Diving : Practice!

What a pleasure to be a very "beginner" at the age of 48! Since I got my basic diving qualification on december 17, 2006, I am applying methodically my learning plans. First, I registred to a local diving center to practice with experienced divers.  Twice the week (sometine 3 or 4 if I decide to add fins-snorkeling sessions), we train with fins and snorkel on tuesday night and with the SCUBA hardware on friday.

Last friday, during my fourth pool dive (!..), I finally used for the first time all that beautiful equipment shown before. The Seac-Sub BCD and the Aqua-Lung Legend regulators went to water for the first time. 

I installed an air bottle (half inflated here) on the BCD. I did not hesitated in the strap passing order in the strengthening buckle. It's even written on it : 1-2-3-4 and the scratch finally. Then, I installed the regulators. The main respirator should on the right. The spare yellow one, the pressure manometer and the BCD inflator pipe, on the left. While maintaining the window of the manometer front to the soil for security, I opened the main valve fully then returned half a turn. Read the pressure. If I open the respirator valve, the pressure decrease. Finish by checking the whole system  before wearing it.

This time I wore the SCUBA, sit on the pool seat and went to water using the "straight jump". With your BCD inflated, you stand fully equipped on the edge of the pool (that should allow enough stability!). Check if the area is free of any obstacles of other diver. Breathing already through the respirator, protect your mask and respirator with one hand, your instruments along the body with the other. Looking straight ahead, you make a big step ahead and that all. Once in the water, you check if you kept everything with you and you make the sign OK to your instructor.

We revisited the use of the respirator under water. It was really necessary because the last time, I completely forgot that one can empty the water from it just by pushing the exhaust valve! 
I was pushing that water like in a snorkel. If you have enought in the lungs, it's OK but if you are already empty...
I almost drowned my buddy during a respiration exercise with as single respirator for two divers due to that stupidity!

Most of the work now will be to practice enough to control to the best the descending and ascending speeds. They vary a lot with the deep due to pressure difference. It must be control using the lungs as a ballast and, by small touches, the BCD.

Will need sometime for sure...

to whom is those strange things in the bathroom?..