What Do the OW Checkout Dives Consist Of?

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The skills will, for the most part, be things you've seen before.

The difference will be using those skills in a real-world diving situation as opposed to the more controlled environment of the pool. So, for example, you will need to clear your mask but you will be deeper under water, the water may be colder or salty or turbid, so those are all complications that you may see. The objective is to ensure that you can apply what you've learned in the pool in practice.

Not every single skill will be included. For example, you will not have to take off your gear and replace it during the check out dives. In addition you will see one completely new thing, namely some basic navigation and using a compass on the surface and underwater. Showing a diver this in a pool doesn't make much sense so it's in the check outs.

Finally you'll do a couple of skills involving longer ascents than you did the pool, the CESA and the ascent using the octopus. What you learned in the pool is still applicable but the execution is quite different during the check out dives.

The last dive is a dive that you and your buddy will plan and execute yourselves. You haven't done that yet and your instructor will give you some degree of help with it but prepare yourself mentally for actually doing your own dive with the instructor tagging along, which is what the character of the last dive will have if you do it well.

For most people the transition from confined water to open water is exciting but it takes a lot out of you the first couple of times. My best advice is to relax into it and go well rested.

R..
 
Most of the skills you learned in the pool sessions you get to show you remember how to do. There is one new skill involving a compass, which is not covered in pool sessions. And, most importantly, you get to see some scenery and just dive around and tour underwater. It is all good fun, and is not designed to be a "exam" or to be difficult.
 
In the CheckOut dives you have to show to your instructor that you can do the skills learned in the pool during the course. There is no teaching in those check out dives. Besides what Diver0001 said, another difference is that you will be using a wetsuit and the corresponding amount of lead in your weight belt, as opposed to the pool where you have used the scuba gear without wetsuit and no more that 4 pounds of lead. Donning the wetsuit and scuba gear could increase your feeling of anxiety previous to the dive, but relax, once in the water anxiety fades away.
 
We had to use compass and count partners kicks to get a close proximity of a return point, easy to do now but when your not concentrating on counting and you look at your buddy or fight to control your bouyancy or whatever else takes your mind off counting fin kicks you will be off course. Relax relax relax. Listen to instructor and concentrate on the skill at hand and you will be fine. Would recommend walking around using a compass so you get the feel of trying to keep on track while holding it level. Seems easy on land but underwater you are finning and not walking a straight line. Better yet spin around 10 times and try to walk and keep your bearing on a compass and walk a straight line while dizzy. Lol. Remember most people don't swim in a straight line one leg usually stronger kick so lots of correcting and every time you or your partner looks down at compass you will most likely be slightly off course and have to correct. Seriously, just relax and dive the plan you will be fine but worn out at the end of the day.
 
From memory (my slates aren't handy - prob a couple things missing, but this is close) - PADI OW checkout dives:
1 - weight check, partial mask flood/clear, reg recovery plus some surface skills
2 - plan dive, full mask flood/clear, hover, alternate air source use, plus some surface skills
3 - mask remove/replace, hover (oral inflation), surface skills
4 - plan & execute an open water dive - basically graduation dive.

All dives - assemble and don gear, predive safety check, entry (positively buoyant), adjust weight as needed, explore dive site, avoid bottom contact, montitor SPG & signal supply remaining and status as instructed, ascend no faster than 60ft per min, safety stop, etc

Open water Dives 1 and 2, -- 12 metres/40 feet
Open Water Dives 3 and 4 – 18 metres/60 feet
> If doing 3 dives in a day, 3rd dive max is 12 metres/40 feet

I generally have my classes do compass work and CESA in conjunction with dive 2.
 
You are getting the answers.

Something not mentioned...if it is PADI, just look in your logbook.

It tells you exactly what skills must be done on each dive, and what "dive flexible" skills have to be done (i.e. skills that can be done on any dive). You will find those on the logbook pages for Open Water dives 1 to 4.

Likely the only skills you have not done are the two navigation skills. We wait and introduce those at OW time. No sense in doing those in our small pool.

You simulated a CESA horizontally in the pool, but you will do it vertically in OW.
 
Thanks all for the descriptions. The instructor collected our log books at the end of the class. Unfortunately, I didn't think to look in it for the ow dives.
 
Thanks all for the descriptions. The instructor collected our log books at the end of the class. Unfortunately, I didn't think to look in it for the ow dives.
Ah...

That wouldn't have occurred to me. We keep them during the class and pool stuff, filling them in as we progress.

However, since it is incredibly rare up here that you will do the OW dives with the same student, the students keep their logbooks after completing the class and pool.

It's up to them to bring their logbooks with them wherever they do their OW dives.

Good luck with them by the way.
 
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Thanks all for the descriptions. The instructor collected our log books at the end of the class. Unfortunately, I didn't think to look in it for the ow dives.
Collected your log books?
That's...unusual.
It is YOUR log book, not his, and for you to keep, keep up, refer to, and be proud of.
 

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