Blackwood
Contributor
SCUBA certification is just that: SCUBA certification. They don't make you prove that you can walk to the nearest gas station when you get your driver's licence for a reason - they are concerned with your driving skills. Likewise, SCUBA agencies (should) concern themselves with a student's ability to use SCUBA properly.
That said, any time you participate in water activities, it's a good idea to be able to swim. The stronger a swimmer you are, the better. But there is no minimum distance that makes any sense to require. Whatever PADI or NAUI or SSI, etc., decide upon is arbitrary. I see no reason to make it arbitrarily longer. Now, if someone could present me with data showing the average distance a stranded diver has to swim...
Personally, I can swim a mile non-stop without getting winded. But I've no inclination to force an arbitrary standard on diving students.
That said, any time you participate in water activities, it's a good idea to be able to swim. The stronger a swimmer you are, the better. But there is no minimum distance that makes any sense to require. Whatever PADI or NAUI or SSI, etc., decide upon is arbitrary. I see no reason to make it arbitrarily longer. Now, if someone could present me with data showing the average distance a stranded diver has to swim...
Personally, I can swim a mile non-stop without getting winded. But I've no inclination to force an arbitrary standard on diving students.