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Overheard a deckhand on the supply boat say 'the water's just a thicker air' and it stuck with me all week.
It made me realize I've been overcomplicating my buoyancy control by fighting the environment instead of working with its density, so what's one simple trick that changed how you move down there?
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simong796mo ago
Oh man, that's a great way to put it. My buddy Dave used to fight his trim like crazy, always kicking. Then an old instructor told him to just... stop moving and breathe. He said to fill his lungs to rise a bit, breathe out to sink, and keep his hands still. Totally changed his diving.
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sean_foster996mo ago
Exactly what @simong79 is talking about. Read a whole article on that once. It said new divers burn through air because they're always moving, always adjusting. Your lungs are your best buoyancy control. Just tiny breaths in and out, no big moves. Makes you way more stable in the water. Saves a ton of energy too.
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lisa_hart266mo ago
My instructor in Key Largo always said the lungs are your primary buoyancy control, but they're not the only one. You still need a good weight check and to manage your BCD a little. @sean_foster99 is right about new divers moving too much, but telling someone to just use their lungs can make them forget to vent air from their BCD on ascent. It's a combo, you know? You use your breath for small ups and downs, but your BCD for the bigger changes. Otherwise you'll be holding a huge breath at 15 feet and that's not safe.
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