CUunderH2O
Contributor
Well, this weekend I finally did it. The water was cold (63-64F), but I was pretty comfortable with a hood and gloves and 7 mm jane/jacket. Only problem I had was I almost lost a contact lens on my first full mask flood & clear, and I had trouble equalizing one of my ears on the last dive, but that's it. I was a bit worried about the CESA, but, go figure, it's really true about air expansion as you ascend :14:. I had plenty of air left in my lungs by the time I reached the surface. Lots of silt stirred up on the first day (couldn't see your guage in front of your mask sometimes), but we all held hands and moved out of the silty area. I even got my hover down pat this time, better than in the pool! Day 2 was better, far less silty as we had a platform available at 28 feet. Saw several medium sized bass. Later in the day the area was a bit crowded with swimmers so it was a struggle sometimes at the shore entry/exit point, trying to get gear on/off without hitting some kid in the head with your tank/fins, as well as coping with the occasional wake from passing boats.
I'm exhausted, but happy to join the club. Saturday sounds like a good day for my next dive.
Some observations/lessons learned:
If you're not comfortable clearing your mask, practice until you are. You'll be doing a lot of them on your weekend. If you're about to start your swim out to the flag and your weight belt's loose, say so before it's too late. Postpone your dive if you're not well or too tired, it's disappointing but you can make it up later. If you have to fully inflate your BC to get positively buoyant at the surface, you're probably wearing too much weight. Take the time to clear your ears if you're having trouble equalizing, it's not a race to the bottom. Wear a hood and gloves in cold water; it'll make a huge difference in keeping you warm. Use your hand signals. Drink water all day to stay hydrated. Don't forget any of your gear at the dive site.
I'm exhausted, but happy to join the club. Saturday sounds like a good day for my next dive.
Some observations/lessons learned:
If you're not comfortable clearing your mask, practice until you are. You'll be doing a lot of them on your weekend. If you're about to start your swim out to the flag and your weight belt's loose, say so before it's too late. Postpone your dive if you're not well or too tired, it's disappointing but you can make it up later. If you have to fully inflate your BC to get positively buoyant at the surface, you're probably wearing too much weight. Take the time to clear your ears if you're having trouble equalizing, it's not a race to the bottom. Wear a hood and gloves in cold water; it'll make a huge difference in keeping you warm. Use your hand signals. Drink water all day to stay hydrated. Don't forget any of your gear at the dive site.
