Wow. I decided to get wet again after a year and a half out of the water. I hit the local heated pool with my gear, checked it over, jumped in and suited up in the shallow end. After a quick check on the shallow end I made my way to the deep end. I found several problems, like a sticking BC inflator, dirty velcro on my weight pockets that wouldn’t retain my weights correctly, and most importantly I realized how out of shape I am.

This brings up an interesting point. How many of you get a refresher or review after being out of the water for some time. After today in the water, I intend to hit the local shop before going diving again. I won’t look at it so much as them educating me, but as a team effort to see where I am deficient as well as a gear review. I also intend to run my gear through an annual before hitting the water again. What if I had been in Cozumel or some other destination dive location and had all these problems with my gear?

Not so much of an educational piece I am writing here, as it is a self admission that I need to get myself and my gear in shape before I hit the open water again.


What do you have to say?


Randy A

Comments

benprusinski - 3/02/2012 9:58 PM Good observations and why its important to do regular checkups even a scuba refresher to maintain skills.

RAWalker - 2/24/2012 11:39 PM It’s a problem with a lot of vacation divers that don’t get in the water enought to just maintain their skills. As for the gear as you found you may forget things that were starting to wear last time you used them. As for velcro weight pockets you’ll find the majority of manfacturer have stopped using it. Instead a positive locking clip is considered a better option. It kind of shows the age of your BCD.

rashley - 2/24/2012 5:33 PM I whole heartedly agree. We always have 20/20 hindsight, but it is time to get 20/15 foresight.

UWnewbee - 2/24/2012 5:31 PM A Highly Recommended point and should be followed by others of this same statue as yourself, and to add further of your dive,the sticking bc inflator and the dirty velcro could have been taken care of "before" the dive, which coincides with the annual and pre-dive maintaining and servicing of your dive gear.