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Making an awesome GoPro video is rather harder than I expected. On the other hand I still love Bonaire
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Jan 24, 2017 02:07
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Openwater class diary, day two: Breathing underwater is loving cool.
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Jan 24, 2017 03:33
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let it mellow posted:Still sticking with Turks and Caicos. Other spots that stick out are Aruba and Ambergris Caye in Belize. All offer what you are asking for, but it is a haul to West Caicos so you will be on a relatively long dive day, but not 4 dives a day. Aruba and Ambergris will be shorter ( except the blue hole, that's an all day trip) JetBlue is having a sale, so I'm considering an impromptu dive trip to Aruba. Can anyone recommend a dive shop on Aruba? I was thinking of going with this place in Baby Beach: http://jadsaruba.com/
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Jan 24, 2017 03:34
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MrYenko posted:Openwater class diary, day two: Breathing underwater is loving cool. As a divemaster, I loving love seeing this  When you get certified and start diving in cool places, please post some of the pics that will inevitably follow 
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Jan 24, 2017 05:15
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The next step is buoyancy control. Now that's when its really loving cool.
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Jan 24, 2017 05:28
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Squashy Nipples posted:JetBlue is having a sale, so I'm considering an impromptu dive trip to Aruba. We dove with JADS and they were great. There's one two tank dive where they will line up he second dive so you end up seeing the submarine. You're taking pics of the sub, people in the sub are taking pics of you. I probably posted a pic of it earlier,but phone posting so I can't find it.
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Jan 25, 2017 02:58
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let it mellow posted:We dove with JADS and they were great. There's one two tank dive where they will line up he second dive so you end up seeing the submarine. You're taking pics of the sub, people in the sub are taking pics of you. I probably posted a pic of it earlier,but phone posting so I can't find it. Awesome! Yeah, I liked the look of their schedule. Where did you stay? The hotels are on the other side of the island... did they come pick you up? I was planning on renting a car.
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Jan 25, 2017 03:12
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Squashy Nipples posted:Awesome! Yeah, I liked the look of their schedule. We stayed at the tamrijn (sp?) which was an all inclusive, and it was pretty good because it wasn't in the high rise district. They picked us up and took us to the high rise district where their dock was (but not their shop, we found that one non diving day when we rented a car and explored the island, also got lost and ended up by the prison where that dude that killed the girl from Atlanta was still in), and then a short walk to their boat. We liked the resort but we've stopped doing all inclusives and haven't been back to Aruba since that. All I can say about where to stay is you'll probably be happier visiting the high rise district than staying in it. E: the island is easy to drive in. Our getting lost and ending up at the prison was actually looking for the JADS shop and missing like one, maybe two turns. No big deal. E2: we did climb Hooiberg (sp?) and that was pretty cool too, but you have to kinda jump a fence / work around a building at the top for the best view. Nobody will tell you that, so I just did. let it mellow fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Jan 25, 2017 |
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Jan 25, 2017 05:55
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 Screen shots from the GoPro aren't to bad. Lights are going to be a mandatory if I decide to keep using this and not just get a real camera.
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Jan 25, 2017 22:54
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I LIKE COOKIE posted:whoa, what do you guys think of this? Bangkero posted:Over a decade ago a company marketed out a setup exactly like this (can't remember which company) and it became a point of heated discussion on scubaboard. Although you couldn't refill the tank like in this setup. The general consensus before was that the only practical application for this would be for boat/dock owners wanting to check/quickly clean their dock structure or hull of their boats while in water. I just remembered the name of the setup - Rapid Diver by Zeagle: https://www.diverightinscuba.com/ra...1SPJRoCaI_w_wcB
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Jan 26, 2017 15:26
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let it mellow posted:We stayed at the tamrijn (sp?) which was an all inclusive, and it was pretty good because it wasn't in the high rise district. They picked us up and took us to the high rise district where their dock was (but not their shop, we found that one non diving day when we rented a car and explored the island, also got lost and ended up by the prison where that dude that killed the girl from Atlanta was still in), and then a short walk to their boat. Nice! I was leaning towards the Tamrijn, because they are offering deals at the moment. But I was also considering an AirBnB listing that was all the way down by Baby Beach, near the JADS shop. On one hand, free food and hot tubs (I like hot tub after a day of diving), and on the other hand, being away from the crowds, and half the price. Thanks for the info.
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Jan 26, 2017 15:37
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Anyone interested in buying an unused dive computer for a good price? New in the box, Cressi Giotto wrist computer, white face with pink strap. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IUSA6PC/
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Jan 28, 2017 18:46
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Openwater class diary, day three, ocean dives one and two: Barracuda reef and the caves, Fort Lauderdale. There was supposed to be four students, so there was an instructor and a DM, but I'm the only student who showed, so I had a pretty awesome instructor-to-student ratio.  First dive, got in the water, and poo poo, I didn't load enough weights, and couldn't sink. (First time in seawater with my wetsuit.) CESAs suck, and practicing them is more than enough motivation to ensure I never have to do one for real. My air consumption, which sucked hard through all of the pool work and the first dive, was almost as good as the DM on the second dive, once I could settle down and mostly just relax and swim along. I was very pleasantly surprised, and a little proud, since I'm a pretty large dude. After the instructor asked for bottle pressure and I gave him 2000psi for the third time, he came over and checked my gauge, and seemed genuinely surprised. I was expecting to use quite a bit more.
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Jan 28, 2017 20:59
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MrYenko posted:
Obviously not your fault, the instructor should probably have given you the chance before the lesson, it's important to do a weight check if you're either using new kit or diving in new conditions. It's tough to accurately guess, which is why commercial instructors will often load students with lead.
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Jan 28, 2017 23:04
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I start as a dive volunteer at our local aquarium next week! A pic of the tank I'll hopefully get assigned to: e: I almost forgot, the Weeki Wachee mermaids are coming to do their show in that exhibit as well, in early March. Info: http://www.weekiwachee.com/index.php/mermaids/mermaid-shows They're traveling up to see us, and I'm fairly excited about it. This falls right around the time I'm planning another springs trip, this time trying to hit 4 of them in a week. A day each at Ginnie, Devil's Den, Blue Grotto, and Paradise springs before heading back home. This is over our spring break, so I'm trying to recruit scuba club members to come down and hop in the caverns. Icon Of Sin fucked around with this message at 20:24 on Jan 29, 2017 |
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Jan 29, 2017 20:18
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What gear would you recommend buying vs renting for someone just getting into this? Plan to do my classroom and pool work in the next month, then hopefully get certified in Mexico in the spring.
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Jan 30, 2017 04:46
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General rule of thumb is to always start with a mask/snorkel first, then fins next. The rest is usually easily rented wherever you go.
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Jan 30, 2017 05:33
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Demon_Corsair posted:What gear would you recommend buying vs renting for someone just getting into this? Plan to do my classroom and pool work in the next month, then hopefully get certified in Mexico in the spring. Start with mask, fins, snorkel, and booties. Your mask, snorkel, and booties should be yours and yours alone, sharing those is just...unhygienic. Plus, if for whatever reason you don't continue with diving you've got everything you need to go snorkeling (which should be pretty killer in Mexico). After I covered those, I just sniped whatever was on sale at the time until I had a full set. You'll likely never need to buy a tank, unless you end up doing a ton of diving or hate having money and decide that tec diving is for you
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Jan 30, 2017 05:41
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You can get fitted fins which are nice because you don't need booties, and don't require carrying them around. Downside is if you ever plan on shore diving your feet would be uncomfortable (or they might get cold). If you decide to get fins that require booties, I personally would recommend hard soled booties. Thinner soles are a bit more comfortable I imagine, but drat if they still hurt on rocks and beach coral.
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Jan 30, 2017 05:58
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Welp, I'm a certified diver. Open water diary, dives three and four: AL80s and their buoyancy-changing ways can kiss my rear end. Sleeping nurse sharks are adorable. Finished dive four with three hundred pounds more air than my instructor. 
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Jan 30, 2017 14:09
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Demon_Corsair posted:What gear would you recommend buying vs renting for someone just getting into this? Plan to do my classroom and pool work in the next month, then hopefully get certified in Mexico in the spring. After mask, fins, boots and gloves I'd recommend a wetsuit. A good snug wetsuit makes a huge difference in comfort. MrYenko posted:AL80s and their buoyancy-changing ways can kiss my rear end. The weight of the gas you're breathing doesn't change if you're breathing it from a steel or aluminum tank. Steel tanks are great because you can take the weight off your belt, which can really help with trim (plus heavy weight belts suck) but that's really it. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 04:14 on Jan 31, 2017 |
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Jan 31, 2017 03:47
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Trivia posted:You can get fitted fins which are nice because you don't need booties, and don't require carrying them around. Downside is if you ever plan on shore diving your feet would be uncomfortable (or they might get cold). I dunno, they just don't seem like real dive fins to me if you don't have to wear boots with them. Then again, I have wide feet, so full-foot fins are rarely comfortable for me. Full-foot fins are uni-taskers: they only work if you only dive in warm water, and only from boats.
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Jan 31, 2017 04:25
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DeadlyMuffin posted:The weight of the gas you're breathing doesn't change if you're breathing it from a steel or aluminum tank.
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Jan 31, 2017 15:03
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Yea the AL80s will have their buoyancy change by ~4 lbs when they go from full to empty. This is why even if I'm diving without a wetsuit, I still keep 4lbs of weight on my BCD. e: depends on the exact tank, this dive shop has put together a handy guide covering the various sizes of tanks, weight of those tanks, and buoyancy when empty vs buoyancy when full. I knew my AL100 had a pretty good swing just from experience, but seeing it displayed was still a little jarring. http://www.huronscuba.com/equipment/scubaCylinderSpecification.html Icon Of Sin fucked around with this message at 15:15 on Jan 31, 2017 |
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Jan 31, 2017 15:10
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Demon_Corsair posted:What gear would you recommend buying vs renting for someone just getting into this? Plan to do my classroom and pool work in the next month, then hopefully get certified in Mexico in the spring. Comedy option: weight belt Actually I'd personally say if you've got a decent mask and really think you'll carry on diving a computer is the next investment. A basic model isn't that expensive and it can travel easily. Also if you're renting, computers are probably the fastest piece of kit to start being cheaper if you buy. Otherwise advice here is good, decent find make diving much more enjoyable (another for open heel, easier to fit and more versatile). I actually think if you're looking at buying wetsuits it could be worth considering a dry suit. I know in the UK price difference between a good quality suit and basic dry suit isn't that huge and it's far more versatile (easy to adjust the insulation). Probably very out of the ordinary for the thread though, almost everyone here seems to be warm water divers. If you don't know why dry suit divers it also limits your ability to check up on them. I wouldn't advise researching and buying online for something like that. Aside from that all the advice has been solid. Only other thing is see how you get on with using a standard weight belt. If you here it then it may be worth investing in a weight harness or pouch belt.
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Jan 31, 2017 21:36
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Bangkero posted:The weight certainly does change if you're breathing from a tank. Moreso at shallow depth, and moreso for ALs than steel. That's the reason why you want to ensure you're properly weighted for a tank with low pressure to avoid an uncontrolled ascent at the end of the dive. This isn't right, but I wasn't clear so let me clarify: if you breathe for 10 minutes at 30' your bouyancy will change the exact same amount regardless of what tank you breathe it out off. Your volume doesn't change, so your displacement is the same, but your mass has gone down. The air doesn't weigh more because it's coming out of a steel tank. If you're making up the weight difference between the tanks on your belt you will be just as bouyant.
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Jan 31, 2017 21:43
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I'm fairly biased because I own one, but it's hard to beat a Suunto Zoop for an entry computer. I've got an Oceanic Veo 2 that I like as well, and they're both with me on every training dive that I help with. The Zoop is on my wrist and the Veo2 is on my console, so they really aren't in each other's way either.
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Jan 31, 2017 21:45
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Bangkero posted:The weight certainly does change if you're breathing from a tank. Moreso at shallow depth, and moreso for ALs than steel. That's the reason why you want to ensure you're properly weighted for a tank with low pressure to avoid an uncontrolled ascent at the end of the dive. If you're looking at the buoyancy change from full to empty, all that matter is the volume and pressure change of the air (aka the amount of air that is gone). After all, the difference in buoyancy is just the difference in weight (assuming the volume remains the same, which is true for tanks), and the only change in weight is from the air that isn't there any more. The tank's material does not matter - its capacity does. An aluminum-80 and a steel-80 both filled to 3000psi are going to change buoyancy the same, about five or six pounds if you use most of the air. Once you compensate for the different materials by adjusting your lead weights, your buoyancy experience will be the same. Depth also does not matter here, unless you genuinely empty the tank completely (diving pro tip: don't do that) so that the pressure equalizes with the pressure of the water. edit: of course depth does affect how fast you use air, but for the same amount of air used, depth doesn't matter. DontMockMySmock fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Jan 31, 2017 |
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Jan 31, 2017 21:51
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Icon Of Sin posted:Yea the AL80s will have their buoyancy change by ~4 lbs when they go from full to empty. This is why even if I'm diving without a wetsuit, I still keep 4lbs of weight on my BCD. The difference in bouyancy between empty and full is due to different capacities. Compare the Aluminum Catalina C100 to the steel PST104. Very similar dimensions (so very similar volume) and very similar capacity, and a very similar weight swing between empty and full: 7.4 for Aluminum and 7.8 for the steel. The difference is the Aluminum tank is more bouyant to start so you need more weight elsewhere to compensate, but the change is the same. Edit: if you look at the difference in capacities between those tanks you can explain most of that 0.4 lb difference too: 106/100*7.4=7.844. The remainder is probably the valves or rounding error. You shouldn't need to actually look at anything but capacity to figure out weight swing. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 22:01 on Jan 31, 2017 |
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Jan 31, 2017 21:52
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DeadlyMuffin posted:This isn't right, but I wasn't clear so let me clarify: if you breathe for 10 minutes at 30' your bouyancy will change the exact same amount regardless of what tank you breathe it out off. DontMockMySmock posted:Once you compensate for the different materials by adjusting your lead weights, your buoyancy experience will be the same. DontMockMySmock posted:Depth also does not matter here, unless you genuinely empty the tank completely (diving pro tip: don't do that) so that the pressure equalizes with the pressure of the water.
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Feb 1, 2017 00:30
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Bangkero posted:am I taking crazy pills? Have you never done a safety stop with 35 bar left with an AL80 vs a steel 80? I normally have to use a 0.5kg more to account for diving with an AL tank, which turn positive buoyant vs. steel. Yes you are :-) Assuming both are actually 80 DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 01:44 on Feb 1, 2017 |
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Feb 1, 2017 01:42
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anyone ever dove in Alaska? looks like we're taking a trip there in late August and I figure this is as good a time as any to learn drysuit diving before we do Iceland, Norway, etc
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Feb 1, 2017 03:47
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Bangkero posted:Bingo and that is the point of my post. You properly weight yourself according to the gear you use (tank included). We are discussing changes in buoyancy. Yes, the steel tank is heavier than the aluminum tank, both before and after the dive. But if you use the same amount of air, its buoyancy change is exactly the same, regardless of tank material, because your weight is changing only due to the weight of the air you're exhaling and your volume is not changing at all. All that matters in calculating buoyancy is the weight, which is only changing by the loss of air, and the weight of the displaced water, which is not changing because the tank isn't changing size and water is not changing density. So in the context of discussing buoyancy changes, Bangkero posted:Moreso at shallow depth, and moreso for ALs than steel. is wrong. (Also, if we are talking about absolute buoyancy rather than buoyancy change, you're still wrong about depth mattering for the tank's buoyancy.) Bangkero posted:am I taking crazy pills? Have you never done a safety stop with 35 bar left with an AL80 vs a steel 80? I normally have to use a 0.5kg more to account for diving with an AL tank, which turn positive buoyant vs. steel. I've actually never dove with a steel tank, personally. But I understand physics. If your steel tank is, say, five pounds heavier than your aluminum tank, and has the same capacity, then the fact that the aluminum tank is positive buoyant at the end is a red herring - what I am telling you is that the buoyancy of the steel tank vs. the aluminum tank plus five pounds of lead is identical, at all parts of the dive, and it is not true that the aluminum tank's buoyancy changes more than the steel tank's. So here's what's happening, I think. You've got a personal experience of having more buoyancy trouble 1.) at the end of your dive, 2.) with aluminum tanks, and 3.) at shallower depths. You're conflating these all into thinking that aluminum tanks change buoyancy more. What's actually happening is you are 1.) lighter because you used air, which is the same for an aluminum or steel tank, 2.) not using enough extra weight with aluminum tanks, and 3.) experiencing the expansion of the air in your BCD as you ascend. These are all separate phenomena. Also, 0.5kg? There's your problem. Looking at the data that Icon of Sin linked, it seems that steel tanks are 5-10 pounds heavier than aluminum tanks of the same capacity, not 1 pound. You're either overweighted with steel (and thus not anywhere near problems with being too buoyant) or underweighted with aluminum (and thus too buoyant). My advice: up that to at least 2-3kg. P.S. Pardon my imperial units. I was raised in stupid dumb America and the info Icon of Sin linked was also from stupid dumb America.
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Feb 1, 2017 03:47
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the physics makes sense, but my mind is seriously blown right now since I've always parroted what the industry says: 1. a benefit of steel tanks over aluminum is that steel tanks are neutrally buoyant when low pressure as oppose to aluminum tanks which are positive. So less weight on your belt. (link) 2. to acheive the best trim, weight yourself at 35 bar at 15ft with your tank - the weight will depend on the gear you use. (link) So do you agree with the advice above or it doesn't matter? Or wait - are you saying that being properly weighted doesn't matter since you're just moving the weight from the tank to the belt? DontMockMySmock posted:Also, 0.5kg? There's your problem. Looking at the data that Icon of Sin linked, it seems that steel tanks are 5-10 pounds heavier than aluminum tanks of the same capacity, not 1 pound. You're either overweighted with steel (and thus not anywhere near problems with being too buoyant) or underweighted with aluminum (and thus too buoyant). My advice: up that to at least 2-3kg. Bangkero fucked around with this message at 15:35 on Feb 1, 2017 |
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Feb 1, 2017 04:39
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Bangkero posted:Or wait - are you saying that being properly weighted doesn't matter since you're just moving the weight from the tank to the belt? Exactly. An aluminum tank plus some extra lead will behave exactly the same as a steel tank of the same total weight and volume. So it is true that when using a steel tank you need less weight on your belt - not under debate here - but it is not true that using an AL80 will cause more buoyancy change than a steel tank (the original claim that started this argument). Incidentally, I think the only reason that the article you linked recommends checking your buoyancy at 15ft is because you can't do it at the surface and they pulled a number out of their rear end. Depth only matters a little to your buoyancy. The only difference with differing depth is that there is more air in your lungs at lower depth, but that's a tiny amount - on the order of 10 grams, if my math is correct.
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Feb 1, 2017 06:33
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I've never done scuba, but depth (pressure) absolutely affects bouyancy when freediving and I assume it's the same for scuba divers. For example with 12 pounds on the belt I am positively bouyant (I float up) above 15', relatively nuetral from 15'-30', and negative (sink with no effort) beyond 35' or so.
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Feb 1, 2017 15:12
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Why would you dive without a BC? Pure masochism? Me, I like my modern conveniences.
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Feb 1, 2017 15:24
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We've got a guy who comes into the shop I work at every now and again to show off his vintage gear. The double-hose setup looks pretty cool, but sounds like a pain in the rear end to clear if water gets in it. J-valves sound outright terrifying. In short:Squashy Nipples posted:Me, I like my modern conveniences.
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Feb 1, 2017 16:06
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DontMockMySmock posted:Exactly. An aluminum tank plus some extra lead will behave exactly the same as a steel tank of the same total weight and volume. So it is true that when using a steel tank you need less weight on your belt - not under debate here - but it is not true that using an AL80 will cause more buoyancy change than a steel tank (the original claim that started this argument). Well thanks for the physics 101 lesson (  ). That was not the point of my original claim - my original claim should have already implied what you mention: it is true that when using a steel tank you need less weight on your belt. I shift the 0.5kg on to my weight belt to make up the difference when using ALs. I thought that was clarified when I said: Bingo and that is the point of my post. You properly weight yourself according to the gear you use (tank included).As for trimming at 15ft with an almost empty tank, this has always been recommended on the various diving forums, scuba courses, and in scuba magazines. No one is pulling this out of their rear end - it has more to do with the fact that it's where you hang out for a safety stop in which you want to be neutrally buoyant. Which was the main point of my original post - you want to weight yourself to avoid an uncontrolled ascent at the end of a dive. Many divers will just overweight themselves and adjust with their BCD. Divers who have figured out their trim will know how buoyant their gear is and weight themselves properly. But what you're saying is that they could also check their trim at 30ft, 60ft, 90ft, since the change in atm will matter little to buoyancy? Squashy Nipples posted:Why would you dive without a BC? Pure masochism? When I first dived without a BC I found it exhilarating and liked relying solely on my breathing control as a way to hone my buoyancy. If a dive shop I was using asked me to dive with one, I would, but I can only count one negative response towards it in the last 10 years. As I get older, I'll probably begin wearing one again.
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Feb 1, 2017 16:29
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MrYenko posted:Welp, I'm a certified diver. Sorry if we sound unbearable (we are), but that's what we do when it's the middle of winter and can't go diving. Take a look at this article to help trim yourself: http://www.sportdiver.com/learn-to-dive/article/buoyancy-calculator-scuba-divers
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Feb 1, 2017 16:34
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