Monitoring Your Air Supply You must monitor your air consumption during your dive by frequently checking your submersible pressure gauge (SPG). At a minimum, you should check your SPG every 5 minutes when you are in shallow water (less than 9 meters 30 feet) and more frequently when you are in deeper water (figure 3-44). You must also begin checking your SPG more frequently when your cylinder pressure drops below 70 bar (1000 psi). When you begin diving, your air consumption will be high and you will be surprised at the shortness of your dives. As you gain experience and your comfort level in the water increases, your air will last longer. When you are cold, diving deep, or breathing rapidly on a dive, your air consumption will increase. When you are diving in these conditions, you must monitor your air supply more frequently. On dives to 18 meters (60 feet) or less, begin your ascent when your cylinder reaches a minimum pressure of 50 bar (800 psi) or more. On deeper dives, begin your ascent when your cylinder pressure reaches a minimum pressure of 70 bar (1000 psi) or more, depending on the conditions. Verify What You Have Learned Review the following questions about regulator skills: 15. You should __________________ whenever your regulator is out of your mouth. 16. Two methods to clear water from your regulator are the _______________ method and the _______________ method. 17. What should you avoid when breathing from a free-flowing regulator? _____________________________ _____________________________ BUOYANCY SKILLS If there is one skill that determines a person’s diving ability, it is buoyancy control. Buoyancy control consists of numerous skills that you can learn quickly by understanding and applying some basic principles. Proper buoyancy control makes diving easier, adds to your enjoyment, and helps protect the underwater environment. Many factors affect your buoyancy in the water. You must be aware of all of them and you must know the various means that are available to you for remaining in control of your buoyancy at all times. The four major ways you affect your buoyancy are through: • The type of protective suit you wear. • The amount of weight you wear. • The amount of air in your BC or dry suit. • The amount of air in your lungs. You must begin your dive properly weighted if you want to easily adjust your buoyancy under water. You fine-tune your buoyancy by the amount of air you have in your lungs. You must always keep breathing, but you can take shallower breaths to be less buoyant or deeper breaths to be more buoyant. If you are learning to dive using a dry suit, you will use the dry suit instead of your BC to control your buoyancy at depth. You use the BC for surface flotation and as a backup for buoyancy under water. When you pick up objects under water and carry them with you, it will probably be necessary for you to increase your buoyancy to offset their weight. NAUI Scuba Diver 72 Diving Skills FIGURE 3-44. YOU MUST CHECK YOUR SPG FREQUENTLY DURING YOUR DIVE.
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