Dive tips

Bringing a pack of gum to get the air/saltwater taste out of your mouth is a good plan.

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Does this concoction work for an extended period of time?

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3. Baby Shampoo – Here is a defog solution that is catching on in popularity. Baby shampoo is inexpensive, comes in travel size containers, is biodegradable, and won’t sting the eyes. It can be applied directly in small amounts or mixed with water and delivered through a spray bottle. Many charter boat operators are going with the spray bottle solution next to the rinse bucket. The steps, you guessed it, are pretty much the same as above:

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LINK

It lasts as long as the store bought remedies and is more sanitary than spitting in the mask.

I reduces water tension allowing condensation to even out, what ingredient does it I don't know.

Get a 4" carabiner to clip your fins to your BC when shore diving and put them on once past the breakers in floating. Same when coming back out of the surf. Keeps your hands free in case you fall or need to help someone else.

I also use it to clip everything to my BC when hauling back and forth from the boat and it keeps it all in one nice bundle. Also works as a tank banger.

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Always take sudafed with you when you go on a trip. I always seem to get some congestion when I travel. Take it the night before, but NOT right before you dive. (Panadol -available in some some Caribbean locales works good too).

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A few things here...

Yes, Sudafed (pseudoepherine, NOT phenylephrine or Sudafed PE) is a great decongestant, and I keep this in my save a dive kit. Some will mention a potential risk of oxygen toxicity with it's use but that really is not a risk at recreational levels. The bigger risk is in reverse block (that is, congestion is reduced enough that you can clear on the way down but comes back before you ascend)...that's a real risk anytime you dive with congestion but would be minimized by using sudafed or a local spray (ex: afrin) just before diving.

Panadol is just acetaminophen, same ingredient as tylenol. Some find taking advil (ibuprofen) or acetaminophen the night prior to and morning of diving beneficial, as a reduction in inflammation may lead to less problems with nasal/sinus/eustachian tubes. Probably doesn't hurt.

Other tips? Use your own equipment that you are accustomed to when possible. Spit is a great defog (and always available). And mostly, diving is supposed to be relaxing, if you are stressed you are doing it wrong...figure out what is stressing you and fix it before the next dive.

Lake diving Sat and Sun, hoping to see some of these.

Dive nitrox if you can. Worlds better.
Get a 100cf tank over the typical 80 if they have them.
Take it super easy if you drink at night after diving, you'll be a super light-weight.

Spring straps for your fins are awesome.
Learn to cross your arms or hold your hands together when diving. It really helps you to relax and control buoyancy.
Never leave your wingman.

It's funny you mention reverse block. I have close to 500 dives under my belt, and I have been diving since 1998 and did some Divemastering on a few boats for fun a few years back. Last summer in Cayman Brac I had my first reverse squeeze. It started happening on every dive and got progressively worse. There is nothing scarier than a reverse squeeze at depth. Funny thing is, I didn't think I was congested. No drip, no stuffy nose, no sniffling....nothing. Couldn't find anyplace to buy Sudafed on a Sunday. One person at the resort had some and graciously shared some. It saved my trip.

Since then, I have started taking Zyrtec and doing Flownase daily (for garden variety allergies). I was on a dive trip in early August and had no issues.

However, we will never travel again on a dive trip without taking Sudafed. It is a must!

I have also learned how to "reverse" pop my ears in case it ever happens to me again.

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Agree with everything you said! I have seen two fatal dive accidents and one near fatality since I have been diving. Both involved buddy separation.

Never, ever leave your buddy!

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Yep, that's why I hated this weekend, the vis was about 3ft and I was more worried about keeping with them than I was enjoying the dive. Diving is fun and should be that way.

NOTE: we just finished cert for two divers and this was supposed to be a fun dive.

I don't know where you are, but Fling Charters does trips to the Flower Gardens. They will be running some Hammerhead Trips in the Spring. They go out of Freeport, TX. It is hard core diving, but they do an excellent job. (I used to crew for one of their counterparts). It isn't luxurious, but the diving can be fantastic.