You moved like a fish
underwater! Why do you still have so much air after your dives and why are you
swimming so close to the reef yet not touching them? These were usually the
comments of my divers when we surfaced after diving. Well, good buoyancy control is usually my
answer to them then the next question will always be… HOW?!?
Proper buoyancy control is
the most important or sometime the most difficult skill for a diver to master
but maintaining neutral buoyancy is the key to easy diving, save more air,
avoiding damage to coral reefs and most important; enjoy the underwater
environment.
When I started diving
25years ago as a teenager, was not doing it for pleasure but was working as a
part time cleaner in a yacht club in Singapore over the weekends to make some
extra bucks for school allowance. I don’t even use a BCD when I was cleaning,
it was just a back mounted with the tank and regulator. I would usually go for
a short dive at the pier after cleaning the yacht, don’t know much about
controlling buoyancy. I was just using my lungs to fine-tune my buoyancy
underwater without the use of a Buoyancy Control Devise (BCD).
I became more involved in
diving when I entered the Army; I was introduced to different types of BCD. I
still remember using it in a swimming pool and trying to perfect in using it. I
was amazed by the Instructors how they were able to control their buoyancy
underwater, moving like a fish; slow and steady. I remembered asking myself how
could I be like them. Years have pass… I have dived for so many years and
certified more than 1500 students of all levels. Taught many students how to
control their buoyancy, how to conserve their air underwater and how to enjoy
the underwater world.
There are many information
written about Buoyancy Control but I am just going to share with you 3 tips on
how to control your buoyancy underwater. Hope these tips can help you to become
a better diver and enjoy the beauty of the underwater world.
1. Are You Properly Weighted?
Divers
usually have the idea of having more weights so that they will not have
problems with their buoyancy underwater, they are afraid of having difficulty
to get into the water but having more weights on will cause drag underwater.
When you feel heavy, you need more effort to move underwater. It is important
for us to be streamline as much as possible when we are underwater.
When
you fully deflated your BCD, do you sink like a stone? If you are then you are
wearing too much weight but if you have difficulty going down even you have fully
deflated the BCD then you are under weight and strongly recommend you to do a
buoyancy check. When you are properly weighted, you should be able to float at
eye level when you hold a normal breath. However; do take note that it differ
when you wear a different thickness or length of wetsuit. You also need to
check again if you use a different BCD.
As
you get more experience underwater you need lesser weights. When I started
diving, I needed 6kg of weights to bring me down but today; I am only using 2kg
of weights using the same length & thickness of wetsuit. As you get more
comfortable underwater, try using lesser weights and you will feel less drag
underwater.
2. Using Your Lungs To Fine Tune Your Buoyancy.
How
do you do that? You are so big in size and you only use 2kg of weights, how?
This is the usual comment of divers when they saw me putting on 2kg of weights
before putting on my BCD. I used my lungs to fine tune buoyancy. Do understand
that your lungs inflate as you inhale and deflate as you exhale.
When
you are going into the water, don’t just deflate your BCD but also exhale as
you go down and you will feel that you will get into the water much easier. As
you are diving underwater, use your lungs to fine-tune your buoyancy. Do
practice on a sandy bottom or swimming pool, trying fining around and breathing
deep and slow. You will see yourself moving gently underwater and use it in
practice, when you are swimming towards a reef, using your lungs to control your
buoyancy underwater.
3. Streamline Yourself.
Are
you having a Christmas tree decoration on your BCD? Do take note by having too
much things on your BCD will cause drag and this may also affect your buoyancy
underwater. Try to streamline yourself, having all hoses in place and do not
have too much things hanging on your BCD.
As
you are diving, do not use your hands as you are swimming. Keep your hands
close to you and move horizontally underwater. Be close to the reefs to enjoy
the beauty without touching or crushing the reefs. You don’t have to position
your body vertically to deflate your BCD underwater. As you are swimming
underwater and if you find that you need to adjust your buoyancy, remember
there is a dump valve situated at the bottom right side of your BCD. Just have
to pull the valve and air will also be released.
If
you would like to know more of controlling your buoyancy underwater to improve
your skills underwater, I recommend you to take up the PADI Peak Performance
Buoyancy Course with Sea World Dive Center. Email peter@seaworldboracay.com or +63
920 970 2728 for more information.
