Spent most of the day at the apartment snoozing and reading. I forgot a couple books when packing, so trying to think of a few things to read. Have a few picked out and will advise.
Came to the Dive Center at around 5pm to sign up for staff assignments and/or boat slots for practice. I practice tomorrow at 1pm.
I still need to dial in my kit. I ended up buying a very used vest style BCD for $100 since the plate/wing BCD I invested in is not conducive to teaching newish students.
As a way of background a BCD is a “buoyancy compensation device” and is basically an inflatable rescue vest.
Vest styles are good for surface control, a wing is more streamlined and good for underwater control (basically).
But each has different weight differences which means I have to change weights when I go back and forth. Anyway. That’s just testing. So I got the morning to test that out. Then out at 1pm.
Incidentally, it’s a completely different vibe to dive with Instructors and Divemasters when you are a student vs a trainee for those jobs. The scrutiny is somewhat un- nerving.
I’m gonna need to order water and pre-pay the electric in a couple days….I hate that administrative crap. My “land-lord” has someone come in to change the sheets and linens today but isn’t taking the responsibility for the elec/aqua. Hmm. Don’t get me wrong I can do it. It’s just odd. Whatever.
Update: And just got my assignments. I have to scrub the underwater “pool” which is a tarp laid out in shallow cove water at 4pm tomorrow.
Then I have to be at center at 6am Tuesday to rig gear for new students!
Can you further explain what the BCD is for ? Would new divers need to use this. How did you dices go with it today ?
Yes, mastering the use of this device is critical for new divers and one of the major things that we/they focus on. Each BCD operates on the same principals. The vest style worked great.
Sorry for the delayed response. Still learning this blog program.
I’m not advising here, just giving basic info.
Humans basically float. In order to get to depth, you need weight. Usually lead weights on a belt, a few pounds. So we add weight.
At the surface or a few feet down, you will be neutrally buoyant with a few pounds. OK.
Here’s the Rub 1. As you go deeper, you will become “heavier” as air compresses and the pressure builds—>negatively buoyant. Aha.
So you need to add air. Into what? A big bag on your back…the BCD.
Here’s the Rub 2. As you ascend, that air you have added becomes more buoyant and you need to dump air. Out of the BCD.
Here’s the Rub 3. The longer you are on a dive, the less weight of air is in the tank as you breathe it. So you become positively buoyant—>dump air.
This sounds complicated I am sure. but its not. There is a non linearity that we all deal with that is similar…maybe two non-linearities that I can immediately think of.
When we drive, we moderate the power of our inputs on both steering and brakes. When we are slow, our inputs are heavier, when we are going fast, they are lighter.
So the BCD is our moderater.
As odd as it sounds, as you ascend, you are DUMPING air because you are naturally becoming more positively buoyant. One of the worst things we can do as divers is ASCEND too fast. That is a no BUENO thing. Slow and controlled.
VERY happy to share more if that is not clear.
Its really not that complicated, and after seeing new divers experience the process, I was gratified and pleased at how fast they got it.
And incidentally, my favorite class of all time was a class where we ONLY practiced buoyancy skills.
PS: Imagine the differences in flight control for different speeds and altitudes. Similar concepts.