Pages

Friday, September 21, 2012

Helmet Dive

Helmet dive is an underwater walk on the ocean floor approximately 12 feet deep. This is best for the non swimmers who still have a sense of adventure. We were guided in climbing down a ladder until the water is shoulder height. Once in such position, a helmet  was placed over our heads.Then we climbed down further until we reached the ocean floor.

The helmet weighs approximately 30 kilos above water but felt weightless when down under. I can't explain the science of it, but it is what it is. We can freely breathe inside the helmet since oxygen is pumped in through a hose connected to a tank above. Our heads remained dry and I can even slip my hands in to fix my bangs. Prior to the dive, a lecturer gave us the safety measures, hand signals and techniques to equalize underwater ear pressure as pressure increases the deeper we go.

Ways to equalize underwater ear pressure:
1. Pinching the nose and breathing gently against the pinched nose. One should hear a popping sound as the ears equalize.
2. Moving the jaw back and forth or sideways
3. Swallowing saliva.


 My head looks tiny inside the helmet. 

 Me and my cousin Eloise with our matching swimsuits enjoying the synchronized helmet dive.

My cousin and I with my fish head.

The underwater walk lasted for 20 minutes. We fed the fish with bread while the guide took a video. It was a whole lot of fun under the water, feeding the fish and feeling like a pro. 

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. When you come home on 2015, let's do this. We already have this in Panglao.

      Delete
  2. Even if I can't clearly see the faces but I can tell who's who based on the "Cleveland, Ohio".

    ReplyDelete