can figure is a few things... I was trying to dump air with the release button but it wasn't fast enough. I honestly forgot about the dump feature on the BCD (inexperience and new equipment). The other thing that I noticed when I surfaced was that my 7mm full suit had a ton of air in the chest area. I literally "burped" it when I was on the surface... I learned the value of a wetsuit that fits well. The other factor was my air consumption, I was about 1/3 through my tank at the time.

As for my buddy, he saw what was happening and was trying to communicate the dump air feature but I didn't get it. I was pressing the button and nothing was happening... my instructor was swimming ahead of us. Visibility was about 15 feet maybe??? He was able to get the instructor's attention pretty quickly.

So I had several valuable lessons on this particular dive... definately things that I will forever consider and NEVER forget!

Oh yeah, I did get my AOW certification in the end!!

 

[ScubaSteve]

Thanks for this post. I too did this last weekend. My situation was a bit different. I became OW certified on the 22nd and was finishing my AOW dives on the 27th. The first dive of the day was the deep dive to 85 feet. I got to the bottom just fine, completed the skills and we were starting to swim around. The best we can figure is a few things... I was trying to dump air with the release button but it wasn't fast enough. I honestly forgot about the dump feature on the BCD (inexperience and new equipment). The other thing that I noticed when I surfaced was that my 7mm full suit had a ton of air in the chest area. I literally "burped" it when I was on the surface... I learned the value of a wetsuit that fits well. The other factor was my air consumption, I was about 1/3 through my tank at the time.

As for my buddy, he saw what was happening and was trying to communicate the dump air feature but I didn't get it. I was pressing the button and nothing was happening... my instructor was swimming ahead of us. Visibility was about 15 feet maybe??? He was able to get the instructor's attention pretty quickly.

So I had several valuable lessons on this particular dive... definately things that I will forever consider and NEVER forget!

Oh yeah, I did get my AOW certification in the end!!

You are very lucky having an uncontrolled ascent from that depth. How long did you happen to leave it to start dumping air? I have never had an ascent (that I knew about of course and was not an emergency) that could not be halted by dumping air and exhaling so I am just curious. Might I inquire as to the whereabouts of your instructor when this was happening?

 

[diver 85]

Ok, it was only from 30ft.. I'm at a scuba park, standing on a sunken plane, so I try to fix this swivel snap on my BC, I'm lookin chin down at my right shoulder, tryin to unsnap this swivel and before I knew it!! "I'm at the top of the surface" I didn't even notice that I was moving, floatin...I thought I was still standing on top of the plane!!
HUH??? I swear I was negative on the plane so how did I end up at the surface with no clue?
Dang! I need more work!

Oh, again later I was doing a safe ascent with my gekko computer in front of my face! I'm so ingross on the numbers that I forget to deflate my hose and the computer starts beeping and beeping! and then I take a second to think? why is this computer beepin and it finallly I relize I'm goin up to fast! but its to late!!! I see Blue Sky!!
I guess I can't "chew gum and swim at the same time"

Guess computers aren't all they are cracked up to be....Glad I waited almost 900 dives to get one, thinking I was able to learn controlled ascents on my own........

 

[Gombessa]

I'm pretty sure this happens to everyone Don't sweat it now, but realize that it's something that can happen and you need to be on guard against unrealized changes in your buoyancy. It's also one of the things that gets better as you become more experienced and skilled.

Right now, one second you're on the bottom, the next you're on the surface. 5-10 dives from now, you'll notice the slight changes in pressure in your ears as you start to ascend, your BC pressing against your body a bit as the air expands in it, and all these other subtle clues that you're just too overwhelmed to notice now.

The good thing is, if you didn't realize you were moving, chances are you were breathing normally, and as long as you're doing that and not holding your breath, you're at a shallow enough depth to be pretty safe against all the bad things that can happen.