Rec open water ascents, trim and the team

[coldsmoke]

Second what rjack said. I posted on this forum a while back and a couple of more advanced DIR guys offered to baby sit me on a dive in shaws cove (just north of San Diego). I showed up in my posiden beavertail that I got in high school (15 years ago)that actually split right up the ass when I bent over, and they were very patient for the 45 minutes it took me to get my s$%t together. One of the guys kindly provided me with a light and they didn't even comment about my custom "air conditioning" although I'm not sure they saw it. Anyway, quite contrary to the bad rap that DIR divers get on the internet (and my lds ), all that I have met are more that willing to help and guide those of us with less experience.

Good luck!

Hunter

 

[limeyx]

I'm taking GUE DIRF, but haven't finished all of the dives yet. I was able to meet couple
people, but they don't dive often. I dive pretty much every Saturday and try to do a night dive during the week too.

I'll try dive matrix.

Thanks for the invitation... I might come up to Seattle sometime!

There are some of us around that are more than happy to go out and dive, but a lot of us are a bit further north.

I make it down to San Diego reasonably often, but not so much the Laguna area.

 

[Ben_ca]

Anyway, quite contrary to the bad rap that DIR divers get on the internet (and my lds ), all that I have met are more that willing to help and guide those of us with less experience.

Good luck!

Hunter

What??? Something you read about DIR guys on the Internet isn't true???!!!! :11:

 

[Steven Kingston]

Your current buddies might not be able to do a slow assent in the last 10 feet. But your could remind them that it is their interest to do the slow assent because the assent after the safety stop is the most critical and should be the slowest. No one should be "popping" to the surface in the last 10' in a horizontal or flat position.

 

[TSandM]

When I'm really worried about what is or might be above me, I cheerfully go vertical or close to it for the last few feet of the ascent. At that point, you aren't really worried about being able to get to your teammates quickly -- After all, if they go OOA at 4fsw, the best answer is the surface! I think I've seen my GUE instructor break trim in the last few feet as well. DIR is about thinking divers, and nobody wants you to crack your skull on the boat hull because you were holding perfect trim. At least, I don't think they do; I've been wrong before about such things.

But your buddies shouldn't be popping to the surface from the last ten feet. It's not good for them, and it's not good buddy behavior. Have you talked to them about the proportional pressure changes, and how they might feel better if they took the last bit more slowly? If they aren't interested in talking about it, then you need other buddies. I wouldn't last very long diving with people who took off and left me at the last stop.

 

[MonkSeal]

Do you roll side to side, or
become vertical during last 5-6 feet? Should I quit maintaining my trim in the
last x ft?

2 m (cc 7 feet) should be the last stop for open water dives, due to surface conditions. After finishing it, go vertical and surface.

 

[bubbleblowindude]

This may not be as big a problem as you think. I applaud you for recognizing that horizontal ascents are preferable, but the whole reason they are(at this point) is for team awareness and communication. If your team isn't able / willing to do horizontal ascents with you, wait until they are vertical and on the way up, and pull an out-of-air with them and see what the response is. If they fail to respond properly, make the point and see if they capitulate. If not, ditch them and dive with someone who cares about your well-being. Since it sounds like you're in the beginning of a DIR education, you should cut them a lot of "slack" while trying to still create awareness of the real issues here which is team progression through better diving practices. Too many people think that good "trim" is everything...and lose track of the fact that if the team falls apart at 10 feet, trim means very little. Find one person who shares your passion and enthusiasm, and start there. Soon, your other buddies will wish they could "do it" too.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The last three posts make sense to me. It's a matter of specific conditions and priorities.

Holding perfect trim and perfect depth duing the last 10 feet may be great in a spring, but strikes me as being a little bit pointless in 4 ft waves.

Having been run over by boats at the 10 ft stop and during the ascent from the last stop, I tend to feel that during the last several feet of ascent in open water avoiding surface obstructions and being able to react quickly to an intruding boat are higher priorities. Your buddy may see it coming outside your field of view, but would he or she be able to communicate that to you in time? In open water, going vertical gives you a wider field of view and an improved ability to scan the surface as you surface. It may be hideously recreational and uncool, but it does make sense in some environments.

 

[MBH]

Some while back Bob Sherwood posted an excellent piece about trim in midwater and trim on ascent. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/dir-practitioners-zone/209488-trim-midwater-5.html

It cleared up a lot of things for me.

 

[rjack321]

Find one person who shares your passion and enthusiasm, and start there. Soon, your other buddies will wish they could "do it" too.

More than trim (or not) I think this is the key piece here.

I realize that as a new diver it can be hard to discuss trim and bouyancy with others without getting "preachy". Your current buddies might be amenable to getting on "your team" with some discussion or it might just be easier to find some team oriented buddies.