Diving: Back In The Water

So yesterday, I went diving for the first time in years, and the first time with the new hip.

It was in a pool, so max depth was all of 9 feet, but still, it was diving.

I had assembled all my travel diving (non-drysuit) equipment and still remembered how to assemble it.  

I had earlier taken the dive computer in for a battery replacement and seal service at my local shop so it was ready to go, and I signed up with them for a pool dive and rented a tank from them as my aluminum 80 was out of inspection and hydro. 

I did have to tighten up the mounting screws for the backplate/wing/tank mount.  Hilariously enough, after just sitting around they had backed themselves out. So suitably tightened I headed off to the pool. 

I had forgotten how heavy it is hauling all the gear and tank around.  Nice workout to start.

Bunch of other divers from my friendly local scuba shop were there. There were two classes running and then there was myself and one other guy just getting in some water time.

With a water temperature of 86 degrees it was rather pleasant.

So suitably rigged up, I got in the water and then worked on some basic skills - good trim; dialing in buoyancy so I was hovering a couple inches off the bottom; forward frog kicks; back kicks; helicopter turns; and partner out of air drills (take regulator out extend long hose, put backup regulator in mouth, not lose position while doing so, and then replace).

I then tried to hover and hold on a spot without moving for a few minutes, which is harder than it sounds.   

Did a few charge forward to towards pool wall and then back kick away from it without touching and not loose trim or buoyancy doing so, which required some practice after these years of non-diving.  Need more work on that.

Good practice, and it was fun watching beginners floundering about the pool and sitting on the bottom on their knees. I was remembering my first lessons and how I started out just like that too. 

Overall, I am pretty darn happy with the practice, I certainly looked nice and trimmed out, had good control,  and the new hip gave a better back kick than it ever had before.  The new joint just works better.

I may do another pool dive just to make sure everything is dialed in, as an upcoming travel diving opportunity awaits, which will be blogged about in due time.

That's 70 minutes, 2100 PSI used with 900 remaining, and max depth of 9 feet. Not a bad reentry into the Scuba diving world and a nice bit of exercise.