“Who knew a little air in the feet could turn a student into a breakdancer?”
There’s a special kind of chaos that occurs when a diver first wriggles into a drysuit. One minute they’re waddling toward the water like an overstuffed burrito, the next they’re channeling their inner inflatable tube man at 30 feet. Welcome to the hilarious, occasionally airborne world of drysuit diving for beginners, where dignity goes to die and buoyancy control goes on vacation.
The First Time Drysuit Diving is Always the Puffiest
It starts off calm enough. You explain the valve system, demonstrate how to burp the suit, you even warn them about the dreaded air-in-the-feet syndrome. But let’s be honest, the second they descend, their feet become airbags, their fins shoot skyward, and suddenly you’ve got a student doing a surprisingly graceful underwater somersault… whether they meant to or not.
Common Drysuit Bloopers
Socks of Doom
Forget thick wool. Cotton is even worse. Students who ignore your base layer advice end up damp, cold, and cranky, like a sad sandwich wrapped in a wet napkin. Teach them early, the suit keeps water out, but their socks are responsible for the drama inside.
Unexpected Takeoff
Every instructor’s seen it, a diver tipping feet-up, arms flailing like they’re trying to hail a cab in space. The look of betrayal when they realize the air went the wrong way is priceless. The solution is air management practice before depth becomes a factor. And don’t succumb to the ankle weight temptation!
The Hover-Wobble
New drysuit divers love to hover…until they don’t. One moment they’re neutrally buoyant. The next, they’re slowly rolling sideways like a sad Zeppelin. It’s okay. We’ve all been the Zeppelin.
Instructor Tips for Managing the Drysuit Madness
1. Pool Prep is Non-Negotiable
If you’re prepping students for their first drysuit experience, a confined water session is key. PADI offers a solid breakdown of what to expect on that first drysuit dive, and trust me—it’s better to learn bubble dancing in a pool than in 40°F open water
In a pool, you can walk them through valve control, bubble management, and the fine art of not freaking out when their legs suddenly feel helium-powered. It’s a safe space to practice faceplants without the added stress of current, depth, or curious sea cucumbers judging from the sidelines.
Bonus: It gives them a chance to experience the wonders of drysuit flatulence in a controlled environment. Which brings us to…
2. Trim is King
Buoyancy is important in all diving but in a drysuit it’s the whole circus, not just the tent. New divers often discover that air moves freely inside the suit, and if it pools in the wrong place, hello, fin-first ascents.
Start with proper weighting. Emphasize that heavy legs or off-balance weights will turn them into an underwater seesaw. Teach them how to distribute weight for that holy grail of horizontal trim. And always check for sneaky air pockets trapped in the shoulders, legs, or boots before descent.
The suit is designed to keep them dry, not impersonate a parade balloon.
3. The Air Release Drill
Let’s face it, learning to vent a drysuit is like learning to flirt. Subtlety is key, overdoing it causes chaos, and timing is everything.
The shoulder exhaust valve is the diver’s best friend, not an optional accessory. Teach them to raise their left arm and let the gas escape like a frustrated barista foaming milk with a busted steamer. Practice it shallow, then again mid-depth, then again with distraction. Have them try it while hovering, while moving, even while panicking (gently).
And yes, make the sound effects. Hiss, burble, pfffffft, they’ll remember it. Maybe not the theory, but definitely the noise.
4. Warn About the Post-Dive Strip Tease
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a freshly certified drysuit diver attempting to exit their suit in a gravel parking lot, one leg stuck, hopping like a trapped otter. Help them through it with grace, towels, and possibly snacks. This is not a one-person job.
Teach students to open seals slowly, avoid yanking on zippers, and brace for the awkward moment when they realize their undersuit is holding every drop of sweat they’ve generated since breakfast. Stretching, wriggling, and contortions worthy of Cirque du Soleil are all part of the routine.
Keeping the Drysuit Dignity (Mostly) Intact
The best way to approach those early drysuit dives is with patience, backup socks, and a healthy sense of humor. Let your students know that everyone, including their instructor, looked like a floating marshmallow once upon a time. Embrace the bloopers, laugh off the wobbles, and remind them that mastering the drysuit takes time…And maybe a little duct tape.
Join us every week for another Teaching Tuesday moment where we talk about common training issue and look for some insight.
Until next tide, stay buoyant, stay wet, and watch that air in your boots, unless you meant to audition for Cirque du Scuba,
Angry Octopus Out!
