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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. How far is 100 yards?

• Thread starter Thread starter Likes2Cruise
• Start date Start date Nov 9, 2007

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Likes2Cruise

Contributor

Messages 110 Reaction score 0 Location Tampa, Florida, United States # of dives 0 - 24 Ok, just to set the record straight: 100yds = 300 ft = 1 football (American) field = a bit less than 100m.... BUT - my ability to judge such things is abysmally poor. I know my OW Instructor mentioned about counting kick cycles and such, but never really got into it. Also, when swimming against or with current or surf, that changes. I'm a new diver and looking to do more shore dives, and all the descriptions discuss how far out to swim before getting to the reef/ledge/wreck. Since I have no good sense of distances, I was wondering if there are any good pointers or 'tricks' that can be shared. Brian You don't need to swim faster than the SHARK, just faster than your BUDDY.

emttim

Contributor

Messages 497 Reaction score 4 Location Santa Clara, CA # of dives 100 - 199 Well, when my instructor went over this (briefly as well), he said that the best way to figure out how much feet you've gone is by looking at markers underwater and see how far along the contour of the bottom you've traveled. From the sounds of it, it seems like it's definitely an acquired skill.. My Dive Logbook

nkydiver

Contributor

Scuba Instructor Messages 70 Reaction score 1 Location Northern Kentucky # of dives 2500 - 4999 I'm not sure about the dive sites that are close to you, but at the quarry we train most of our students at, we've installed a 100 ft. line 20 feet underwater. We take students and practice swimming the 100 foot line in a nice easy manner, until they learn how many kick cycles it takes to go 100 feet. This give them an idea when we tell them to run a search pattern across a given area, how many cycles it'll take to cross that distance. Given that it'll change of course when you run into surf, current, etc., but if you have a spring or other location you can measure a given distance, it would be a start. "For in the end, we will conserve only what we love, We will love only what we understand, And we will understand only what we are taught." --Baba Dioum

Teamcasa

Sr. Moderator

ScubaBoard Supporter Messages 12,119 Reaction score 448 Location Near Pasadena, CA # of dives 500 - 999 Many divers depend on underwater landmarks. The counting fin cycles is only useful for taking a navigation test, after that, you will never use it again. For me, accurate compass headings, paying attention to currents, sun location and landmarks serve me quite well. When exploring a new site I; Take an initial heading and note the reciprocal course. Set the compass. I swim to the first landmark, stop, look around and note other landmarks. More importantly, I look back at the reciprocal and make a mental picture of what it should look like on my return. Continue to do this at each landmark. If you have a hard time with seat of the pants navigation then take notes of the initial heading and the reciprocal course on your wet notes or slate. Good navigation comes with good practices. Be observant and aware of everything, don’t just stare down as the bottom slides by. There is a great deal to see if you will only stop and look around. Dave To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge. A

applebarnharry

Registered

Messages 8 Reaction score 0 Location Pompano Beach, Florida # of dives 500 - 999 It depends on where you are diving. Many shore dives are clearly marked and the water is clear enough to see to the bottom (unless you're past the ledge). Most of the time distance does not come into play as you can stay in one area and most things will swim by you. If you are shore diving and the conditions permit, swim on the surface to the marker or near the marker before submerging. This saves air. lots of it. Always keep an eye out for boats. A good quality dive operator is aware of divers in the water and will see you but the safety responsibility is yours. Some shore dives have plenty of things to see right away so you go down and get your bearings, use your compass and remember that this particular coral head you are considering to use as a reference point, looks just like every other one so don;t rely too heavily on using it as a reference point. After a bit of practice you will feel much more comfortable and begin to automatically feel the distance between point A and point B. Just ust the rules you have learned about air consumption and you will have a great time OP L

Likes2Cruise

Contributor

Messages 110 Reaction score 0 Location Tampa, Florida, United States # of dives 0 - 24 The dives I've been doing on the West Coast of Florida have 5-15' viz. A surface swim out of 50-150 yds. Without being able to judge how far out I am, I'm afraid of overshooting the target (or undershooting too much). Brian You don't need to swim faster than the SHARK, just faster than your BUDDY.

Walter

Contributor

Scuba Instructor Messages 18,585 Reaction score 356 Location Lehigh Acres, Florida 100 yds in kick cycles will vary from diver to diver and vary with current. Off Palm Beach I can do 100 yds in zero kick cyles, but would take thousands to return if it's even possible. The Devil's in the details. Disclaimer: All discussion of value, by me or anyone else, is opinion. For a comprehensive approach to diving education, check out Scuba Educators International (SEI) Diving.

Charlie99

Contributor

Messages 7,966 Reaction score 169 Location Silicon Valley, CA / New Bedford, MA / Kihei, Maui # of dives 500 - 999

Likes2Cruise: I'm a new diver and looking to do more shore dives, and all the descriptions discuss how far out to swim before getting to the reef/ledge/wreck. Since I have no good sense of distances, I was wondering if there are any good pointers or 'tricks' that can be shared. Click to expand...

You probably have a certain swimming speed that you are comfortable maintaining for a long time. For me, that is about 1 kt, which is conveniently 1 minute per 100'. So if the description says "500' offshore", then you'll know it is about a 5 minute swim. Much less hassle than counting kick cycles. C

ChrisA

Contributor

Messages 1,301 Reaction score 2 Location Redondo Beach, California # of dives 200 - 499

Likes2Cruise: The dives I've been doing on the West Coast of Florida have 5-15' viz. A surface swim out of 50-150 yds. Without being able to judge how far out I am, I'm afraid of overshooting the target (or undershooting too much). Click to expand...

We have about the same conditions here. 5-15 is normal. So just "looking around" is usless. I know how to count kicks and I've calibrated by use of a 100ft line. But I never do that, unless I'm doing some kind of survey. I use time and air pressure. If you swim out for 500 PSI and back for 500 PSI you will be close. But there is an art to it. Likely you were swimming fast on the way back. So you also make use of depth and natural landmarks. It is an acquired skill Most divers use multiple techniques. Worst case is that you have a short surface swim. After a couple years you just "know" many of the local dive sites and you see some rock you recognize and know where you are.

sewcopp

Registered

Messages 53 Reaction score 0 Location Paradsie NL # of dives 500 - 999 Brian As many people have said good practices take good pratice to get. The times you have that surface swim because you've fooled something up help as well. As long *** you can figure out what you've fooled up. If you want to spend all your time figuring out how far you swim in kick cycles remember when you're concentrating on kicking and countind cycles you'll be kicking differently than when you're relaxed and just swimming. With thime you'll get the hang of the about how far you've gone in about what time, and you'll pretty much know you're psi before you look at it (keep checking anyway). The skills you'll develop over time and familiarity with your local site will actually translate well to site you haven't dived before. You'll realize that the good habits check the compas and set the reciprocal before you descend, or note the reciprocal on a slate or wenotes. then you'll see the differences in the environment and make mental note of how they look on the other side (the side you'll see on the way back). The thing to always remember though is "The Compas Is Right" when you're narc'ed, or have some vertico, "The Compas Is Right". That's becasue you set it to the correct bearing so don't ever let yourself believe it might be wrong. Enjoy your diving, take your time and take in all the sights, not just the thing you came to the dive sight to see. You'll be amazed what you might see "by mistake" Sue Copp Ocean Quest Adventure Resort NL Sue Copp You must log in or register to reply here.

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