the spiegel grove

[herman]

I love the SG. But my favorite is the Duane. There are many wrecks in that area to work through.
Now, about your breathing. Quite often, I find newer divers taking long big breaths in and then huge breaths out. You blow through air quickly that way. I tell my students to think about how they normally breathe every day. It is not huge bellowing breaths. It is normal, easy breaths. As soon as you learn to breath easy and regularly, your consumption will drastically improve. So, before you just fix the problem by loading up the air on your back, try to control and fix your breathing. Do the reefs and relax for a little bit. Then the extra air will mean more bottom time. And in the Keys, every second is worth it. Oh, and Conch Republic is terrific.

The big thing I see is divers being overweighted with their BC's 1/2 to 3/4 inflated to keep them neutral. That is a lot of drag to haul around. Then they zoom around the reef like it's on fire, working hard in the process, dragging their inflated wing around. Get your weighting dead on - your BC should be absolutely empty when you slowly leave the surface- and slow down, odds are your SAC will drop a lot.

 

[gert7to3]

I don't think I saw anyone else say this, if there is current do your dive into the current. That way you aren't fighting current to return to your mooring/ascent line. Also remember that even if you are a bit low on gas, each breath at shallower depth requires less volume of gas. So even 300-400 lbs. at 20 ft. will provide gas for a proper safety stop (but no margin for any emergency or extended safety stop time).

IMHO key points:

pony bottle
bigger tank
buoyancy control
proper weighting

 

[bigtim6656]

I think your list all but sums it up, key point for sure. I have been thinking about a pony and for the deep wreck diving it will be a must. Likely will look at it more as time to buy the tanks comes closer.

When we did our OW I was way over weighted, I got 25 minutes out of a 120, pumping, dumping, and bouncing up and down. I have worked and had my weight nearly dead on for our local diving, my hope is being a snow person, i will be able to handle the warm keys with no wetsuit, thus dropping alot of weight. On our AOW nav and peak dive it was in a warm quarry with 80 degree water, with no suit i had about 9 pounds out of the 40 I normally use, add what 5 for salt, minus 6 for the steel 130, I should be around 8-9 pounds with no suit

I don't think I saw anyone else say this, if there is current do your dive into the current. That way you aren't fighting current to return to your mooring/ascent line. Also remember that even if you are a bit low on gas, each breath at shallower depth requires less volume of gas. So even 300-400 lbs. at 20 ft. will provide gas for a proper safety stop (but no margin for any emergency or extended safety stop time).

IMHO key points:

pony bottle
bigger tank
buoyancy control
proper weighting

 

[bigtim6656]

would you go with an al pony or steel, any thought on size for deep dives for such things as the speigel, thinking 30 maybe 40. THinking mounted like this http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=ZeaglePonyBottleAttachment

OR due to the size of a big 30 or 40, should i sling it, incase the need to hand it off came up

 

[aquaregia]

I've never tried tankmounting, nor have I used your BC, but I find slinging incredibly easy on my BP/W. I'd rather have access to something than not have access to it, regardless of the merit of handing it off. I'm not sure if you'd be able to tankmount a 40.

 

[krawlings]

I would sling it (AL30) Once you are in the water you will not even know it is there. I add 2lb. extra to the right side BC wieght pouch to offset the pony wieght (for trim)

 

[bigtim6656]

I was wondering if a tank that size was to big to mount. I am using the ranger ltd by zeagle, will likely be going to a bo/w this summer or fall

I don't think I saw anyone else say this, if there is current do your dive into the current. That way you aren't fighting current to return to your mooring/ascent line. Also remember that even if you are a bit low on gas, each breath at shallower depth requires less volume of gas. So even 300-400 lbs. at 20 ft. will provide gas for a proper safety stop (but no margin for any emergency or extended safety stop time).

IMHO key points:

pony bottle
bigger tank
buoyancy control
proper weighting

I've never tried tankmounting, nor have I used your BC, but I find slinging incredibly easy on my BP/W. I'd rather have access to something than not have access to it, regardless of the merit of handing it off. I'm not sure if you'd be able to tankmount a 40.

 

[gert7to3]

Keep in mind, that pony tank is just to get you back to the surface. You aren't planning to penetrate the wreck are you? Do not consider it part of your normal breathing gas supply, it's emergency equipment.

Also, don't go thinking you should dispense with a wetsuit. As your buoyancy control builds, you will be less active during a dive. Even water in the high 70's or low 80's (F) can chill you. Tropical waters have things which can bite and sting. Something as harmless as a mooring line will collect fire coral growth over time.

IMHO 40 lbs. seems a bit over weighted.

 

[randykiw]

I have worked and had my weight nearly dead on for our local diving, my hope is being a snow person, i will be able to handle the warm keys with no wetsuit, thus dropping alot of weight.

Just want to point out that water temps in feb will be around 70 on surface and around mid to lower 60s at depth. Certianly not "no wetsuit diving" in my book. Although when I was there in march last year someone I dove with on the SG wore a 3 mill shorty in 68 degree water.