Buoyancy training site...

Is there any good buoyancy training sites in the Tampa Bay area? OW, shallow, open area. Lake Denton use to be a good spot. Hudson Grotto is a bit deep to be of much use (too easy at depth, and not nearly enough time at depth).

Otherwise, how well can I practice in a pool?

What skills/drills should I practice? My buoyancy is decent, but lots of fairy-waving at times. Mainly I want to give my dive buddy (girlfriend) lots of time to practice, and get us both on film so we can compare what it feels like we are doing, to what we really are doing. Always eye-opening :P
:smt100

BTW, we are preparing for our cavern course.

Lake Denton is still a good place. Spanish rocks down off of Anna Maria Island is a good place. You can also hit Venice and dive for sharks teeth. I always found that site to be great for working on trim. You stay about foot off the bottom and move real slow looking for teeth. That's really about it for good shallow spots to hit around here.

Just work on you trim and comfort in the water. Leave it to your Instructor to tell you what to do for class.

You could always try Hudson Grotto

For "fairy waving" (damn i love that)...Try sticking your free hand's thumb in your waistbelt.

blue grotto is a great training site. not in tampa though :(

Why is Hudson Grotto a bit deep?

Holding stops is more fun in dark water... All you have to rely on is your computer/depth gauge. If you want to have a point of reference, shoot a bag.

I use Hudson as a great buoyancy test / navigation skills site.

See if you can find some friends who live on a lake. There's a ton of lakes in NW Hillsborough County and a number of them have decent visibility (5-8'). I did a lot of training dives in the lake in my backyard preparing for class. It was 15-18' deep, and the bottom away from shore was a black mud that would create a silt out very quickly. A couple concrete blocks and some silt stakes made with 1/2" PVC gave me hours of fun running lines, following lines, doing mask off swims, etc. As for the fairy waving, you really need to get that under control. As Walter said, stick your hand in your belt or clasp them together between your chest and belly.

Paradise Springs in Ocala is another good spot to practice. You can run lines around the debris mound and stay in ~30'.

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greenwood_60

Is there any good buoyancy training sites in the Tampa Bay area? OW, shallow, open area. Lake Denton use to be a good spot. Hudson Grotto is a bit deep to be of much use (too easy at depth, and not nearly enough time at depth).

Otherwise, how well can I practice in a pool?

What skills/drills should I practice? My buoyancy is decent, but lots of fairy-waving at times. Mainly I want to give my dive buddy (girlfriend) lots of time to practice, and get us both on film so we can compare what it feels like we are doing, to what we really are doing. Always eye-opening :P
:smt100

BTW, we are preparing for our cavern course.

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My GUI instructor (CAVE 1) made us "practice" at about three feet: I think to show us how bad we were.
And I was surprised to see how really bad I was.
Practicing at 20' is way too easy.

I'd recommend the pool practice.


2¢



That said: whay a lake or spring? A swimming pool would be better

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Originally Posted by Tegg

Why is Hudson Grotto a bit deep?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Puttzer

My GUI instructor (CAVE 1) made us "practice" at about three feet: I think to show us how bad we were.
And I was surprised to see how really bad I was.
Practicing at 20' is way too easy.

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Exactly. I am going to spend some time this weekend in the pool at my LDS, hovering and slowly finning around.

I thought Lake Denton was closed to diving...

There is a camp that will allow you to dive from their property. It costs you 10 bucks. Their property is right next to the old entrance.

Id go camping at Ginnie, then you can practice all night. Hot showers too.