I want to learn from this! Some advice needed...

[ShinyD]

Two dives today at Vobster.

The first to 13 metres (according to the computer) for 12 minutes, which was shorter than envisaged due to my buoyancy problems - described in this thread. This ended in a normal ascent rate, but no safety stop at 5m.

The second dive, after a surface interval of 1 hour 26 minutes, was also to 13 metres, but 60 seconds after arriving at the bottom I ended up at the surface - again with no safety stop and a faster than normal ascent rate, but not overly fast, and breathing normally thoroughout.

My buddy was a few metres below me and I elected to descend again, sorted my buoyancy out and remained for a 28 minute dive at that depth, finishing with a 3 minute stop at 5 metres.

Should I have descended again following the ascent after 60 seconds?

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by Southern_Dave

Two dives today at Vobster.

The first to 13 metres (according to the computer) for 12 minutes, which was shorter than envisaged due to my buoyancy problems - described in this thread. This ended in a normal ascent rate, but no safety stop at 5m.

The second dive, after a surface interval of 1 hour 26 minutes, was also to 13 metres, but 60 seconds after arriving at the bottom I ended up at the surface - again with no safety stop and a faster than normal ascent rate, but not overly fast, and breathing normally thoroughout.

My buddy was a few metres below me and I elected to descend again, sorted my buoyancy out and remained for a 28 minute dive at that depth, finishing with a 3 minute stop at 5 metres.

Should I have descended again following the ascent after 60 seconds?

No

Because your not ready yet. The first 10m of any dive adds 100% to the compression on our body. You can really hurt your self in 10m of water.

You need to be 150% confident in 6m of water max you need to be able to control your ascent and feel comfortable. This is a major challenge to a new diver or a new dry suit diver and its the most difficult zone to work in for ANY diver.

I can not stress enough that it is vital you focus on getting it right in the first 10m of water.

When after 14 years of diving and trimix dives to over 100m I went CCR, I didn't do a single dive below 20m untill I could handle 0-10m. And it was bloody hard work.

Nothing to be ashamed off or unduly worried about unless your contemplating diving beyond your ability in which case you should be both embarrassed and ashamed.

Your target should be 6m for 1min 5m for 1min 4m for 1min 3m for1min 2m for 1min slow ascent to surface.

ATB

Mark Chase

[endoman]

I like the drill of 1 min at each shallower depth up from 6M, sounds like something I will try next time I'm out.

[Scuby]

Descending again may be appropriate in some (very limited) circumstances - but not yours. If you are regularly having trouble controlling your buoyancy (as it appears on that day), then by descending you're just creating another opportunity for a rapid ascent - bad at any time, and certainly not something you want to happen multiple times in quick succession.

As Mark suggested, get more buoyancy practice in shallow (<6m water) until you're confident that you can maintain any depth. I also agree that ascending whilst aiming to hold a stop for 1 minute at 6m, 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m, and 1m is a very good way to practice (although at 1m depth note that your timer might stop counting so don't stay there forever )

David

[ShinyD]

Thanks all - golden advice and something I will take onboard and master before doing anything else.

[mala]

good honest post .
just keep practicing bouyancy it will soon become second nature.
aviod fast ascents at all costs .
no deco dives are just that tho-no deco.
and the safety stop is just that -for added safety not mandatory.

as for returing to the depths after a 60 sec dip -not best practice so don't make a habit of it.

oh -if you ever get up here i will happily buddy you.

[Scuby]

Ah, just found your other post.

Same advice still applies, only other thing worth mentioning is to remember the shoulder dump on your BC - can usually dump air much more quickly than the corrugated hose which is very handy for stopping runaway ascents. You have to be a bit careful with it, you can end up dumping too much, but that applies to every dump. And breath control will come with experience, but is much easier to adjust than using dumps (and your lungs will typically give around 4kg of variability)

A tip that has worked very well with a few of my students though - do a dive where you are planning to do nothing other than practice buoyancy. Think about your buoyancy constantly through the dive. Constantly think about whether you would go up or down if you stopped finning, and if you think you aren't neutrally buoyant then fix it.
Once you're happy with that, find obstacles to swim over so that you're altering the depth, and try to control it with breath control where possible. Still think about your buoyancy throughout, adjust what is in your BC / drysuit if necessary, never forget about your buoyancy.
I've found with a few students who've really struggled with buoyancy that one dive where they do nothing but think about their buoyancy that the improvement can be drastic. Remember, most of your training dives will have had other things to do - mask clearing, reg swapping, following your buddy, leading dives, whatever. There isn't usually a dive built into training where you just practice buoyancy - that's why i've begun to add it when necessary as a dive all in itself. Which is silly really, because you can dive 99% of the time without being able to clear a mask, swap regs, etc. I'm not suggesting that these aren't crucial to be able to do too, but buoyancy is something that is required pretty much all of the time you are in the water. Really is worth a dive or two without any other objective than to practice your buoyancy.

Sorry, long and rambling I know. Basic point is to get back in the water and practice your buoyancy. Try using drysuit, BC, both, whatever. At every point in the dive think about your buoyancy and ask yourself what would happen if you stopped finning - and if you wouldn't just hover, then correct it sooner. Move shallower and deeper when you build your confidence, bounce over things, go up and down walls, and again at every point be in control of the bouyancy. By the end of a 30min dive then you should have dramatically improved it, and that'll give you the skills and the confidence to head back and do the dives you wanted to do at Vobster, without popping up early.

Hope that is vaguely useful to you

David

[ShinyD]

Great information - thanks Scuby

[slip179]

Hi Dave, didn't realise I was so close to another YD. I was at Vobster starting move to the "dark side" i.e. twins with some kind friends who travelled a long way to help me play following DAS principles.

I echo the adivice above. Getting the buoyany control sorted promotes safe diving, is a key skill at all levels and ensure you don't get tempted to overweight as a security blanket.

Good luck next time and will look out for you for a tea sheltering from the rain!

Richie.

P.S. DAS = Dived and survived!

[ShinyD]

Originally Posted by slip179

Hi Dave, didn't realise I was so close to another YD. I was at Vobster starting move to the "dark side" i.e. twins with some kind friends who travelled a long way to help me play following DAS principles.

I echo the adivice above. Getting the buoyany control sorted promotes safe diving, is a key skill at all levels and ensure you don't get tempted to overweight as a security blanket.

Good luck next time and will look out for you for a tea sheltering from the rain!

Richie.

P.S. DAS = Dived and survived!

I did see someone kitted up with twins before we entered the water. I assumed there was just so much to see people wanted to stay in longer

I'll probably have the YD polo shirt next time, although I've obviously much to do regarding buoyancy before I try it again, so that may be some time...

I hope it went well for you