Why not stilettos

While I was getting ready for one of my morning dives at good old Mermaid Resort, Master Instructor Bob Kieran of the Mermaid Dive Center was looking at me rather curiously. I was checking out the wide array of fins available for rent that it probably reminded him of my remark the other day that before the year is over, I would have tried each and every fin they had.

“So, what fins are you taking with you?” Bob goes.

To which I jokingly reply, “I don’t know, Bob. I just bought these sneakers and they come with a new technology design I was told. Maybe I should try them under water.”

The young lady at the wet suits row rather matter-of-factly inquired, “I think we’re going on the same boat today. May I use stilettos during the dive?”

Bob, trying to keep a straight face, answered, “Well see, those won’t do. You might end up stabbing starfish and corals to death.”

Why fins?

Yes, Bob is very serious about keeping sea life alive. But that’s a topic for another blog article. For now, I’d like to talk about diving fins or flappers. Knowing exactly what they’re for and their types determine how well a dive is performed as, like it or not, kicking is the main physical movement of divers down below.

Fins are plastic or rubber footwear that aid divers in moving efficiently through their dives. However, there is no single, fit-for-all kind of flappers. Choosing the right fins for you depends on your leg and kick strength, the type of dive you’re taking where water current and depth play a big role, and how comfortable they will feel as you use them.

Following are the three most common types of fins and why they are used.

1.       Paddle fins - These fins give out stronger strokes and are preferred for dives where powerful kicks are required.

2.       Split fins - These fins generate more kick to power ratio and used by the more recreational diver.

3.       Jet Fins - These short and stiff diving fins are generally preferred when going through caves or wrecks.

Surely, stilettos don’t have the same capabilities.