200m swim test and 10 mins water treading

[TMHeimer]

I would to thank everyone who gave tips and advices here. Today I practised in the deep end of the pool and completed 200m swim, and for survival float i could stay as long as I want with combination of water treading, backfloat, drownproofing and playing around in the water. Will sign up for Scuba course next.

In Scuba course, what is the most challenging thing that we need to pass?

For me two things. Memorizing the steps in putting the unit together and taking it apart. And the steps and performing of taking the unit off and back on, at depth or on the surface. Other than a whole lot of book studying ahead of time (no e learning then), the rest was a breeze.

 

[JasmineNeedsGills]

This sounds silly, but the very first time I put on scuba gear (in the shallow end of the pool), the instructor had to prompt me that it's OK to breathe underwater - I was instinctively holding my breath, despite having a full seat of gear on once I was over that nothing was particularly hard, though I was apprehensive about taking my mask off first time I went in the sea, as I thought it'd sting my eyes like the (very chlorinated) pool water did. Turns out in the sea, despite the crud in the water, it didn't sting at all.

 

[American Digger In Europe]

In Scuba course, what is the most challenging thing that we need to pass?

The most challenging thing is trusting your equipment and trusting YOURSELF. If you don't master these two challenges, it won't matter how good your instructor is. Believe in yourself and your equipment, pay attention to your instructor, ABSORB the skills he demonstrates to you and you'll do just fine!

 

[Neilwood]

This sounds silly, but the very first time I put on scuba gear (in the shallow end of the pool), the instructor had to prompt me that it's OK to breathe underwater - I was instinctively holding my breath, despite having a full seat of gear on once I was over that nothing was particularly hard, though I was apprehensive about taking my mask off first time I went in the sea, as I thought it'd sting my eyes like the (very chlorinated) pool water did. Turns out in the sea, despite the crud in the water, it didn't sting at all.

I had a similar experience with mask clearing - HATED (caps chosen for emphasis) doing it in the pool due to the sting of the chlorine (and will still do it eyes shut in a pool) however in open water it was no problem as the salt water does not irritate my eyes at all.

 

[60plus]

Recently I was diving where there was a steepish sandy beach until the water was over waist height. This was enclosed sea water as in a sheltered bay, not in the pool and it was where students were doing their initial training. From the outset the they put their gear on in the water and they mastered it very easily, unlike me who had been taught to put it on on the shore then walk in with all the weight on my back.

 

[TMHeimer]

I found donning the unit in water very easy--weather standing up in waist/chest high water or doing the "sit on it" horseee thing taught in OW. I however almost always gear up from the car trunk and walk in, donning fins in 4' of water. If it's too far to walk (at my age), I don't dive the site.
Another way to look at it is if you don your tank/BC in water you have to carry it to the water anyway--and as well, may risk sand in the regulator. This can't happen walking in from the car trunk.

 

[Neilwood]

There are good arguments for both sides of the argument as to when to kit up. It is a useful tool to have but not always the best.

Gearing up on land teaches good habits - you are more likely to have all your gear checked and on whereas in water it can be eaasy to skip steps. Also in water gearing up is ok so long as the water is flat calm with virtually no current - add a current and swell and it is a different matter entirely.

 

[TMHeimer]

There are good arguments for both sides of the argument as to when to kit up. It is a useful tool to have but not always the best.

Gearing up on land teaches good habits - you are more likely to have all your gear checked and on whereas in water it can be eaasy to skip steps. Also in water gearing up is ok so long as the water is flat calm with virtually no current - add a current and swell and it is a different matter entirely.

Agree. I had trouble in OW course donning the unit in choppy water, and when assisting later on saw students having the same trouble.

 

[60plus]

A few weeks ago I was waiting for my buddies to turn up so I decided to have a swim in my 7mm wet suit without weights on. I was pretty well stuck on top of the water. If you are worried about your swim test just do it in a 7mm wetsuit or thicker with some small ankle weights on.
More seriously though if you want to take up diving there are many benefits to being a strong confident swimmer. I will be diving in Madeira again shortly and you have to swim between the dive boat and the jetty before and after the dive. It would not be possible to dock / tie up the dive boat at the jetty as the sea is frequently too rough. On another occasion on Lanzarote we could not exit the water where we entered off the jetty because the sea had become rough. We had to swim some distance in rough seas to get to the beach where we could exit.

 

[TMHeimer]

Back to water up the nose, chlorine stinging, etc. I hate chlorine, and like many others, don't mind salt water at all. I often demonstrated the remove/replace mask drill in the pool where you keep the mask off 30 seconds. No big deal even with the chlorine. It only goes into the nostrils, as long as you completely block off the passages. I do keep my eyes closed in chlorine though--hate THAT. Maybe I'm trying to sound like a big shot, but this should be no big deal if you are starting scuba. Practicing blocking of the nose, and mouth--separately or together is something you can do on land. I would think this is the way to go, rather than figuring out how to avoid water in the nostrils when say, clearing the mask.