shallow diving question(30-40 ft.)

[somewhereinla]

I felt the same way when I first started diving, 35 ft felt very deep and I thought to myself, I would never feel the need to go passed 40ft. A few dives later and suddenly 80 ft feels pretty shallow... It really gets easier as you gain more experience.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Hope you and your wife enjoy diving. There is plenty to see in the 40 feet and above range. Lots of color, fish and even a few wrecks (mostly blown apart due to navigational Issues). She may get more comfortable and want to go deeper if there is something to see. There really is no reason to go deeper unless there is a specific goal to go deeper. Just my $.02 anyway.

 

[spectrum]

My wife will be taking scuba class shortly after I finish. She is very anxious about it and fears deep water. She has the notion that she doesn't ever want to dive past 40 ft. post ow cert.
I realize that notions change after experience is introduced.
My question is this: Are there others out there who have been certified that maintain the notion of staying shallow(30-40ft.)?

Actually 80 % of our local diving takes place in that range. Even in Bonaire a few weeks a go we commented that the nicest parts of the dive were in 40 feet or less. That range will have the best light intensity and color depth, your air will of course last longer and light means plants and plants mean fish so all in all that's where the action is. Aside from occasional deep attractions those shallow depths are where the fun is.

So don't give her conservatism another though get diving and as she builds skills and confidence she may point the way to deeper destinations and if not overall you will still have plenty of wonderful fun together.

Many new divers are way to hasty in seeking the depths. They end up with risky, short unrewarding dives. Her position is a sound one.

Pete

 

[bgsnmky]

I too am a new diver and got certified with my brother and his 13 year old son. We are going to Cancun in two weeks. Just like your wife, I told my brother I wanted to stay shallow! 35 feet or so. So we are diving in Cancun first and then maybe a shore dive in Cozumel.

From my standpoint, I think it is just a mental thing. Swimming around I am fine, but as soon as I think about how deep I am and IF something went wrong, that I couldn't make it to the top then I feel nervous.

Which is probably kind of stupid because if I go any deeper than 20 feet, I probalby woudln't make it to the top if I ran out of air. So what is the difference between 35 and 60 I don't know.

I know that is why you have buddy's but the nerves come from really keeping that buddy RIGHT NEXT to you!!

I often wonder if I would feel better if I had one of those little cans of air (can't think of what they are) with me.

I really appreciated everyone's comments about there be a LOT to see at 35 to 40 feet!

 

[jd950]

Hey bgsnmky, nothing wrong with shallow dives, but you really should be able to surface after "running out of air" from deeper than 20'

You might want to see if you could hook up with an instructor and practice some ascents. It might make you feel more secure, and you really should know the techniques "just in case."

 

[james croft]

Which is probably kind of stupid because if I go any deeper than 20 feet, I probalby woudln't make it to the top if I ran out of air. So what is the difference between 35 and 60 I don't know.

!

You can make it up w/o air a lot deeper than 20 feet, believe me. However, don't worry about it because you just need to plan your dives so as not to run out of air and check your SPG. No worries.

 

[spectrum]

bgsnmky

You really want to get with an instructor and learn how to do a CESA, Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. As a last ditch effort it can get you to the surface from a significant depth. Every diver should know it but the teaching oh this has become spotty.

As for keeping your buddy RIGHT next to you I suggest spending some time skin-diving and making modest breath-hold dives. It's another thing they should have taught you. Making breath-hold dives will give you some confidence in what you can manage if you find yourself a little farther from your buddy than you meant to be.

If you stay on top of your cylinder pressure 95% of this risk goes away. There is no need to be diving with these concerns.

Pete

 

[RTRski]

The one downside of doing 'breathe-hold dives' as a comparison is that if you're in a shorty for snorkeling you're probably not weighted, so you have to fight to get down a bit. Which then makes you not as comfortable staying down very long, so it might 'train' you that you can't safely ascend from much more depth than you can comfortably descend to from the surface. After all, your lungful of air at the surface is getting heavily compressed as you go down.

With the CESA on the other hand, expansion as you ascend means your lungs stay 'full' even as you're bubbling air out. Of course you can't do this forever as CO2 partial pressure is still increasing, and it's not safe to simply say you can 'exhale for a long time' with no consequences...but it isn't nearly the same sensation as the clench you feel when compressed lungs want to inhale. (Now that I think of it, given shallow water blackout etc. the sensation of expansion during a CESA is probably falsely comforting by comparison, isn't it? )

I know you understand this perfectly well, spectrum, I just want to make sure that bgsnmky does. There's nothing wrong with racing to the surface from a snorkeling descent - you didn't breathe air at pressure other than at the surface, and there's no gas content issue at the depths you or I are likely to go on a free descent like that - on the other hand, there is a maximum safe ascent rate even on a CESA.

But I agree 100% the *right* solution is: proper air handling, proper breathing technique, and proper (but not excessive) buddy to buddy interaction. Equipment failures from other than neglect and lack of maintenance - just random crapouts - are rare by comparison I'm sure (<---said confidently but with utter lack of statistics to back it up).

 

[bgsnmky]

Thanks guys...that makes me feel better!

 

[jd950]

You could always carry a SpareAir.

Yep I said the forbidden word, for no good purpose...just to cause trouble. I've been working all day and feel mischevious.

Sorry, I just had to do it...

I'll go sit in the corner now.