Air Travel and Dive Gear

[AandA]

OK, no such thing as a stupid question (yea right).

My wife Alyson, my daughter Kiera and I are headed off to Cozumel. Though I've been diving for practically ever, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I've NEVER flown with anything other than our masks snorkels and fins. This time when we fly, we'll be bringing all our gear (obviously not the tanks). My rather ignorant question is what to put in carry on as oppossed to checked luggage.

[freedivernd]

pocket knife, scissors, tweezers, etc. or they'll pull 'em from you. I wouldn't be to concerned about packing all the dive gear in checked bags.. maybe not the computers. On a charter with no flight changes your stuff will get to where you're going, on a commercial that is not always the case.. then I'd carry on stuff I definety want to have when I arrive. Some folks like to carry on the regulators and I guess if I was going to carry on anything, it would be the regs and computers. I finally found a good way to pack my carbon fiber fins now so I don't carry those on anymore.
other things - carry on your cameras and film, high speed film 800+ be leary about sending it through the x-ray..(don't), carry on necessary medications, bottled water is nice to have, and so are some snacks like fruit bars or similar. I also like to carry on a small flashlight.
Carry on is a pain, but our last trip we each had small backpacks and that's been the best carry ons so far.. and usefull when we were there.
Fred

[AandA]

I hear ya about the nail file and scissors. Last time we went down to Cozumel we ended up leaving a nail kit of my daughters, as she forgot it in her carry on. :

I think you’re probably on the money with regard to placing our regs, computers and cameras in our carry on. I think I might add our masks to that list, especially the mask for my wife. Her mask has prescription lenses and would be a real problem to replace down there.

Since you freedive maybe you could answer another question…..Do those long bladed free diving fins really make a difference. I snorkel/freedive too. I currently use the same fins I use for SCUBA a pair of rather old vented rocket style fins. I’ve always thought they serve me quite well but have not really ever tried much else. In addition to the SCUBA down in Cozumel I’m also looking forward to doing a lot of snorkeling/freediving (not after the SCUBA). Last time we were down there I had an absolute ball diving the wall at Palancar and diving C-53 where I went down to the bottom. Let me know about the freediving fins.
Thanks again,
Art

[freedivernd]

Do those long bladed free diving fins really make a difference?

I have to say that yes they do. Several examples: while I've trained in the pool with my different fins, I find that the long fins are much more efficient, meaning less kick cycles to get to where I'm going, hence, less O2 consumption while holding my breath. My wife wears very short snorkel fins and she loves them but when we are way out from the beach and fighting a current she has offered up her lead weights to me more than once so she could make better headway against the flow. Long blades can vary quite a bit from model/make, and I find some types have their place, ie. doing deep dives, others are better for surface swimming, others better for fighting strong currents. I also like the fact that they give a good option for doing a dolphin style kick too, which I sometimes prefer. Also, if you have a gander to chase after a fish or two, there is a definite speed advantage.
I should direct you to a thread over on deeperblue.net that Ted from Wisconsin started, there's almost too much to read about different fins there..AND I have to invite you to the FREEDIVE APALOOZA in wisconsin at Lake Wazee next July..
That will be a great place to give some professional equipment a go.
Fred

[freedivernd]

I should also mention, from using an underwater speedometer this past summer. old Vented Aqualung 707 scuba fins, similar to yours probably = 3.75 mph, Gara 2000HF's long plastic fin = 4.3, Sporasub Pure carbons = 4.3 mph, Waterway monofin = 4.9 mph, and Sporasub Cruise (same as Mares Avanti Quattro Power) = 4.3 mph. These were top speeds achieved, some I was able to maintain for a longer period of time, as with the pure carbons, others hit the top speed quickly as with the Gara's, and others surprised me as to the recorded speed considering that they felt like I was going slow, as was the case with the Sporasub Cruises.
Fred

[Freedive WI]

Freediving fins are great for scuba diving in warm water. Many of the dive guides that I have dove with use them down there. They become very helpful in a place like Cozumel, where the currents are so strong.

I would advise on a cheaper pair of plastic freedive fins if your going to use them for scuba diving. I have used my Sporasub Pure's for scuba, but they are much more fragile than the plastic ones. I currently use Picasso Black-teams for Scuba diving and C4's for freediving. I used my Picasso's for freediving for many years- until I finally dropped the cash on some decent carbon fiber fins. They worked out very well for both.

The Cruise's are a good fin as well, and also a few inches shorter than most freedivng fins. I use them for Underwater Hockey and teaching scuba in the pool.

Jon