recently certified, got lots of random questions

[herman]

You have gotten good answers on the rest but let me add a little to the Zeagle bags. They are nice to have and pretty much mandatory if you are using small weights. Small weights will work their way out of the rip cord weight system, the "yellow thingies" as they are often called are really helpful in that reguard and they were options on most Zeagle BCs. You can buy them or just put the weights in a sock and tie it shut or use mesh laundry bags, both will do nicely. The bags themselves are not necessary but something be it the bags or a sock are really helpful to keep the weights together.

 

[bleeb]

This has already been touched on, but I figured I'd elaborate a bit with my perspective on tanks. It can depend on where you're diving and where you might otherwise be getting your tanks. Around here, there's a lot of shore diving, and store hours might be limited, especially on week days. Having tanks is more convenient than having to squeeze in a trip to the store just before a dive and another one immediately afterwards to return tanks. Stores are far enough from home/work/routes to dive sites that I've probably also saved a significant fraction of their cost in gasoline just by cutting the number of trips in half. YMMV (literally .

 

[kdsmithjr]

a little about me.... recently certified open water, nitrox and peak performance buoyancy. with 7 total dives. I am planning on going diving at least two weekends a month.

1) I understand how it is bad to hold your breath if you are ascending, but why is it bad to hold it underwater? (if you are not ascending)

2) Is purchasing a tank worth the trouble? cost effective?

3) I am planning on buying a GoPro, if I buy the flatlens and install it. Will that negatively affect the picture quality out of the water? I am asking because I am planning on using the gopro for skydiving too.

4) I got a zeagle stilleto bcd, used. this guy at a dive shop told me I am missing some weight mesh bags that I am supposed to put inside the weight pockets. he said it should have come with the bcd, is that true? after looking online and couldn't find anything regarding that.

5) is it bad to workout after diving? i.e. go to the gym for a couple of hours and run a couple of miles or swim?

6) how many dives until a new diver should give advanced open water a shot?

1) Those little air sacs in your lungs, called alvioli, is where the gas (oxygen/carbon dioxide) exchange occurs. they will with air everytime you breathe. if you hold your breath and ascend, the air inside the air sac will expand and, eventually, burst the air sac like a ballon. you will bleed inside your lungs and eventually drown in your own blood. Ok? If you are not ascending, it might not be an issue,because the volume of air inhaled does not change. But since a panic (particularly for a new diver) can occur and you might instinctively gasp, hold your breath and shoot for the surface. It is real important and always breathing and never holding your breath be drilled into your head as "normal"
2. I suppose you can purchase a tank, if you need ballast in your trunk or you need something cool looking in your living room. Other than that, assuming you don't live on the one place on earth with dive ops that wont rent tanks, I'd never buy a tank. If you do, you have to maintain it and you have to carry it around. I am a retired American living here in the Philippines. I did buy my own weight but....I have arranged to leave them at the shop where I dive. Do I mind that others might use them? Not really. they always work find for me when i use them and...i ain't gotta carry them around.
3. I have about 40 years experience in photography...but less than a year in underwater. The general answer to your question is anything you put on the lens of a camera, that is not part of the lens design originally, degrades the image. However, the degradation might not be enough to affect your intended use. I'd try it skydiving and if you like the images in both places with the camera....use it that way.
4. It sounds as if you have an integrated weight bcd. I am not experienced with all brands...i use a scubamax.... but i would think that the weight pockets (the contraptions that clip onto the bcd and in which you put weight) come with the bcd. Thats not the only way to do things. If you use some other method of putting weights in your bcd (another way of using the places designed for the weight pockets) just make sure it's secure and that the weight you put in the bcd cannot slip out. If you want to know the worst case scenario of losing weight at depth, read answer # 1 here again...carefully. If i were you, and you cannot get weight pockets that actually clip/attach to your bcd, I would use traditional weight belts. The are simple and secure and easy to ditch on purpose if you need to...just remember to exhale.
5. Not sure about working out after diving. Remember that you have extra nitrogen in your blood after a dive, so i would not do anything, like mountain climbing the day after a very deep dive. But regular gym time probably is ok.
6. The certifying agencies, i.e., PADI, SDI, etc., probably specify a minimum number of dives before they will issue an advanced card. Being "advanced" has several meanings. To the certifying agencies is means demonstrating certain skills...along with some minimum number of dives.To others being "advanced" means having enough experience to be able to handle a variety of situations. I have slightly over100 dives, in about 9 months since my OW card. I also have an advanced (SDI) OW card as well. I'm comfortable in the water and, as you can tell by the number of dives in 9 months, i dive at least a couple times a week usually. I still consider myself a "newby" diver, even though i have an advanced card. Just yesterday i experienced my first strong down current (AKA "toilet bowl current") at slightly more than 100 ft. Luckily i was already on the bottom of the part of the davao gulf where i was diving, so being pushed much deeper than 110-115 ft wasn't an issue. And since i was shooting on the floor, I didn't really notice it at first. But as i looked at my dive comp, saw 6 mins of NDL time left and kicked up to pick up some NDL time--at shallower depth--it became apparent that it would require more than a gentle to kick to ascend from 110 feet. I had to inflate my bcd significantly to get enough lift and, maybe this is where "advanced" knowledge comes in, i knew i had to watch my dive comp like a hawk to dump my bcd air as soon as i got from the clutches of the down current (about 90 ft in this case). That was a new experience, something that..even if "covered" in training...really needs to be put in your "experience" log as a diver.
Hard to say how long you should wait to pursue your advanced card. A particualar number of dives may not be the key...although i would investigate minimums established by certifying agencies and, perhaps, delay "advanced" until you reach the requisite number of dives.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

My answer to #6 I got my AOW the same week I got my OW and Deep within a month. The thing to remember is that AOW does not make you an advanced diver, doing more dives will get you there. I got mine so I wouldn't be limited on some dives, because there are ops that require certain certifications or log dives to go on certain dives.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I don't typically recommend that PADI divers take the AOW class immediately after basic OW certification. My reasoning is that it's pretty crazy to permit a newly-certified diver (with only 5 or 6 lifetime dives) to conduct a dive to 100 fsw. You should know that many PADI instructors incorporate a dive to such a depth as the "deep" dive of the AOW curriculum. Novice divers usually have suboptimal buoyancy control, poor situational awareness, and very little idea about how quickly they use up their gas (not to mention a lack of gas management skills) -- all things that don't exactly set up a diver for success on a deep dive. If the deep dive experience were removed from AOW, then I'd be on-board with PADI divers going straight from basic OW to AOW.

I took AOW when I had about 50 dives. Before the class started, I already knew how to navigate underwater using a compass, I had conducted 15-20 night dives, and my buoyancy control was quite good. The only reason I took the class was to get the opportunity to dive Scripps Canyon (to this day, it's one of my favorite dive sites on the planet). During AOW class, I did my first boat dive and wreck dive. Even better, I ended up making friends with everyone in the AOW class; those people formed the nucleus of my circle of dive buddies. I had a very good AOW experience, but I believe that I would have been OK taking the class earlier (after approx. 30 lifetime dives).

Instead of taking AOW right away, you should take some time to gain a little real-world experience in conditions similar to those in which you were trained. Keep it shallow. Keep it fairly short. Practice all of your basic OW skills (mask-clearing, air-sharing, air-sharing ascents, managing controlled ascents, achieving neutral buoyancy, hovering, hovering at safety stop depth, etc.). Monitor your average gas consumption rate. Understand that your work rate underwater and psychological state can influence gas consumption. Work on being a good buddy. Once you've got a pretty good handle on those things (which may take 15-25 non-class dives?), then you'd be better equipped to handle the AOW dives. This is just my opinion. I've talked to several DMs and instructors who have had "issues" with students during the AOW deep dive. Their stories are kind of scary.

On a related note, if you're diving, you should be CPR-certified. Don't wait until you have to get CPR certification for Rescue class. You never know when you'll be asked to save a life.

It's wonderful that you're paying attention to your overall physical fitness and you're trying to fit that in with your dive schedule. Being in better cardiovascular shape will make you a better, safer diver. You really shouldn't be doing any strenuous physical activity in the post-dive period (several hours) -- and this would certainly include exercise work-outs at a gym. As has already been mentioned, strenuous physical activity can actually precipitate the onset of decompression sickness. Not good. So how does one define "strenuous"? Personally, under normal circumstances, I don't think that climbing up a dive ladder with a single tank setup or walking along the beach in full dive gear would qualify as "strenuous." However, some people might be pushing themselves quite hard while doing those activities. If that's the case, then it might make sense to find reasonable work-arounds. For example, you might want to rest for a few minutes at the surface before climbing up the boat ladder. Or, if you're shore diving, you might want to doff your gear on a safe area of the beach and move it piece by piece to your set up area.

 

[kdsmithjr]

I am an american retiree living in the philippines where moisture is everwhere....the relative humidity here is ofter 80% or more. One tip regarding condensation on underwater photo equipment: Never open your case outside of an airconditioned environment.

The condenstation is caused by air that could hold the moisture at the surface being chilled as you go underwater and the air, now, having less capacity to hold moisture. If you do operations requiring having an open case in an airconditioned room, the relative humidity is low, so the air that you trap in the underwater case when you close it has far less moisture, so it can keep the moisture in suspension at much lower temps and pressures.

 

[freewillie]

a little about me.... recently certified open water, nitrox and peak performance buoyancy. with 7 total dives. I am planning on going diving at least two weekends a month.

1) I understand how it is bad to hold your breath if you are ascending, but why is it bad to hold it underwater? (if you are not ascending)

2) Is purchasing a tank worth the trouble? cost effective?

3) I am planning on buying a GoPro, if I buy the flatlens and install it. Will that negatively affect the picture quality out of the water? I am asking because I am planning on using the gopro for skydiving too.

4) I got a zeagle stilleto bcd, used. this guy at a dive shop told me I am missing some weight mesh bags that I am supposed to put inside the weight pockets. he said it should have come with the bcd, is that true? after looking online and couldn't find anything regarding that.

5) is it bad to workout after diving? i.e. go to the gym for a couple of hours and run a couple of miles or swim?

6) how many dives until a new diver should give advanced open water a shot?

1.) If you hold your breath you may actually start ascend unintentionally with increased buoyancy. Would not be good for your lungs if didn't expect start rising, and due to physics does not take much to have serious problems.

2.) Depends on how much diving you want to do locally. You wouldn't want to travel with the tank so is for local use only. Divide cost of renting by cost of tank and you'll get rough idea of how many dives you need to break even on cost.

3.) See previous post on video.

4.) I have a Zeagle Stiletto. I did buy the yellow mesh weight bags but honestly you don't need them. They are supposed to make pulling weight out of BC easier if you are getting back on board a boat, but I've never been asked to remove my weights.

5.) Nope, just don't be late to work after a dive, and you can exercise as much as you want after a dive as long as you feel up to exercise. Be mindful of post dive DCI symptoms as muscle soreness from work out may hide muscle soreness from DCI.

6.) IMO when you are very comfortable with your weight and trim while diving. A rough number is about 15-25 dives depending on how fast you get the hang of diving and how fast you are comfortable. You should be able to adjust buoyancy and use the power inflator automatically without having to think about what you need to do. You don't want to increase your task loading while learning advanced techniques.

 

[TSandM]

5.) Nope, just don't be late to work after a dive, and you can exercise as much as you want after a dive as long as you feel up to exercise. Be mindful of post dive DCI symptoms as muscle soreness from work out may hide muscle soreness from DCI.

There are multiple accounts of post-dive exertion immediately preceding the development of DCS. Dr. Michael Powell (Dr. Deco here) presented a talk to our local dive club that included some research he had been involved in, regarding post-dive exercise. It was clear that, for a number of people, exertion post-dive increased the bubble grade significantly. (Of interest, some people didn't bubble no matter WHAT they did -- but the problem is that you don't know into which group YOU fall.) I believe it is the general recommendation to avoid significant exertion immediately after a dive, and to schedule your workout before diving if at all possible.

 

[kdsmithjr]

Regarding holding your breath (you more experienced divers must get sick of answering this question I'm sure) - I have held my breath for a few seconds to pose for a picture with my buddy or to stay still enough to take a picture of a critter (generally after I have exhaled, not when I have full lungs). Is this frowned upon as well? Also, if I really want to experience "silence" in the water how can I possibly do so while listening to my breathing and bubbles?
ly
To the OP, the mesh bags make it much easier to get your weights into and out of the pockets - they have handles/straps attached.

Holding your breath while remaining at the same depth is not nearly as dangerous as holding your breath while changing depth (particularly on rapid ascents). The "Never" part of never hold your breath is a tad extreme, but breathing normally while scuba diving, particularly on ascents is a good way to insure you will not seriously injure yourself. You activities, including holding your breath during them, both go together and are relatively harmless.

 

[darren_uk]

a little about me.... recently certified open water, nitrox and peak performance buoyancy. with 7 total dives. I am planning on going diving at least two weekends a month.

Great responses from others, I'll add my input too so you can get as objective response as you can with a blend of the various answers.

1) I understand how it is bad to hold your breath if you are ascending, but why is it bad to hold it underwater? (if you are not ascending)

1 - habit as someone else said. Why "would" you hold your breath? No reason to.

2 - despite there being no reason to hold your breath, even if you did then even the smallest ascent could be enough to cause that LOI (Lung Overexpansion Injury).

3 - the key is to keep your lungs open so expanding gas can escape the way nature intended: via your neck. The dangerous breath hold is where you shut off your neck voluntarily - a but like tying the neck of that already-very-full-close-to-bursting balloon and then ascent with it.... pop! But holding steady on your diaphragm but keeping your neck open won't technically cause a problem, because expanding gas can still escape. However, that's far too complicated and it's just so much easier to just keep things simple and straightforward so that, in the event you have a panic situation, the simplest of rules will stick in your mind: *KEEP BREATHING, NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH* - best not to get into bad habits, and keep the good habits so that if ever you do find yourself in a situation, those good habits will contribute to preventing things from getting worst.

2) Is purchasing a tank worth the trouble? cost effective?

Compare the cost of continuously renting versus buying and travel/transport. I dive regularly locally, so I own my own (but never fly with it; weights and tank I always hire abroad).

5) is it bad to workout after diving? i.e. go to the gym for a couple of hours and run a couple of miles or swim?

This is a question best asked of a dive medic. I'm not a dive medic (nor any other qualified medic). The books say exercise increases your risk of DCS (decompression sickness / the bends (i.e. the nitrogen coming out of solution in your tissues at a fast enough rate to cause problem-causing bubbles))

The general advice is to remain well within the limits; and even diving conservatively, according to the books, cannot completely reduce the risk of DCS.

Without someone using doppler technology to examine just what is going on inside your body after a dive, it's all best guesswork according to the theoretical model of your dive computer.

So it's your call: your risk, your call.

6) how many dives until a new diver should give advanced open water a shot?

Ask that of 100 instructors, get more than 100 opinions

PADI's Advanced Open Water is really an Advanced Beginner's Level certification. it's simply five more dives under instruction but starting to explore new areas of scuba, not just diving safely.

Open Water ("OW") taught you the basics to dive safely with another qualified diver, and that's it. It didn't talk to you about Wreck, Search & Recovery, Fish Identification, Digital Underwater Photography, Night, and so on (approx 25 different specialities).

So there isn't really a concept of "how many more dives should I do after OW before Advanced?" - there's no harm in taking Peak Performance Buoyancy straight away; or jumping straight into trying your hand at underwater photography, or learning the basics of wreck diving.

Yes, two useful additions of Advanced is Deep (any dive greater than 18m / 60 ft) and Navigation and if you go abroad, dive centres do like to see Advanced.


Advanced is simply 5 "Adventure" dives; two of which must be Deep and Navigation; and an "Adventure" dive is simply Dive 1 of the full speciality (e.g. you'll take Dive 1 of the Deep Speciality; the full Deep Speciality is 4 dives over 2 days so you'll have done the first one).

---------- Post added at 04:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 AM ----------

Regarding holding your breath (you more experienced divers must get sick of answering this question I'm sure) - I have held my breath for a few seconds to pose for a picture with my buddy or to stay still enough to take a picture of a critter (generally after I have exhaled, not when I have full lungs). Is this frowned upon as well?

As long as the airway remains open then there is no danger: expanding gas must be allowed to escape.


When I smile for the camera I take a breath in, take my reg out and then do a gentle quiet "eeeeeeeee" - it shows my teeth and that tiny stream of bubbles is hardly noticeable, and won't empty my lungs that quick as to destroy my buoyancy (make the "eeeeeee" high pitched (less air escapes with higher pitched notes) and don't voice the eeeeeee if you don't want to (so you're whisper-singing it).


When I compose a photo the breath goes the other way slowly: inwards. I come in for the shot and then ever so slowly gently breath in: no bubbles to upset the fish, I'm slowly getting fresh air into my lungs, and my intake of breath is gentle enough not to destroy my buoyancy. Yes I will admit to breathing in so slowly sometimes that my diaphragm is almost paused: my airway is still open though and no risk of lung over expansion injury. I *NEVER* close off my airway in my throat, it's all from the diaphragm.

Also, if I really want to experience "silence" in the water how can I possibly do so while listening to my breathing and bubbles?

Open Circuit (the one you've trained on) will always have bubbles; it's the nature of the beast.


Rebreathers are silent (closed circuit) - go try a try-dive with a rebreather and you'll see, but boy is it different: breathing in and out doesn't change your buoyancy at all because you're just moving the same air from one container (lungs) to another container (rebreather counterlungs) - totally different skill set....