Dive Nite #3 "Bring it"

All week long, I've only had one thing on my mind.  Equipment exchange.  Thursday arrives post haste and I'm walking through the steps in my head constantly.  I think ahead and add 4 more pounds to my belt, so I don't float away.  I'm asked, "Are you ready or do you want to swim around first?"  Now, please.  I'm a rip the band-aid off kinda girl.  Do the hard stuff first, and the easy stuff last.  

On the bottom, I give the signal for buddy breathing.  We're going off my regulator.  I'm going to take my jacket off first.  Breath, bc clips, breath, bc cummerbund, breath, left arm through bc then swing it around me, breath.  I'm out of my jacket.  Jesse starts his removal.  Then he starts floating up.  Uh oh.  He's wearing a Classic, so as I swing it around me, I'm searching for the clips to button it down.  It's like a frantic hokey-pokey.  Right arm in, left arm out, crap, where's the air?  Turn about.  Too late, I realize, we have reached the surface.  Oops.  In that run through, I even experienced breathing off my reg upside down.  Not something I would like to do on a regular basis.  It was a wet and sloppy breath in the middle of that exercise.  

I need to do something else for a bit before I try again.  To earn a score of 5, I need to have everything buckled in and have a swim around while buddy breathing before the ascent.  And it needs to look good, not frantic.  Let's practice some open water skills.  I am going to be graded on them soon.  Reg recovery 1 & 2, mask clearing 1 & 2, oral hover, reg free flow, and equipment removal.  It's not important that I can do the skills, it's important that I can show the skills.  Slow and exaggerated.  It takes some practice.  

Next, I'm going to do some skin diving/equipment removal.  At the bottom, take off my bc, snorkel to the surface, skin dive around, dive back down to my bc and put it back on.  During one of my surface swims, I notice Logan and Richard floating around.  I skin dive down behind Richard and slowly turn his air off.  Logan can see me and I signal to him that I'm turning his tank off, so he's ready to share air with Richard.  I have never been able to do this without them feeling me turning the tank off.  Again, practice.

I dive back down to my equipment and put it back on.  But this time, I close my eyes.  First dive night, Zach had me put my gear on blindfolded.  Time to use that trick.  I spend a few minutes clipping and un-clipping my bc until is becomes easier.  If I don't have to look at my jacket to fasten it, it will not be as hard when I'm buddy breathing.  OK.  Jesse is in close proximity and I bring out my slate.  "Can we try again?" I ask.  Nod.  "Share air" I signal.

His bc comes off, and he keeps hold of it so he doesn't float up.  Mine comes off, we exchange jackets.  I swing the Classic around and Jesse is in charge of the reg.  He has it, holds it for me, so all I have to do is clear it, take my breaths, then spit it out, nod when I need it again.  That way we have more hands free for the tasks.  I'm laying flat on the jacket on the bottom of the pool, keeping Jesse from floating up, clipping into the Classic, and buddy breathing.  I have a surreal moment when I know I've got it this time.  I'm blowing my slow bubbles while he's got the regulator, trying to find those clips.  Got them.  I signal for a swim around.  We Padi handshake to the surface to the sound of thunderous applause.  (In my head)  YES!!!!  I just want to do a little dance, so I do.  Shake shake shake!  

Big shout of to Jesse who helped me earn a 5 on this skill!  So far, I have a score of 13.  5 on the equipment exchange and float test, 3 on the open swim.  I still have the snorkel test left.  Woo!

When Mike asked, "Ready to do that at a moments notice?" my response after a small pause...  Bring it.

Dive Nite #2

Kristen was in town from Indiana for Sarah's wedding last weekend.  I invited her to dive night, naturally.  I was given the opportunity to do a "Try Dive" with her.  A mini DSD (Discover Scuba Diving).  Since I'm not a Divemaster, I'm not allowed to train those, yet.  The objective was to give her enough knowledge to work the equipment for a short pool dive.  

Stevie was kind enough to lend me her slates so I could go through the skills.  This was the best opportunity to practice my own skills when presenting to students.  Soon, I will be graded on my ability to show these skills for Divemaster.  Having my best friend be my first student was comforting, since I knew it was OK if I screwed up something and had to start over.  Less pressure.  

We started on the surface with explaining the skills.  Regulator clearing, mask clearing, reg recovery, and ear equalization.  She did beautifully!  If I do say so myself.

All in all, I think it went well.  Big Scuba smiles all around!  

Equipment Exchange Plan

This is going to be a very dry entry.  I just needed a place to set this up so I can practice the process.

1. Buddy breathe off my reg
2. Unclip top and bottom bc
3. Bb
4. Unvelcro bc
5. Bb
6. Left arm
7. Right arm
8. Lay down bc
9. Bb
10. Repeat 2-8 for buddy
11. Left arm through buddy's bc
12. Bb
13. Right arm through bc
14. Bb
15. Secure straps
16. Bb
17. Buddy dons my bc
18. Bb
19. Swim around
20. Bb

Baby steps

Buddy breathing:  Something I thought I would have a mental block with.  I guess this is not the case. I just needed to be taught, shown, and practice.

Since last weekend, buddy breathing has not been far from my thoughts.  I walk around the house thinking about having the reg in my mouth for 2 breaths, then pass and make small bubbles in my imagination. If I could get in the water and practice,  I think I can get it.

One of the instructors, Jesse, pulled me aside at dive night and said, "I read your blog and think I can help". *Gulp* We break this skill down into it's smallest parts. Can I do a full mask clear? Yes. Can I remove and replace your fins? Yes. Can I remove and replace my BC? Yes. Well, the only thing left is the reg. Let's go down and only buddy breathe.  Ok!

We get to the bottom of the pool and use my reg. 2 breaths, pass, bubbles.  I'm struggling with my buoyancy. Even with 10 lbs.  Then, I remember, I'm using an aluminum 80 and that makes me lighter than the steel tanks. At first, I have a death grip on Jesse's arm. I will not bolt, I will not bolt, I will not bolt.  My breaths come frantic at first. After a few rounds, however, I settle into a rhythm.  

On land, I have been practicing without the reg for 20 seconds, then 2 breaths. It was only taking 10-12, making me feel much better about the whole exercise. 

By the time we surface,  I'm elated. buddy breathing mental block, history.  I just need to practice the skill before testing to make sure I can put all the pieces together.

Side note: I practiced the 800 meter snorkel and did it in 15 mins.  I think I can shave some time off and get a score of 4. 

Divemaster: Chapter 2

I have been dreading the swim test since shearing about it for divemaster.  The tests are rated from 1-5, 5 being the best.  I took the first 2 tests this weekend.  Complete five water-skills exercises, earning a combined exercise score of at least 15. 

1 - Swim 400 meters nonstop, without swimming aids and using any stroke or combination of strokes.
under 6:30 min = 5
6:30 to 8:40 min = 4
8:40 to 11 min = 3
11 to 13 min = 2
more than 13 min = 1
stopped = incomplete

2 - Tread water, drown-proof, bob, or float using no aids and wearing only a swimsuit for 15 minutes, with hands (not arms) out of the water during the last two minutes.
Performed satisfactorily = 5
Stayed afloat, but hands not out of water the entire two minutes = 3
Used side/bottom for momentary support no more than twice = 1
Used side/bottom for support more than twice = incomplete

On 1, I got 9:20, so a score of 3.  That was a struggle.  I have always thought of myself as a strong swimmer.  I got a reality check on Sunday.  I started out strong, but petered out after a few laps.  I had to flip over on my back and kept going.  The point is, I kept going.  My Divemaster buddy was timing me, making it a better experience.  Many more spectators and I might not have surfaced after my performance.  

On to the float test.  This one, I have in the bag.  As I laid relaxing, floating in the pool, I reflected on my swim.  If I can shave 40 seconds off my time, I could have a 4.  The last 2 minutes, not only did I have my hands out of the water, but I was dancing to Miley's, "We Can't Stop".  It was a good performance, and I earned a 5.  

The third test:  In confined water, demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to an unusual circumstance underwater by exchanging all scuba equipment (except exposure suits and weights) with a buddy while sharing a single regulator second stage.  Now, I have never buddy breathed before.  I thought I would be able to achieve this, since I can remove my equipment, surface, and free dive back down to redress.  A fellow DITz and I planned out the exercise.  I would remove my equipment first, both using my reg, then he would remove his.  We descended and started the exercise.  2 breaths and we pass.  After the first exchange, I got completely fixated on the regulator.  He's got it, gotta take off my gear.  Mine.  The first breath exploded out of my mouth and I gulped down air.  I took another giant breath and handed it back.  Blowing a steady stream of bubbles, I finish removing my BC.  My lungs burn, and I all I can see is the reg in his mouth.  The next time I had the reg in my mouth, all I could do was huff and puff.  I gave it back and shook my head.  This was too much for me.  I bolted for the surface. 

I have never been so disappointed in myself.  The burn of shame stung my eyes.  Good thing I was in the pool and no one could really see.  Though, I'm sure my face was red, a tell for me.  My fellow DITz and Mike surface, since I didn't come back down.  Concern written on their faces.  You ok?  Was I?  Nothing wrong with me.  I wasn't going to drown.  I was in 8 feet of water.  I said something and they continued with the exercise, my fellow DITz working with Mike.  

Guess that earns me a 1. Inability to complete the exchange; or exchange completed with one or both divers surfacing more than once.  I had to swim it off.  A 1/2 lap down and back.  I'm composed and dive back down to my gear.  I watch the last half of the exercise, taking my reg out each time my fellow DITz does, for practice.  My lungs feel like exploding each time I am without my regulator.  At least I get to try that one again.

At the end of the divemaster morning, Open Water class is to begin.  The DITz are asked to help one particular student with mask clearing.  We Ro-shambo, Rock/paper/scissor, for the task.  I win on the second go.  He's tasked with helping the Open Water class and I take the one off student.  Helping overcome a fear.  Gimme.   

We start with a tool around the pool, trying to get him to relax.  He's sprinting with fins and I signal a slow down.  We do a few laps and end in the shallows.  A full mask clear is his mental block.  We started with a partial clear.  I demonstrate first, then ask for him to show.  Done.  On to full clear.  Me first.  Now him.  He bolts for the surface.  He's sucking water through his nose.  So, it's the water on his face.  Let's try something else.  Hold your nose, reg in, lets sit on the bottom for a while.  Nope.  Next, try holding your nose, reg in, face in the water.  Nope.  I'm running out of ideas.  We are fixating on the problem.  Let's take another lap around the pool.  I lead him around.  Back in the shallows, he taps me and does a full mask clear.  NICE!  He then tries the mask removal, water up his nose, bolts for the surface.  We are in 4 feet of water, so it's not a concern.  I was not able to help him overcome his mental block.  He's done for the day.

The last part of Open Water class is a dive the students plan and DITz are going to present a problem, i.e. remove your mask, unstrap your tank, etc.  After the first few trips, they quickly figured out that they need to watch their buddy pretty close.  Good habit.

The afternoon brought a rescue class.  Only a tiny hiccup in my performance.  I forgot to raise my air 2 in the demonstration of an out of air scenario.  As you can see, I am not a first performance kind of person.  I will get in in the 2nd try.  There was a scuba smile when I was demonstrating the disorientation scenario.  Mike spun me around underwater and I had to find the line and stop spinning. 

All in all, a very good day of diving, if only in the pool.  I have an even greater respect for the Scubabros to be able to do this every day.  Lots of hours in the water.

Lake Murray May 2014

Plan your dive and dive your Plan.  That's the rule.  Well, I had a random Monday off work coming up and asked the Scubabros if they could be stolen away for a day trip.  They had never dove Lake Murray, which is about 1 1/2 hours south of the city.  I had them pencil me in on their calendar.  Now, prep work.

If you are planning a dive trip, first you need transportation.  If there are 5 divers, we could load up 2 cars and convoy down, so the guys could ride.  That plan was scrapped when we added our 6th diver.  The truck would need to be loaded up.  Ok, I will fill up the gas tank, then.

What kind of dives could you do in a certain time period?  Get your dive tables out.  I figured we could do 3 dives from 10:00 AM to 3 PM with surface intervals.  I send that over for confirmation.  We cut it to 2 dives, to eliminate 6 tanks.  On to Scuba Snacks.

The scuba snacks were sponsored by the letter "P".  Pineapple, peanuts, pistachios, pinwheels, probably beer, and aPPles.  Close enough.  What I didn't bring was water.  Can't believe I forgot that.  Oh well.  Still chasing perfection.  All prepped and ready to go.

The day dawns cold and rainy.  My kind of dive weather.  No kidding, I've had lots of my dive class and dive nights in the rain last year.  I have to change into my long sleeves and jeans, out of my shorts and tank top.  We meet at the shop and load up.

The directions are pretty straight forward.  South until highway 77, then west down 77S around the south side of the lake to the marina.  I'm using a map most of the way, but GPS when available in BFE.  The ride is pretty quick.  Lots of thanks to Mike for driving.

Time to gear up and dive!  The temperature is warm and humid.  Heavy-about-to-rain humid. In the dive plan, I set it for 70 feet, since that was the max depth on the website.  When we arrived, there were signs that said the water level was low.  Uh oh.  We start out with a 4 person group.  Just to explore the area.  We head northwest away from shore and dive a square like shape.  Logan and I are the rear guard.  I keep Mike's fin tips in sight.  As we get "deeper" in the channel, the silt creeps up from the bottom.  Max depth for me was 53 feet.  The water looks like it has brown smoke in it.  The haze is different than what I have seen before.  Lake Tenkiller is a green haze from the algae.  The Training Lake is gritty from the dirt.  This was fine sand.  If you were to stick your hand down in it, your arms would sink a about a foot or so.  Logan and I kept seeing small sun perch.  They were super friendly.  I got close to one and gave it a gentle poke.  Then laughed through my reg.  Another fish and another poke.  I got up to 5 fish pokes.  New game.

Out for our surface interval.  And scuba snacks.  Pre-dive, I never want to have anything to eat.  I get heartburn.  Post-dive, I'm too junked up on adrenaline to be hungry.  My buddies, though lay siege to the snacks.  And then, the rain comes.  Heavy, fat, pelting rain drops.  The temperature drops, too.  I'm more accustomed to being hot in my wetsuit, and I was cold.  I even put my hood back on.  We shivered for the right amount of surface interval.  Back in.  But, this time, Logan and I will be on our own.  This will be the first dive I lead.  Nervous!  In the plan, I say we are going to do a square with 10 minute legs.  Me and the square have not gotten along since the beginning of this scuba adventure.  Today, I will conquer the square.  Mike chimes in, "I'll be watching from here.  Straight lines!"  No pressure.

We get in the water and start our first leg.  Almost straight north.  I keep an eye on my watch and about the 10 minute mark, I stop and signal the first turn.  Then, I look at my dive computer, and only 4 minutes have passed.  Whoops.  Let's keep going almost north and watch the dive computer instead of my watch.  First turn goes without a hitch.  We don't get any more fish pokes in.  But, we do find a Coors Light can.  Haha!  Logan hands it over and I carry it a while.  The second turn goes OK, too.  We are going roughly south, back towards the shore and the start point.  The bottom of the lake is very hilly.  Up and downs.  This up seems very sandy... And, there's the surface.  GO BACK!  GO BACK!!  We get back down and I have to reassess.  Natural navigation is coming into play.  There was not a perfect square to dive in this channel.  Ok.  I have to stop and figure out which leg I'm on, and how to get back to the start.  Really, we can just follow the incline west 10 minutes to the start.  I'm afraid I didn't give my buddy confidence in me.  I had to really stop and signal that I had to think about the next move.  We start back up, find 3 more Coors Light cans, one with really cool zebra mussels on it.

While we didn't find the motorcycle we set out for on the first leg, we did find a tire on a pole.  We surface, after our safety stop, in which I get to pop my dive wiener (safety sausage, surface marker buoy, whatever) 20 feet west of the entry point.  Close enough!  A 44 minute dive.  Not bad.  

P.S.  I will mention that it was very reassuring that Logan was always in the same spot.  On my right hip.  I only had to tip my arm up and there he was.  I usually like to be the buddy on the back, so I can see my buddy, but this was great.  Good habit!

Divemaster: Chapter 1

My first full weekend of Jr DITz (Divemaster in Training).  Saturday, I helped get students suited up, watched them put their gear together (this being much easier since dive night the Thursday prior, see the Dive Nite! entry) and helped them in the water.  My divemaster (and dive buddy) had a refresher student, so they were one on one in another part of the pool.  I helped adjust weights and even switched out a tank and refilled it.  Then, off to the lake for the afternoon.

My new dive buddy, Logan, came out, too.  He's trying to rack up some open water dives for advanced class.  Another ride in the Scubabros truck (Excite!)  It's the little things that really make me happy.  Even though I would have been perfectly fine driving, I feel like we keep Mike company while he drives out to the training site.

The lake has flooded.  The water is about 5' higher than normal, according to Mike.  The buoys are absent and there is debris across the property.  Yikes!  Mike jumps in to lift the buoys and when he comes back, says the vis is pretty bad.  Like 6"-1'.  When I had my open water check out dives, it was similar situation, but not quite the same.  The water is very stirred up, not just algae, but the silt makes the water cloudy.  Add the snakes that are swimming back and forth across the water and the day looks challenging.  No prob, I'm up for it.  There are 2 smaller snakes and 1 really BIG one.  Mike swears it has red eyes.  RED EYES!!

We have one student finishing his open water dives, and one starting.  The student finishing is in with his dad and I'm assigned as his buddy.  We are to descend, find the "T" on the platform and hang out.  We start our descent with the "Padi handshake", which is right hands clasping forearms.  I can't even see my buddy's face in the water.  Uh oh.  We practically land on the pole and I try to get him to hold on the the rail.  We can't even see the instruments.  I try to make our way down to the platform, and I start to hear Mike's jingle bell.  It's the new tool for divers, instead of using your knife to bang on your tank, you jingle this bell to get someone's attention.  I listen for a moment to try and judge where the sound is coming from.  Sound moves weird in water.  I try to maneuver to the sound and get tangled in my dive buddy and the rail.  I whip out my knife to bang on my tank, successfully get that done, and am about to sheathe it, when my buddy starts grabbing for my hands!  I am wearing gloves, so I can handle my knife safely.  Covering the entire blade with both hands, I direct him to grab my elbow.  Whew.  I would hate to have to surface and treat a wound caused by my equipment.

About the time I figure out we are not going to find Mike in this and am about to abort the dive, my buddy turns on his light, aims it at his compass and starts swimming in.  I connect with his jacket and monitor the trajectory from below him.  I can see the pole, and that he is going in a straight line back to shore.  This one won't go in the logbook, as a mere 11 minutes have passed.  The student passes and they are done for the day.  Next student is a one on one, so no Jr DITz help is needed.  Logan and I are going to get in a dive.  And this is a task in the divemaster class, 2 birds with 1 stone.

I absolutely do not want to interfere with someone getting certified, so our dive plan was to follow the pole, go around the platform and hang out at the bubbler.  I always go left at a fork in the road.  Apparently, Logan always goes right.  We lose each other almost immediately.  I spend a few minutes searching near the bubbler, try turning off my light to see if I can see his light, and circle the platform to try and find him.  No luck.  I surface to try and reconnect.  I can see Mike and his student's bubbles at the first buoy, they haven't even made it to the platform.  There is one rogue bubble stream close to where I am.  Looks like Logan is at the "T" again.  I descend again to try to reconnect, but just manage to circle the platform without ever finding him.  Later, we discuss the dive and determine that we were circling in the same direction each time, stopping roughly the same time.

Day 2

The morning starts off pretty much the same, except I am presented with Divemaster paperwork to fill out!  I am so excited, I can hardly stand still.  I do manage to complete the paperwork, and get squirted with an empty defog bottle filled with water in the process.  Hazards of Jr DITz.

At the lake, the plan is very complex.  We have a student finishing open water, 2 students finishing Rescue, and 1 starting open water.  The plan kept changing as the day morphed in to more complicated tasks.  Eventually, I am assigned buddy to one of the rescue divers during her search and recovery.  I'm to hold the reel while she searches from the pole.  Today, the vis is about 1'.  Better.  Lucky I mapped the lake last weekend when there was amazing visibility I know where I am without being able to see where I am.  We determine the amount of rope needed to search and tie a knot for her to feel.  I stay at the pole and we slowly cover the middle of the lake, going shallower.  In the last 2 passes, I know she's about the find the cone she's searching for, but on her return just before finding it, she hands me the reel with the rope in knots.  Not just little knots, either.  It looks like a bird's nest.  Crud.  I signal a, "hold on a moment" and start working the knot.

Knots are very logical things.  They make sense to my brain.  Like a puzzle.  It can only be untied one way.  I'm tugging and pulling, taking off one glove, and get it almost untied, but one knot that has tightened beyond my ability to release.  If I could only use my teeth, I could have it out in no time.  I decide against removing my reg and give her back the reel.  The knot is only making the total length short by an arms length, so I hang my arm over the pole to compensate.  Underwater problem solving: check.  She returns on the next leg and indicates she found the item.  We handshake to the surface and done!

Next up, Mike is the victim in the Non-responsive diver scenario.  I am the equipment ghost.  Meaning, when the student removes gear, it's not just dumped in the lake for recovery, they hand it to me and I swim alongside.  The first student is able to hand me all the equipment and passes the first go.  The second student, too.  This task was pretty exhausting.  On to the Open Water students.  The student finishing the course went before the rescue students, so all that's left is the day 1 open water student.  No DITz needed with that, so I'm off for my #34 dive.

Getting close to the required 40 to officially start Divemaster.  I'm determined to hang by the bubbler this time.  I go between the rail and the platform.  Reading my gauges is easier today.  The platform reads 20 ft., 17 ft on the rail.  Next time, I need to bring a small section of rope and just spend 20 minutes tying knots.

That marks the end of the working dive weekend.  We head back to the shop for some decompression.(See what I did there?)  A few beers and hanging out.  We end up jumping into the pool.  My Divemaster buddy gets thrown in, fully clothed.  (This is a regular thing)  When she gets out, I try and tell the new rescue diver that it's better to jump in voluntarily, or you get tumped in.  And then, I'm being picked up and tumped in.  I can honestly say, I have never been picked up and dropped in a pool.  I thought being plus sized would save me from that.  Dang strong scuba instructor.

We end the night with a good ole "chicken fighting".  3 out of 4 wins for me and Mike.  Woo!  Good weekend.