The Chat Thread #3

[Raza]

Your results may vary, but when I get about two feet down I feel like a zen master. I am completely relaxed and my mind empties of everything but what is happening immediately around me. I have never been more at peace than I am underwater.

The illusion of weightlessness is pretty fun, but after a couple of dives in a day you know full well that you've been hauling an extra 50 pounds around for the previous two hours.

Well, the things keeping me from trying diving are (1) an intense, nearly phobic fear of drowning, and (2) a mostly irrational fear of being eaten by a shark.

That zen-like state is what is so enticing about diving though. I mean, when you think about it, diving is the closest a regular person will ever get to an EVA in space. So cool.

[Henry Krinkle]

Well, the things keeping me from trying diving are (1) an intense, nearly phobic fear of drowning, and (2) a mostly irrational fear of being eaten by a shark.

That zen-like state is what is so enticing about diving though. I mean, when you think about it, diving is the closest a regular person will ever get to an EVA in space. So cool.

#1 is pretty hard to get around and I could never endorse diving to anyone who is anything more than a bit nervous about it. I'll let you in on a secret about me. I swim like a fish on the surface. It's not unusual for me to do 2.5 km in the pool without being particulalry tired afterwards. I also have no fear surface swimming in the ocean. I love scuba diving. With those things in mind, it is probably quite irrational that with scuba gear on I am somewhat apprehensive, or uncomfortable, on the surface. Weird, huh?

The illusion of weightlesseness and the suspension of gravity is really cool. There is no real up, down or sideways under the water. Swimming upside down like I was doing when I took this photo is not much more unanatural than swimming the right way around.

[Raza]

#1 is pretty hard to get around and I could never endorse diving to anyone who is anything more than a bit nervous about it. I'll let you in on a secret about me. I swim like a fish on the surface. It's not unusual for me to do 2.5 km in the pool without being particulalry tired afterwards. I also have no fear surface swimming in the ocean. I love scuba diving. With those things in mind, it is probably quite irrational that with scuba gear on I am somewhat apprehensive, or uncomfortable, on the surface. Weird, huh?

The illusion of weightlesseness and the suspension of gravity is really cool. There is no real up, down or sideways under the water. Swimming upside down like I was doing in this photo is not much more unanatural than swimming the right way around.

Unfortunately, I think I agree with you. Diving is likely to remain a fantasy for me. Oh well, I'm probably too old to become a Jedi at this point too, so it's just one more on the pile.

It is very cool, though. You don't find it disorienting to not know up from down? Just reading your description, I think I got a little dizzy. Just like with much of your cooking, I think I'l have to do my diving vicariously through you, Henry.

I wonder if surface swimming with the gear on makes you apprehensive because when you're on the surface is when you feel the weight of the gear and it feels unnatural? When you're swimming regularly, you're just you, acting normally. When you're underwater, you're weightless. But when you're on the surface in you SCUBA gear, you're in between the natural state of surface swimming and the unnatural, but comfortable state of actually diving? Kind of like wearing a big, bulky winter jacket when driving a car.

[Henry Krinkle]

I wonder if surface swimming with the gear on makes you apprehensive because when you're on the surface is when you feel the weight of the gear and it feels unnatural? When you're swimming regularly, you're just you, acting normally. When you're underwater, you're weightless. But when you're on the surface in you SCUBA gear, you're in between the natural state of surface swimming and the unnatural, but comfortable state of actually diving? Kind of like wearing a big, bulky winter jacket when driving a car.

You are probably right. Dive gear is quite cumbersome and heavy. It doesn't feel like it floats and it gets in one's way. One can't swim normally with a BCD and a cylinder of oxygen.

Fortunately I am a pretty rational guy so I can always reason away any anxiousness. It is lessening the more I dive as well, so I suspect it will disappear soon. Even if it doesn't it won't stop me from diving.

No up or down can get confusing, especially in low visibility. There is an easy solution if one gets anxious about that; watch which way the bubbles go. They always rise and then you've re-established the normal order of things.

[litlmn]

I officially joined the standing desk movement.

[geoffbot]

I officially joined the standing desk movement.

Good luck! My thoughts are 'f that'

[is that my watch]

I officially joined the standing desk movement.

[boatme99]

Darn. I missed that. I let my Pawtucket Pat subscription lapse when I left Little Rhoady.

[is that my watch]

family guy funny thing is I am sure that is a clip with an almost identical desk off to see

[litlmn]

Good luck! My thoughts are 'f that'

First day wasn't too bad, though I may end up saying that after a while.