Page 83

19116TC

escaping to force too much air into your lungs. Most will purge through the exhaust port) 3. Perform a safe ascent. 4. Once you reach the surface, turn off your cylinder so all the air is not drained from it. Orally Inflating Your Buoyancy Compensator If your BC’s power inflator fails, you must orally inflate your BC during your dive to maintain proper buoyancy. To orally inflate your BC, use the following steps: 1. Inhale a breath of air from your regulator. 2. Remove your regulator mouthpiece. 3. Put the BC’s oral inflator mouthpiece in your mouth. 4. Press the deflator/oral inflator valve button as you blow into the mouthpiece (figure 3-42). 5. Release the deflator/oral inflator valve button. 6. Stop blowing into the mouthpiece. 7. Remove the oral inflator mouthpiece and put your regulator in your mouth. 8. Clear the regulator and take a breath. 9. Repeat steps 1 to 8 until you have achieved your desired state of buoyancy. Switching from Your Regulator to Snorkel When you surface, you will usually take your regulator out of your mouth and switch to snorkel (figure 3-43). When you get ready to descend, you must take FIGURE 3-42. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO USE THE ORAL INFLATOR OF YOUR BC UNDER WATER OR AT THE SURFACE IF YOUR POWER INFLATOR FAILS. your snorkel out of your mouth and replace it with your regulator. You will practice regulator/snorkel exchanges at the surface until they are simple and easy for you to perform. You must remember to inhale before the switch and to exhale before you take your next breath after the switch to clear any water out of either the regulator or the snorkel. Chapter 3- Diving Skills Diving Skills 71 FIGURE 3-41. MOST REGULATORS WILL FREE FLOW IF THEY ARE TURNED UPRIGHT UNDER WATER. FIGURE 3-43. SWITCHING FROM REGULATOR TO SNORKEL SHOULD BE SMOOTH AND EASY.


19116TC
To see the actual publication please follow the link above