Disabled/Handicapped divers

[wldake]

Just wondering if there were any disabled/handicapped divers on this forum.

I am a T5-6 paraplegic newly certified diver through Deep Blue in Milwaukee and would like to talk to other divers in the same boat (pun intended!) to maybe gain some knowledge from their experiences.

Wayne

[jasondbaker]

Wayne, welcome to the forum and congrats on the certification. I met a fellow at Scuba Dive and Travel in Minneapolis who was going through his OW training a month ago. He was paralyzed from the waist down. I don't think he is on mnscuba.com yet. I asked him if any of the skills presented a real challenge. He said that snorkeling was the toughest skill.

[Omicron]

Congrats on the cert!

I don't know if anyone else on *this* board is, but I know there are a couple people out on . James Doty is (I think) one of the guys...other names I can't remember so well

[MikeS]

In Cozumel last March, I was buddied with an ex-British military diver who had been in an accident and lost the use of his legs. He was an excellent diver and the drift diving of Cozumel was very suited to him. He did use his arms for swimming but the current enabled him to stay with the group and enjoy the same sights as the rest of us.

[wldake]

Thanks for the replies and information on sites to get more information.

Scuba has been one of the best things I've done since I have been injured almost 20 years ago. It sure has shown me how out of shape I have become! Guess it is time to get back into the gym.

I didn't find many of the skills too difficult to perform. What I did find a problem with is weighting. I found my self working so hard just to keep upright in the water when on the surface or even below. I was trained using a weight integrated back flotation BC with the clip in weights toward the front and trim pockets high up on the shoulders. I found I could swim really well underwater and if I kept my self swimming everything was great. When I stopped swimming is when I started having the most difficulties. The slightest weight off kilter would spin me over sometimes as much as on my back looking at the surface. Cool...but not quite what I was trying to achieve. Since I was working so hard just to keep me stable in the water I would really suck up some air.

I am looking into scheduling some pool time and picking out diving gear that I will purchase. I figure that is the best way to go. Then I will not have to worry about renting something that I am not familiar with. I have read and like a lot of what the DIR approach has to offer. I like the idea that you can steamline yourself much better with less (makes total sense to me) and streamling myself will go a long way to saving me some swimming effort. I also like the long hose regulator setup compared to the traditional recreational diving setup. Since I went through this training and certification with my wife we found that having to donate was much more difficult using the traditional method. My diving instructor uses a DIR setup and that worked so much easier.

Any thoughts on DIR equipment?

[Chris H]

Now you've done it Wayne. There is a not very active DIR forum here, but you've just touched on what may be the most debated topic in diving. You have already decided you like the idea of DIR, now you just need to start getting equipment. DIR isn't any particular brand of equipment. Instead it is how the equipment works, and a bunch of other stuff too. Deep Blue sells Halcyon and Dive Rite. Both of these companies make nice stuff.

For single tank diving the Halcyon Eclipse or Pioneer are probably some of the nicer set ups.

[Rik]

Last year I was trained in the traditional Padi Way but I adobted the Long Hose.
Although I am not yet DIR I can see myself going that way in the near future. Although I'm not Religious about it, like you it just seems to make a lot of sense to me!
You might want to try a little less weight, relax at the surface for at least 3 to 5 min and then try to decend with less weight than you are used too!
As a new diver your main disability is lack of experiance and learning to relax: I know I went through the same problems with weight last year!
As you mentioned, pool time would definently help out!
Your right about owning your own gear, it does improve your diving, especialy when your new.
Choose good regs, and BCD's, they are worth it!
Good Luck, Lets go diving.
Rik O+< 8)

[scubert]

The inherent weight of a stainless steel backplate will remove some of your lead, and with the weight positioned right over your torso, may help in your 'balancing act'. You may or may not want to use a quick release clip on your harness (DIR doesn't) depending on your ability to get in and out of the rig.

Being rolled over onto your back at the surface may be symptomatic of an over-full wing. Newer divers (and some experienced divers who just don't learn) will fill a wing all the way up, believing that they need all that air at the surface. In most cases, all a properly weighted diver may require is a few quick bursts to keep their head above water. (in high waves may be a different story)

Congratulations on the certification, and welcome aboard.

[wldake]

I agree so much about the experience. I am getting some pool time in December to test out a Halcyon BC and see if that is something I like.

Scubert had mentioned the idea of having the weight of the backplate over my back which wiil eliminate some weight and I think this will help a bunch. I also think it will let me position weights in strategic places rather than just have them in the BC in fixed spots (such as a jacket style BC).

I am looking into ScubaPro regulators with a long hose configuration. The main reason for ScubaPro is the fact that I can get them at a real good price. The regs of choice at this time are the S600 and G250 for both primary and backup. They are both primarily the same reg internally. The other thing I'm torn on at this time is whether to get a DIN first stage or Yoke. I thought the DIN with an adapter. Thoughts?

I also saw some diving pants that look like they'd be a real help for my leg and butt float problem. I could put these on and then put the need weight in the pockets to keep my lower half from floating.

Thanks again all for the suggestions and support.

[dfreeman]

ScubaPro are good regulators and you are looking at the top of their line. They will work fine. This from a die hard Posidoin man. Oh no I said the P word.

I use DIN with an adaptor and find this to be a very workable solution.

Doug