22 replies to this topic

[secretsea18]

I'm guilty of sculling with my hands when backing off the reef after taking a picture

I've found that I do a lot less of that (and hand sculling in general) since I learned how to backwards kick. It's kind of cool to be able to back up while filming, without jarring the camera in the process.

If I'm so close to the reef that I need to hand scull then the back kick won't work either without the fin tips hitting the reef, when I'm down that close my legs and fins are bent up behind me.

Yeah, when I have my face in a rock taking a picture, I find the best way out is a single strategically placed finger push off the reef. No harm to reef, and no chance for the evil fin kick on the little pretties down there.
And finning backwards in an undertaught skill IMHO.

[JimG]

If I'm so close to the reef that I need to hand scull then the back kick won't work either without the fin tips hitting the reef, when I'm down that close my legs and fins are bent up behind me.

Like a lot of propulsion techniques, the back kick is not just one single motion. It is actually a full range of motions, from tiny "flicks" of the fin to the full on kick that is shown in the above referenced video. With a little practice, you can learn to maneuver yourself in tiny increments with just a small fin motion.

There are also two ways to do a back kick - one using a reverse frog kick (as shown in the video) and the other with fin tips pointed up, using the bottom side of the fins. That might help in your specific situation.

Note that I am not claiming any level of proficiency at any of this - I am at a point where I can do the "reverse frog" pretty well with a wide range of motions, but am still working on the "fins up" method.

[JimG]

Yeah, when I have my face in a rock taking a picture, I find the best way out is a single strategically placed finger push off the reef. No harm to reef, and no chance for the evil fin kick on the little pretties down there.

I agree that pushing off of a rock probably won't do any damage, but why touch the reef at all if you don't have to? One of the things that I have always tried to do on my dives is be as consistent as possible with respect to buoyancy, trim, and propulsion. I would not push off of a coral reef, and so I try not to push off of any reef. That way I don't have any sort of situationally dependent issues with my skills (i.e. every dive is approached the same way as every other dive in that respect). That has the added benefit of making all those skills second nature, which allows me to concentrate more fully on the particulars of the dive at hand, and what I am trying to accomplish.

And finning backwards in an undertaught skill IMHO.

Roger that.

[Walter]

I hate seeing folks swimming with their hands. I call them shark magnets.

[Latitude Adjustment]

I hate seeing folks swimming with their hands. I call them shark magnets.

No shark magnets are the divers bobbing on a reef hook

[mechanical31]

I guess I'm the only one that holds my inflator in one hand and dump valve in the other unless I'm carrying a camera. Maybe my lack of experience.

Edited by mechanical31, 13 November 2006 - 02:35 PM.

[Walter]

Possibly. Most of my buoyancy control through the main portion of a dive is with my lungs (the entire dive when I'm not wearling a wet suit).

[GentDiver]

Before I got a camera I would hold my hands in front of me and interlace my fingers. now that I have a camera I usually hold it in much the same manner. I will use my hands for traffic control if I get close to someone or to close to the reef. I try not to use my hands at all if I can.

As for buoyancy, much like Walter I try to just use my lungs. I find that it does improve my buoyancy and my air consumption (although I still need a lot of work on that part).

Scott