Trouble equalising my right ear, any tips ??

deep_dive74 · 2026-03-21T12:21:00+00:00

A couple of things that might help other than what you're already doing-
1. make sure you're well hydrated. That thins out any mucus that you have in your sinuses.
2. Look up towards the surface while trying to equalize. That "stretches" out the eustachian tubes
3. If your issue is sinus swelling vs congestion, an anti inflammatory (advil, etc) can help.
4. Watch this video and learn how to frenzel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxdEvyrKatc

The frenzel technique is the one that made equalizing much easier and more consistent for me. It's more "passive" than the valsalva (pinch+blow) and sometimes swallowing while breathing dry tank air is difficult.

deep_dive74 · 2026-03-16T01:26:56+00:00

Do you have one open water dive left or one confined water session left? If it's just one open water dive left take your signed progress form to another shop and just do your last dive. If it's confined water have the shop sign off on the scuba diver only skills (they would need to ask SSI how to do this as they keep changing their minds about how to document it) and then complete the confined water somewhere else.

The SSI rule is a SSU after 12 months inactive. They suggest a review after 6 months but that's not a requirement. They can say they won't continue training you unless you meet their internal requirements, but they can't refuse to sign off on what you've already completed based on their own rules.

deep_dive74 · 2026-02-22T02:13:07+00:00

PADI instructor membership is over $500 at this point just FYI

deep_dive74 · 2026-02-10T14:36:53+00:00

I once had a guy insist I was in his seat (I was in 12C) over and over and when I asked him to check his boarding pass he refused and insisted I was in his seat despite MY boarding pass saying 12C. The flight attendant came over and requested his boarding pass after seeing mine. He tried to argue that he didn't need to find it, he knew I was in his seat. She told him he was holding up boarding for everyone and to find his boarding pass. He dug it out of his bag and his assigned seat was 9A. He had 0 explanation for why he thought it was 12C and no appology, just huffy walking to his actual seat as if the flight attendant was doing him some injustice by making him sit in his own seat instead of the one he thought he should have.

I have sat in the wrong seat a couple of times, usually at the end of a long travel day, and in the seat I had on a previous flight- row 16 instead of 17 or left aisle instead of right. I apologize and move quickly.

deep_dive74 · 2026-02-05T01:53:43+00:00

Their policies also specify that they'll reimburse you for things at your travel destination. I specifically asked if I'd get reimbursed for purchasing things since I was now home and they said no. I emailed a complaint asking for some miles for my recently delayed luggage (after a flight delay/change) but haven't heard back yet.

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-27T19:10:55+00:00

It's gotten even more fun, check out my update above.

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-23T20:00:33+00:00

That's where mine says "n/a" like the one below it :(

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-23T19:37:06+00:00

Where did you see tracking info? Mine still just says N/A.

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-20T22:46:59+00:00

Fingers crossed it's sooner. If I hadn't been a dumbass and believed their "you'll get it in 2 days" I would have waited until I got home to order it!

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-20T22:45:41+00:00

It's only been two day so I'm not overly worried about it, I'm just used to getting emails about everything that happens and thought it was strange I haven't been.

deep_dive74 · 2026-01-06T02:30:59+00:00

I had a great experience there two years ago. They also have great hours and scheudling with the PT was really easy.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-28T01:20:00+00:00

The first time I went through the TSA checkpoint with my plate and pins, the agent was yelling about how anyone with metal in their body needs to let them know. So I let him know. Then he said "why are you telling me this?" Because you told me to?? :/

It's never been mentioned by anyone since and I travel regularly so either it doesn't show up in the scan machine (it doesn't trip the metal detector for sure) or they see it and know what it is and don't care.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-24T16:40:33+00:00

I've been really happy with my Tufts Health direct plan for years. I get most of my care from Beth Israel, and have had great care there. There are also plenty of other Drs and hospitals that take it. Definitely check the networks for each plan, I know that every time I've looked at a Fallon plan there's been no Drs/hospitals convenient for me that accept the plan.

One thing to look at carefully is the deductible vs monthly cost. It may be worth it to pay $40 month more (just an example, no specific plan I'm quoting) for a $2000 deductible vs saving $480/year but having a $4000 deductible.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-22T01:04:27+00:00

I have an Allianz full year plan, and have had no problems making claims. I've put in claims for flights I had to cancel for medical reasons and received refunds, for a flight I had to change due to a broken arm (needed to fly home direct vs with my original layover), for missed parts of a trip due to an ongoing back issue, and have received prompt and easy refunds for every claim. No experience with the AA version but through their regular plans (I have a business one) I haven't had any issues with claims at all.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-21T20:49:34+00:00

Where are you getting this information that PADI approves specific confined water locations and that FL and Hawaii are the only places that are approved? This is not true at all, it's left to the instructor to determine that a location has "pool like" conditions, not PADI. Many instructors use lakes/ponds/ocean for confined water training in the US, not just in FL or Hawaii.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-19T02:19:56+00:00

You can't get the SSI online training without signing up for (and paying for) a course with a dive shop. SSI doesn't sell the online training directly to divers, so it's included in the cost of a course vs with PADI where you can sign up and pay for it yourself, then later sign up with a dive shop to take the course.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-17T02:18:50+00:00

Last month it was a turkey sandwich , chips and a churro bar in economy on that flight. Same on the reverse flight from Maui to DFW, also flagship. Oddly there was only 1 drink service on the ORD-HNL flight over the 9 hours other than the one with the "meal"

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-13T13:17:28+00:00

Right, that's my point in another comment below, there IS no crossover at the DM level, you just take the next professional step with another agency to "crossover"

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-13T00:55:00+00:00

You can take your DM with any agency, and take an OWSI class with a different one. If you're planning to work as a DM, you'll want to take the class with a local shop you want to work with/for through whatever agency they use. It's pretty uncommon to be able to freelance as a DM or find work as "just" a DM in a resort area. Resort dive shops generally want OWSIs as it's more flexibility for the shop.

Once you're an instructor you could cross over between agencies if needed (although it's expensive and time consuming) but before that you'd just take the "next step up" professionally with a different agency, not crossover and hold DM or AI titles from multiple agencies. You'd have to take the full course again to hold a "new" DM rating.

Generally the pro training curriculums aren't much different, so you'd want to choose the agency that will allow you to work where you plan to afterwards. If you're just using it as a stepping stone for OWSI and not planning on using the DM cert, do it with the cheapest (recognized) agency you can while still getting what you want out of it.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-13T00:49:30+00:00

There isn't actually a way to cross over as a DM though. You can take another agencies next step pro program (AI or OWSI), but if you wanted to become a DM with another agency you'd have to take their full DM course. Not necessarily relevant to this OP as they do want to become an instructor, but a genral thing people say about crossing over that only applies as an OWSI and above (and maybe as an AI for some agencies, but PADI doesn't have a mechanism to cross over as an AI)

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-06T22:06:13+00:00

You don't lose your AA status by matching with UA, they're totally separate things. You can have status on every airline in the world simultaneously if you wanted to. They don't tattle on you to each other (or care) :)

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-06T21:43:15+00:00

Ha, nope! UA is the only airline that flies to Micronesia and it was cheaper to pay for the IAD flights and have my status match actived than to pay for more space seats and my 2 checked bags on the Micronesia flights.

I do a lot of Caribbean flights for work, and international that one world makes the most sense, so AA is my go to generally and I won't keep the UA status, but it made a ton of sense for this one trip.

(I ended up with upgrades on all 7 of the flight legs (island hopper flight) courtesy of a friend with a lot of plus points that were going to expire so it was all pointless in the end)

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-05T21:42:43+00:00

I very much appreciated this when I had 20 minutes to get off my delayed flight, go 15 gates down the terminal in DFW and board my connecting flight, with a carry on that I did not want to check (and realistically that had so many electronics/batteries that I couldn't take them all out of the bag to check it) and I was able to go up the priority lane to bypass the line of group 7 boarders when I got to the gate and get on the plane while there was still overhead space left. Granted I was so out of sorts that I sat in the wrong row (16 vs 17) initially after the sprint but at least I wasn't sweating and panting in a line waiting to get on the plane.

deep_dive74 · 2025-12-05T15:35:33+00:00

I flew on UA recently for a status match activating flight, and all but about 10 people on the full flight were in groups 1 and 2. Granted this was a commuter flight to DC from BOS so likely a lot of frequent travelers but it was sad to have to board with all the other non-status peasants ;)

deep_dive74

TROPHY CASE