AAUS Research Diver Requirements

[Thalassamania]

If there is no push off in the 25 yards underwater are they falling into the water off of the deck?

Surface dive at the wall and swim.

 

[covediver]

It was three breaths. Was Dennis the DSO back then?

Yep. One of the best diver and teacher and one of the finest people it has ever been my pleasure to know.

 

[Thalassamania]

Yep. One of the best diver and teacher and one of the finest people it has ever been my pleasure to know.

I agree.

 

[Lj82]

I thought this might interest folks:

Swimming Evaluation

Applicant shall successfully perform the following tests, or equivalent, in the presence of the Diving Safety Officer, or an examiner approved by the Diving Safety Officer.

1. Swim underwater without swim aids for a distance of 25 yards without surfacing.
2. Swim 400 yards in less than 12 minutes without swim aids.
3. Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands, without swim aids.
4. Without the use of swim aids, transport another person of equal size a distance of 25 yards in the water.

I have problem with this criteria for some reasons.
I am able to do it on and off but never comfortably swim 25m in one breathe.
Any tips on how I can train for this?

 

[--tom--]

Demonstrate ability to remove rig, mask and weightbelt, surface safety then regain the bottom and replace all equipment.

Well, I would fail this one. There is no way I could hit 15' in openwater without a weightbelt in a 7mm wetsuit. I'd be surprised if I could surface dive enough to get my fins under water. Now if I had an anchor line to pull myself down I could. Other than that, pretty straight forward. Not to mention that with my natural bouyancy, without a weight belt at 15' I might clear the water on ascent.

 

[Thalassamania]

I have problem with this criteria for some reasons.
I am able to do it on and off but never comfortably swim 25m in one breathe.
Any tips on how I can train for this?

Relaxation, confidence and basic comfort in the water are critical. Assuming that you are a comfortable and confident swimmer (if not, then I recommend some swimming instruction) a free diving class where you learn some basic breathing techniques will make this a very easy exercise. Here's something that you can try with a buddy:

Here’s the routine: You need to learn a modified yoga breathing, that is to say instead of tensely stuffing air up to the top of the lungs, empty the lungs by exhaling steadily for five or more seconds, the let the lungs fill comfortably and take them gently to the top … slow and easy.

What's the problem with the way most divers breathe? Their breathing is neither deep enough nor slow enough; it’s all up top and rapid, kind of like panting. While they likely take in enough oxygen they do not eliminating enough carbon dioxide. Shallow rapid breathing also does not move the diaphragm and intercostals enough and muscle memory adds to the push to gulp another breath.

Floating face down, take 5 breaths (empty, gentle fill ‘till comfortable, full but not packed, breathing from the diaphragm and stomach, do not hyperventilate, don't breathe fast, breathe slow, don't breathe high, breathe low) through your snorkel and then hold your breath for 10 seconds focusing on your watch. During the last five seconds your buddy counts down, “five, four, three, two, one, breathe,” and you come up and take a big, empty the lung first breath.

While you recover your buddy does the same thing. Repeat the process with a hold of 20 seconds, then 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then 60 seconds, then every 15 seconds out to 2 minutes. Do not take it farther than 2 ½ minutes. Your buddy should be gently talking to you, encouraging you, and telling you how much time is left at reasonable intervals. It is critical that in between each set you fully recover. Immediately before you start each breath hold set, you must take the five breaths, but be sure that you don’t try and pack it up full, that will just makes you tense. Work with your buddy and concentrate and getting as relaxed as possible.

We do this exercise, out to two minutes at the beginning of every pool and open water session. You can imagine the level of psych in the class when at the end of the first pool session they all make a minute or more. Usually they all make a minute and a half, but I like to hedge my bets.

Try it yourself (remember you need a buddy), let us know what you find out.

Well, I would fail this one. There is no way I could hit 15' in openwater without a weightbelt in a 7mm wetsuit. I'd be surprised if I could surface dive enough to get my fins under water. Now if I had an anchor line to pull myself down I could. Other than that, pretty straight forward. Not to mention that with my natural bouyancy, without a weight belt at 15' I might clear the water on ascent.

With about a half hour of instruction you will find that exercise challenging, but quite doable.

 

[Lj82]

Thanks Thalassamania for your tips.
Will definitely try it out soon (provided I can get a buddy to join me)

I can complete the swimming tests easily and finish the 400yards swim in around 9mins 15sec comfortably, but somehow I've always got this mental block when trying the underwater swim. I know it is achievable because I have done it before, but more often than not I fail to do so.

 

[Thalassamania]

Thanks Thalassamania for your tips.
Will definitely try it out soon (provided I can get a buddy to join me)

I can complete the swimming tests easily and finish the 400yards swim in around 9mins 15sec comfortably, but somehow I've always got this mental block when trying the underwater swim. I know it is achievable because I have done it before, but more often than not I fail to do so.

I think that you'll find that when you can comfortably hold your breath for just one minute, any time, on demand, that confidence will make the 25 yard underwater swim easy.

With respect to the surface dive question earlier. Once you get your fins in the water you need to use a dolphin kick to get down to the bottom. If you ever have a chance to watch diving birds, say grebes, cormorants or loons you'll notice that they use a dolphin kick for the initial stages of their dive then switch to a flutter once the air in their feathers has compressed, it's kind of a low gear, high gear question. Anyway ... getting your fins wet with your head down is most of the battle. This requires a excellent surface dive, head down, feet straight up and high out of the water and a strong arm pull for the first stroke. We start out students out level on the surface, they pike, scoop their hands from back by their legs to a position directly over their head (remember, they're headed down ... so this scooping the water counterbalances raising their legs up to the vertical) and we have them stop ... right their, floating and bobbing head down, arms extended and feet straight up. With some practice they are able to hit this postion perfectly and will due to their raised legs drop in the water to about their ankles ... then a quick arm pull and one dolphin kick and their fins are wet and they are on their way.

 

[scubasully]

I just spent 30 minutes writing about my current experience in an AAUS sci diver class at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and then when I went to post, I somehow clicked the back button and erased it. Grrr. Oh well. Neat course, though.

I did want to ask a question about the AAUS course and deafness. Does anyone know if there any rules regarding it? For the dive physical, I checked that I have hearing loss on the paperwork, and they checked my hearing and confirmed it, and they looked in my ears and should have been able to confirm the lack of perforation (my hearing loss is sensorneural). However, the doctor wouldn't sign off for me as ok to dive until I go to a specialist because "hearing loss is a contraindication to diving."

I told her that I have no problems equalizing, so why is this a problem?

"Because you wouldn't hear important instructions on a boat with the motor going."

Duh. I wouldn't. But it's my responsibility to make sure I am aware of all instructions and briefing details, so I'd manage that. Anyway, I told her, this whole class will be shore dives. No boats. Plus loads of deaf people dive. They communicate as well underwater than they do topside.

She still wouldn't sign off. Just in case, you know, we go on a boat.

So I'm giving $550 to a specialist tomorrow - which my insurance will not cover - and I hope to heck she/he dives and can tell the other doc to sign off on me.

But is there something I don't know about for the sci diver course that bans deafness?

Thanks!

 

[willgr1]

I don't think the doc. wouldn't sign off because of AAUS requirements, doubt the doc. even knows what AAUS is.

You can call DAN and find out where there is an ENT in your area who is familiar with diving. My girlfriend has been to two ENTs, one familiar with diving, the other not, and the doc. who dove was up to speed on the issues of diving with ear problems, the other, not so much.