Trouble underwater for a newbie...my story

[MichaelMc]

hey everyone,

This is my first post/comment here on SB and I'm only 4 dives in. Literally got my certification yesterday at ATI, so I'm on here using that as a starting point and came across this thread.

The dive instructor was telling me that one of the factors that plays into this in Atitlan is the altitude. you're diving at over 5,000ft which makes it hard to descend. That's why with the thick suit and a lot of weight, it seems excessive. He was explaining to me that at 50' depth, you don't need any weight, but to get to that depth, you need a lot. Also, freshwater dives are more tricky at controlling buoyancy...moreso than salt water (I did a DSD dive in Australia about 10 years ago).

I just wanted to add this in for anyone else coming across this thread as a newbie like myself.

I think your Instructor was exaggerating the differences. I've dove Lake Tahoe, 6,225', and used a little more weight for expansion of a very thick wetsuit, but not a lot. Also 33' salt water is 1 atmosphere, while 34' of fresh is, a 3% difference. Again, not anything huge, and in the direction of making 1 foot depth change have less effect on you not more.

The altitude makes a 1 foot change in depth have a bigger change in your pressure relative to the surface pressure, but that is about the altitude not the fresh water.

Welcome to scuba board, it is a good place to learn more.

 

[jonhall]

I'm probably going to get slammed for saying this: you might give some consideration to getting a purge mask.

Just a different twist to this. I don't have a purge valve, but often exhale through my nose anyway, without lifting the mask away, just to clear any small amount of water that may have found its way in (and sometimes it's just to blow bubbles from a different place.)

look up and exhale through my nose, putting the mask back into place while still exhaling. However, a couple of you described just touching the top - looking up - and exhaling. NOW I REMEMBER! That is exactly how my OW instructor taught me. Wow, I totally forgot. I will work on that as soon as I get in the water.

Touching the top - or putting a little pressure at the top - weakens the seal at the bottom of the mask to make it easier for air to escape. I think a trick is being sure you "look up", if that means tilting your head back slightly, as you exhale.

A question: Everyone says to just give a little air at a time, and wait for the effect.
How much is a little? Do you mean like 1 second? 2 seconds? 6 seconds? To me, so new to this, I really don't know what "a little" means.

As long as you stay relaxed and in control, you will get it. You have some good info from previous posts. Fortunately I rarely feel like I descend too fast but I would like to think if I did, I would use short bursts and use my fins to slow the descent until I felt I achieved buoyancy I was comfortable with. The time of the burst (and whatever "little" means) is irrelevant to me as I'm going to go in small increments and give it a chance to kick in until I feel it's right. Just don't feel rushed!

 

[Dylanger]

I think your Instructor was exaggerating the differences. I've dove Lake Tahoe, 6,225', and used a little more weight for expansion of a very thick wetsuit, but not a lot. Also 33' salt water is 1 atmosphere, while 34' of fresh is, a 3% difference. Again, not anything huge, and in the direction of making 1 foot depth change have less effect on you not more.

The altitude makes a 1 foot change in depth have a bigger change in your pressure relative to the surface pressure, but that is about the altitude not the fresh water.

Welcome to scuba board, it is a good place to learn more.

thanks! That's why I'm here!