Diving: the little things

Scuba diving was on my bucket list, and since I was close to retirement in the summer of 2013, I thought it was time to cross it off. When I took my first scuba lessons, I quickly learned that what many dive instructors say is true: water is not man’s natural environment. So, I was a little eager to complete this certification.

After some basic research on local opportunities for scuba instruction, I had selected a dive shop in Salt Lake City, a 20-minute drive from my home. The reason I selected them is because of the calming influence that the owner, Lori, had on my anxiety. He also suggested an instructor who was almost my age, which further lessened my fears.

Aggressively completed academic work and completed group training in good standing. Open water certification was achieved in a saltwater “inland ocean” west of Salt Lake City. He had learned the basics and was now a certified diver, but still uncomfortable.

He knew that he had to master these skills to be a competent and safe diver. Although addressed in my training, I was barely able to control my buoyancy and although I spent most of my adult life as a professional pilot navigating the western United States, my underwater navigation skills were almost non-existent. Plus, he was certified to a depth of 23 feet and knew he wanted to go deeper. And to top it off, I never jumped off my sailboat with 50 pounds of gear on top, so boat diving would be a new experience. By the way, since we live at about 4,200 feet MSL, diving at height was part of the training I received.

To borrow and modify an aviation saying, now that I completed my scuba training, I was certified to actually learn to dive.

Knowledge is king

I took a 3-step approach to this challenge. First, I made a commitment to join the dives that the dive shop offered every month to the local lakes. Second, I enrolled in various specialty courses, such as buoyancy, sailing, deep diving, nitrox diving, and boat diving. Since I truly believe that knowledge is power, I enrolled in a course entitled Coverall Stress and rescue, to further calm my underwater fears. I also signed up for the Night and Limited Visibility course, as well as First Aid, CPR, AED and O2 training. The Science of Diving course was not far behind. And finally, I took the time to improve my physical condition.

Phew! I know, that is a lot of study and effort. But it was worth it for me. Not only did I learn the specific academic material, but I also learned something about how to be a better diver in each course. This got even stronger every time I went diving. I practiced, watched, and learned.

And then one day, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t been paying attention to the little things that could help me become a better diver.

Below are several examples.

Buoyancy and BC (Buoyancy Compensator) and weights

We had used weights in the pool training environment and I never questioned their need. One of the first things I noticed afterward was that I didn’t really need weights to go down into the pool. This resulted in being weightless in fresh water (unless I was wearing a wetsuit). In buoyancy class, I learned that I had been doing the buoyancy check incorrectly. This resulted in me being overweight on every dive up to that point. After correcting my misunderstanding, I used less air in the life jacket, which resulted in more air for me.

The buoyancy compensator (BC), sometimes called a buoyancy control device (BCD), is the equipment that makes recreational diving possible and popular. Your job is to establish neutral buoyancy underwater and positive buoyancy on the surface. But it is the diver who controls the BC. I had to learn to use shorter blasts of air and wait for neutral buoyancy to become apparent. As the mother said, patience is a virtue.

Breathing

Now I look back and chuckle as I remember how quickly my air seemed to disappear on a dive. Along with buoyancy, this is, in my opinion, the most important skill for a diver to master.

I learned that my anxiety, which resulted in poor underwater breathing habits, could be offset and eventually eliminated with my increased knowledge and experience. My strong desire to improve was also a factor.

As soon as I really paid attention to my breathing, I relaxed. The result was twofold: not only was he more relaxed, but he also had enough air to explore more of our underwater world.

The value of a computer

Every diver should learn to use dive tables. That way we better understand the principles of gas compression and decompression. We learn why off-gassing is so important and how to achieve it by obeying the tables. Having said that, diving with a computer is much better than diving on tables.

But here’s a caveat: learn how to use your computer before diving. Then take an easy dive below and use all of your computer’s underwater features.

I recently bought a new computer and practiced all its functions at my kitchen table. All but one, that is. Guess what function I accidentally activated on my next dive? It turns out that I can inadvertently turn off the light while in the water, making the computer nearly impossible to see. Partially in my defense, I was wearing thick gloves and couldn’t feel when I pressed a button. However, I should have learned about this feature beforehand and should have practiced at home with my gloves on.

Personal fitness

The last 5 years of my career were spent sitting in a chair in front of a computer. In other words, I let my physical condition deteriorate. I found this to be a distinct disadvantage while learning to be a competent diver. So, I joined the local gym and started the journey to better health, including reducing my weight by 6 pounds. What a difference this made! Now I could get my gear from the parking lot to shore without gasping for breath to the point of resting 20 minutes before I could dive. This also improved my breathing, so I used less air underwater.

Knowledge about the dive site

I found that if I did a little research on the next dive site, I felt more comfortable during the dive. Research can be anything from an internet search to comments from divers who have been there. This lower anxiety about the dive resulted in being more relaxed during the dive, which again resulted in the use of less air during the dive.

Dive report

This agrees with the previous topic. The more you know about diving, the more relaxed you can be in the water. The Divemaster or Captain can make each dive more interesting and enjoyable. Be sure to wait for your information for each dive; They will have seasonal updates on the site, including what you can expect to see.

Team

Like most new divers, I used rental gear for my first few dives. Although the equipment was adequate, it was simply not quite right. I made it work, but I knew there had to be a better way. Eventually I invested in a better CB and an improved regulator. These two purchases made diving less strenuous and more enjoyable. Because I dive a lot in cold water, I decided to invest in a better quality 7mm wetsuit, not better, until the very end, that fit my body shape perfectly. This, along with the proper boots and hood, made diving in cold water more comfortable.

By the way, I bought the wetsuit after talking to the owner of the dive shop. His years of experience allowed me to get a quality wetsuit that works perfectly for me. The advice here is not to forget to speak to several more experienced ones for recommendations when you have a question.

Useful skills

Recently, a student asked me if I had ever lost my mask or my regular mask; wondered why we emphasize these skills so much during training. Turns out on one dive I wasn’t paying attention when my friend, who was in front of me, stopped and I swam to his moving fins. My mask was crooked and full of water and my regulator floated in front of me. So yes, the skills learned in training may be something you need one day, so practice them periodically. If you only dive a few times in the summer each year, consider a refresher class before diving begins next year.

My point is that we need to pay close attention to the instructors and other divers we dive with so that we can learn from their experience. And we have to strive to learn something new on every dive. If there is nothing new, we can practice something that we learned years ago, but have not used recently.

Another useful, and potentially life-saving skill is the determination to make a safety stop on every dive. I know, computers can indicate that a stop is not necessary, but if you do multiple dives per day, or over several days, the benefit of a safety stop outweighs the small delay in reaching the surface. Also, it allows you to practice buoyancy skills.

Conclution

Remember, follow the rules, don’t dive beyond your training or experience, and look for the little things that will help you become a better diver.