Dive Tip of the Month - How to Improve your Air Consumption (continued)

 

Try these air scuba diving tips to increase the length of your dive:

• Dive, Dive and Dive Some More Ok, you probably don't want to hear this one, but the one thing that will improve your air consumption is more diving. The more comfortable you get in the water, the less air you are going to use.
  Have you noticed if you are on a week long scuba dive vacation you use less air at the end of the week than you did during your first dives? It's a function of being more comfortable and relaxing under the water.
  So more dives under your belt is probably the biggest thing you can do to reduce air consumption. OK, that being said, here are some other air scuba diving tips you can use in the meantime:
• Breathe Deeply and Slowly
  

  You should not be taking lots of short, shallow breaths. You should breathe in deeply and slowly and slowly exhale. Do not hold your breath to try and decrease air consumption. This is a no-no as you learned when you were getting your

  PADI certification.

• Stop Moving
  

  You should use a minimum of movement. The more you are moving around underwater, the more air you will use. Keep your hands out your side or held in front of you (or whatever position you are comfortable with). You don't need them to swim for the most part so don't use them. Just move forward with your fins. If you are on a drift diveyou usually don't even need those.

  Look at the experienced divers and divemasters. They just float along and barely move. That is what you are aiming for. Concentrate on your movements while underwater - and then stop those movements. No fidgeting allowed. You scuba air consumption will improve.

• Streamline Everything
  Make sure you have nothing dangling from your gear setup. This will create drag and increase air consumption. So get rid of those scuba accessories you don't use and have everything clipped and close to your body. This has the added benefit f not damaging the coral from dangling equipment.
   Get Neutrally Buoyant
  I know this is easier said than done, but this is one skill that will pay off in spades. Ideally, you want to be able to stay level at the safety stop with no air in your BC and about 500 psi in your tank. If you are not properly weighted you will be putting air in the BC, letting air out of the BC and struggling to stay at the desired depth. Obviously, this is not the way to conserve air.
• Stop Leaks
  Leaks here and there can use up a noticeable amount of air. Check your O-rings, inflater hose and connection points.
• Stay Horizontal
  The more vertical you are, the greater the resistance swimming against the water and the more air you will consume. You many have to adjust where your weights, tank, BC are if you find yourself going vertical all the time.
• Go Shallower
  

  If you are concerned about your dive being cut short, you can alway ascend a few feet above the group so you will use less air (remember this principal from your

  scuba diving certification

  class?). And now for the last of the air scuba diving tips:

• Go Slow, Relax and Enjoy
  There is no need to be darting all over the place. Just go with the flow (literally) and stop and enjoy the sights. Your dive will last longer and you will see just as much.