Recent trip to the doc (equalization problems)

"Lee Bell" wrote

>> We talked about donning a BC and tank, and I told him I can do it in
>> shallow water, deep water, surface and on the bottom. However, the only
>> way we were taught was over the head. He said he was on a boat once when
>> one of the divers, on the deck of the boat, threw his tank over the top
>> of his head to suit up and the entire group scattered in fear.

> That's how I was taught too. I can clearly remember listening to my
> instructor say that real divers only did it one way, over the head. Kind
> of foolish in retrospect.

That's how I do it, on land, with up to double 80s. Did it on a pontoon
boat, on calm water and clear of other divers. Easiest way to don a BP&W.

That said, and I'm able to easily handle my tanks, it's stupid and
inconsiderate to do overhead don on most dive boats. I won't.

Curtis

"Lee Bell" <pleebell@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:ye%Xh.249$C35.52@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>> We talked about donning a BC and tank, and I told him I can do it in
>> shallow water, deep water, surface and on the bottom. However, the only
>> way we were taught was over the head. He said he was on a boat once when
>> one of the divers, on the deck of the boat, threw his tank over the top
>> of his head to suit up and the entire group scattered in fear.
>
> That's how I was taught too. I can clearly remember listening to my
> instructor say that real divers only did it one way, over the head. Kind
> of foolish in retrospect.

In the good old days when men were men etc and you only had a back plate
that seemed to be the way to do it. Now with BCDs with so many clips and
releases ( and me being older ) much easier to sit down and clip up all the
clips or have my buddy lift it up.

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:16:37 -0600, "Sheldon"
<sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
> Good luck and congratulations.

She had her last class period today... A review for the first part of
the class and the written test for the last part... She got a 96 on it
(i.e. missed 2 questions)... She was hoping to get a 100 so that she
could beat my score... Next step is just the open water dives this
weekend... It's been a quick 3 weeks, but she's just about finished...
Looks like the next time I go to Blue Springs, I won't have to sneak
past the park rangers like I do when I don't have a buddy...

> We talked about donning a BC and tank, and I told him I can do it in shallow
> water, deep water, surface and on the bottom. However, the only way we were
> taught was over the head. He said he was on a boat once when one of the
> divers, on the deck of the boat, threw his tank over the top of his head to
> suit up and the entire group scattered in fear.

That's probably not a preferred method to use when on a crowded
boat... On the other hand, it is probably guaranteed to give you a bit
of elbow room... <evil-grin>

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:462e80fb$0$25474$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Sheldon" <sheldon@REMOVEsopris.net> wrote in message
> news:K9adnf15cp4irLPbnZ2dnUVZ_oWdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> "dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:462dadfb$0$25455$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>>>
>>> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
>>> newsuGdnSKuuMPwGrDbnZ2dnUVZ_tunnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>>>
>>>> "dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:462d7112$0$25487$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
>>>>> news:ZMednUDpOKal7bDbnZ2dnUVZ_vamnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>>>>>I should have said "crooked" septum, and apparently in doing a search
>>>>>>on the net that's common among 80% of people.
>>>>>
>>>>> Than that make a crooked septum the norm
>>>> Never thought about it that way. Just watched that video on the net
>>>> about clearing your ears. I think the doc there is right. Anybody can
>>>> do it. It just takes the right technique, and boy, there sure are a lot
>>>> of em. Unless the doc says absolutely not to dive, which I doubt he
>>>> will, I think I just need more practice at it. And, I have to get past
>>>> this class phase where you go up and down and up and down a zillion
>>>> times in 14' of water. That can't be a good thing.
>>>>
>>>> Hell, I just bought a new underwater camera! Can't let that go to
>>>> waste.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>>>
>>>> Sheldon
>>>
>>> you are a very interesting poster but you can't swim very well iirc,
>>> can't clear your ears ( because of medical problems ) and can't see very
>>> well. Enjoy scuba but I am not sure that I would be grabbing you as a
>>> buddy.
>>>
>>> Having said that I hope your diving experience is great and remember
>>> little bubbles all the time
>>>>
>>
>> I hear ya. Did pass the swim test without a problem, but still working
>> on my freestyle swimming. Have an appt with my ENT (again, who is a
>> diver) regarding clearing methods. I know I'm not the only person who
>> has problems clearing his ears, and I'm getting to the bottom of the pool
>> in a reasonable amount of time will little discomfort. My girlfriend
>> tells me it can take her as long as 5 to 10 minutes to clear, and she is
>> like mermaid in the water in all other respects. As for not seeing, I
>> have better than 20/20 vision with contacts or glasses. I'm going to
>> look into soft lenses for diving, but my instructor had me doing every
>> exercise without any vision aids at all. One would think that after
>> clearing my mask for the thousandth time he would have let me put my
>> contacts back in.
>>
>> As for experience, I can now assemble and don my equipment blind --
>> literally.
>>
>> "That" said, I can see (no pun intended) why you would not want me as a
>> buddy. I probably wouldn't want a novice as a buddy either. However, my
>> plan is to have diving as an option to a vacation experience; to cut the
>> cord from the snorkel. If we were to dive together we would probably be
>> at around 35' to 40' with direct access to the surface. If you want to
>> chase a turtle down to 100' or explore a cave you're on your own. I
>> would never put myself or my buddy at risk, and would hope, if push comes
>> to shove, I would come through.
>>
>> I just want to have some fun with a minimum of risk. Maybe this isn't
>> for me, but I refuse to quit without giving it a good try even if I have
>> to purchase a prescription mask.
>
>
> Sorry I did come over a bit heavy AGAIN.
>
> I am also a great believer in safety first so if you are doing everything
> to remain safe and uninjured that is great. Thinking about it a person who
> takes care about safety and analyses risk like you are doing is probably
> the best person to dive with. The worst diver IMHO re safety are those who
> have done 20-40 dives and think the know everything and stop worrying
> about safety and what may go wrong.
>
> As I said I hope your diving experience is a great one and with an U/W
> camera you are one up on me ( soon to change after I have finished my
> research, by the way what do you have?).
>
> btw this is all coming from a non diver so it doesn't really matter
>>
>
I got an Olympus FE-230, which is a very small pocket size point and shoot
7MP camera. Then I got the underwater case for it which resembles the more
expensive ones that go for around a grand. This is not a simple plastic
bag. I already played with it in the pool and it works great. Very happy
with the normal photos the camera takes, too. Doesn't have lots of
adjustments, but I have a DSLR for that. I'll be happy if I get a photo of
a fish or two, and some of myself.