What is best for a 5-6 foot entry from a pier? Giant stride?

[Sas]

When doing an entry at that height, I inflate my BC more than usual, hold onto my mask with one hand, and hold onto my weight belt with the other (as it fell off one day after a particularly high entry, luckily was caught by my crotch strap), and then I do a giant stride. If the tide is very low I will tuck my feet up before I hit the water. I keep a reg in my mouth, but am aware of my breathing to avoid embolising (quite a low risk with entries, but still something to be aware of imho).

For example (though about midtide here so not too far to drop this time ):

 

[DandyDon]

Yep,. I have that Aqualung Lengend...with the +/- switch...but i thought I had to adjust the venturi?? the thingy that you can turn to hard breathing or easy? I had it set to the perfect breathin ... I didn't want to turn it to the loose end .... So ...I really didn't have to touch that part of the regulator? right????

I think that's what he meant.

 

[Louie]

If you can get safe footing on the platform, then giant stride is probably best.

If there is a raised edge then a backward roll is a possibility.

I would NOT advise throwing in the gear unless the water is very smooth (no current). If you go with this method, MAKE SURE THE BC IS ADEQUATELY INFLATED! Your buddy may not appreciate being asked to do a search and recovery of your equipment at the bottom of the pier.

The rule for entries is to use the method that is the safest and most practical for the situation.

 

[fnfalman]

When you do a giant stride, make sure that you do a Giant Stride and not a baby step. If your fits in the water the wrong way, you'll get slammed face first into the water. Won't kill you but probably would freak you out.

After a while, a giant stride gets boring and then you'd do forward flip, back roll, sideway, etc.

 

[DandyDon]

If you can get safe footing on the platform, then giant stride is probably best.

If there is a raised edge then a backward roll is a possibility.

Really?! Well, not like we do from a six-pack boat? Maybe you mean squat down, then roll back? Did that once from a boat stride-gate into shallow water.

I would NOT advise throwing in the gear unless the water is very smooth (no current). If you go with this method, MAKE SURE THE BC IS ADEQUATELY INFLATED! Your buddy may not appreciate being asked to do a search and recovery of your equipment at the bottom of the pier.

Yeah, I didn't like the throw-the-kit idea in. Never have done that; just thinking about unseen current, or maybe problems donning it in the water. I like my gear cinched on well and with me as I drop in.

I also would not ask someone to search alone for lost gear. Read too many buddy separation accident threads.

Hehe, I read a story in a magazine about a guy on a boat who had been an ass boarding, an ass on the ride out, and ass during briefing, then insisted that he wasn't doing the entry the DM suggested - that he was going to throw his kit in and don it in water. Next, he threw it in - and watched it sink as he'd failed to inflate his BC. The DM and the rest of the divers made their entries as he was screaming for someone to retrieve his gear - and they did, at the end of the dive.

When you do a giant stride, make sure that you do a Giant Stride and not a baby step. If your fits in the water the wrong way, you'll get slammed face first into the water. Won't kill you but probably would freak you out.

After a while, a giant stride gets boring and then you'd do forward flip, back roll, sideway, etc.

I'll pass. I've screwed up a simple Giant Stride before; not pressing my luck there.

 

[Rich Wilkman]

Another vote for giant stride, but I'd just like to add one tidbit that might help with the fear. It's never as far a drop as you actually see; you're adding 5 or 6 feet simply because your eyes are atop your body and that can really make it seem worse than it is.

You can lay across the deck and look down; that helps some. What I've found to help is getting a water level perspective of it when possible. It seems to help.

Still waiting for the transporter technology to cover beaming me from the tailgate of my truck to chest deep and back.

-Rich

 

[scubadada]

Giant stride/jump in from a height is fine as long as you have adequate depth, make sure you have a way back up.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Louie]

At the risk of sounding like an old bore, I would like to repeat the importance of using an entry method that is the most safe and appropriate for the situation.

Gymnastics entries may look spectacular but they can be dangerous. It would be an utter shame if you were to get injured engaging in unnecessary horseplay. I was often asked by OW students: "Can we do the James Bond?" (always young and male) to which I would always ask why. Usually, the reply was that they'd seen young hothead showoff DMs doing it.

I've heard of severe injuries (all unnecessary and preventable) that occured to divers doing acrobatic entries. There was a case where a tank valve went into the back of a DM's neck and another near miss where a diver hit the side of a boat.

So please save the flips and somersaults for the trampoline.

 

[Thalassamania]

My usual method of choosing the correct entry method is to ask myself, "what would make the smallest splash?"

 

[piikki]

Yep,. I have that Aqualung Lengend...with the +/- switch...but i thought I had to adjust the venturi?? the thingy that you can turn to hard breathing or easy? I had it set to the perfect breathin ... I didn't want to turn it to the loose end .... So ...I really didn't have to touch that part of the regulator? right????

Maybe one of the reg masters could answer? I think the +/- (that's called venturi, right) should be enough. I have not had problems but then I realized that I have my inhalation resistance knob turned in anyway until I am under water (I only open it in water to my preferred setting as my tech told to close it while reg is not in use).

I would not throw gear in fast moving water for obvious reason. I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet but how we do it is that one of the buddies jumps in first, then the other one throws all the gear. This way there is someone to receive and keep gear from spreading around if there is little water movement. Has worked for us this far. Of course you need to be comfortable gearing up in water, and make sure neither you nor gear is negative if you don't want to make it too exciting.