Uncontrolled descent

[MauiScubaSteve]

Sometimes you have to power down, to get the shot!

Early this summer I was leading a group at the Carthaginian wreck, off West Maui. As with many of the Hawaii wrecks at similar depths (~100'), spotted eagle rays like to cruise near the wreck. When divers descend the rays move off to the edge of visibility most of the time.

On this occasion my group all had decent experience, which is fairly rare for divers wanting photo's. From the surface I saw a pair of rays near the bow of the wreck, so I told my group I would try for the pic and meet them at the bow.

My descent was angled slightly away from the ship, fully deflated and fining gently with my Gara2000's; not quite as fast as a typical breath hold dive to this depth. My first shot was before hitting the inflator, to keep the spook factor at a minimum.

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Then a solid 3 sec blast on the inflator to keep from digging dirt, which didn't totally spook the rays so I got off another shot. I am fairly sure not many Carthaginian divers have this angle on their eagle ray photo's.

​

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Cool pics Halemano. Thanks for posting them!

 

[dhuskins]

My problem is not descending too fast, it is being barely able [and sometimes unable] to descend. If I am weighted in the average breath and empty BCD so I float with the water line at mid eyeball, I have a terrible time descending. I now have just over 20 dives. This is with an 8/7 mm hooded suit [we are diving in quarries in the midwest].

I find, if I check at the end of my best dives, during this weighting experimenting process, at the end of the dive, with the BCD empty and an average breath, my head is a foot or so beneath the surface. If I am weighted as you are supposed to be, at the end of a dive, as we approach the shore in reducing depth, once I get to about 8-10 feet I can't stay down. Too buoyant.

Once I get down far enough to compress the suit, then I descend fine. If I am not adding air to my BCD I will hit the bottom. The balance I want to achieve with respect to initial weight seems elusive.

I can start down, turn over and fin down, but that aggravates the ear equalizing thing, as it must happen quicker.

This is an interesting thread....

Two recommendations:

If you are ending your dive unable to stay down, then add more weight. I would start with two pounds and see where that gets you.

To help you descend at the beginning of your dive, expel the air from your BCD and relax. Think about going limp like a boneless cat. Tension causes our lungs to retain more air. Relaxing allows us to exhale more completely.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Tension causes our lungs to retain more air. Relaxing allows us to exhale more completely.

Well put ... the crib notes version is "fear floats" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Diver0001]

consider that borrowed, Bob. See new sig.

R..

 

[pittyyofool]

Two recommendations:

Think about going limp like a boneless cat.

boneless or not, has anyone ever seen a relaxed limp cat in the water?

 

[walke121]

I may be a little late on the OP's question but I'm going to give my 2 cents. I spear fish a lot. I find my self adding 15 or so more lbs to my normal diving trim when I spearfish to sink me as fast as I can. When I hit the water I want to go down as fast as I can to keep my time in the water as quick as possible. I am used to diving in water where the bottom is 1000+ fsw and doing this. I usually get to around 100 fsw and then start to inflate my bc. I seem to always stay shallower than 140-150 fsw. I don't see an issue of dive bombing unless it is careless and unfamiliar.

 

[DaleC]

boneless or not, has anyone ever seen a relaxed limp cat in the water?

Yes indeed!
It took a couple of minutes of holding it under and lots of scratches but I got there.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Yes indeed!
It took a couple of minutes of holding it under and lots of scratches but I got there.

:lol:

 

[pittyyofool]

Yes indeed!
It took a couple of minutes of holding it under and lots of scratches but I got there.

priceless