What have you learned in the last year, regardless of how long you have been diving?

[dive_lover88]

I have learned that I look forward to checking in on the ScubaBoard everyday and keeping tabs on my friends and dive buddies.

you mean stalking 'em?

 

[PePaw]

I learned better breathing and my buoyancy is vastly improved. I've dropped 4lbs. of weight as well !

 

[Txfirefighter4305]

I learned I am in better shape than I thought I was.

 

[aubie85]

I learned that you can puke through your reg without negative consequences, at least as long as you hold the reg firmly in your mouth.

I am sorry to hear that. Thanks Baconated, now that I know this, I hope I don't experience this! I don't have motion sickness issues, so unless I am completely hungover(in which case, you aren't really supposed to dive when you are hungover) or happen to be unaware that I am pregnant, I should be fine.

 

[cowdog77]

After numerous liveaboard trips I've learned to hang back
a while and watch.

Them that can, do.
The rest talk about it.

 

[Baconated]

Ok, you really need to elaborate on this one...

puking through a regulator...

I was at Pt. Lobos a few months back. There was a little rolling surge on the surface but not bad enough to stop us from doing the dive. I was swimming backwards towards the mouth of the cove when at some point I turned my head to see where the kelp was and turned right into a wave and took a mouthful of salt water. After coughing and hacking for a few moments I continued on. Finally my buddy and I dropped down and started doing our thing.

The surge was heavier below the surface, but again not too bad. We were getting thrown around a bit though. At one point I was above my buddy and he was above a large boulder. To my left was a long line of kelp heading up to the surface. A surge came in and all at once it moved my buddy to the right, the kelp to the left, and the rock straight ahead (OK, the rock didn't move forward, I moved backward). Between the visual disorientation and the salt water gurgling in my stomach I started to feel a little uncomfortable.

A minute later I suddenly realized I was going to be sick. We never went over that procedure in OW class. The computer said I was at 35 feet and I wasn't sure what to do. Bolting to the surface seemed dumb and I knew removing the reg to throw up was a bad idea but I didn't know what would happen to a regulator if one got sick into it. So I grabbed my Air2 in one hand (just in case) and held my primary firmly to my face with the other hand. A split second later I fed the fish and felt wonderful right away. The rest of the dive went on without incident.

Hey, you asked...

Nathan

 

[nereas]

In the past year I learned that women in Florida really do go scuba diving in their bikinis, and my god what a beautiful sight.

 

[coldsmoke]

I learned that a pee-valve is the best invention ever. Even better than bacon.

Hunter

 

[almitywife]

this year i learnt that i have the strength to pull myself back from a near panic and finish a dive safely while also giving support to my buddy who emotionally was beating himself up enough at the time

finish the dive, get out safely and then dissect the dive on what should have happened and what went wrong and how to do it better next time

cheers

 

[aubie85]

I learned that a pee-valve is the best invention ever. Even better than bacon.

Hunter

Sorry for my ignorance...What is a pee valve? My only guess is that it sounds like it has something to do with the drysuit.