Am I fit for scuba diving ?

[diverrex]

Problem is, that words mean things. If that's what PADI meant (and I believe it is the only sensible thing they could mean) then why don't they say that.

What they say is very clear. It's wrong. And it's sort of stupid. But it's very clear.

Years ago I tried to explain to a PADI rep the problem with the wording of an answer to a question on a DSAT test compared to the text in the chapter. Long and short of it, in explaining how long to extend a deco stop if you descended back to stop depth after a missed/omitted stop, the chapter said to "complete a stop that is 150% of the original stop time" while the only answer to the corresponding question that was even close was "extend the original stop time by 150%."

PADI's response: "It means the same thing."

No. It doesn't.

Why?

Words mean things.

I always thinks it's funny, or perhaps frustrating, when you point out to someone something they wrote is ambiguous and question it and their response is something along the line " well it means this ....." . Well if you meant xxxx why didn't you just say xxxx? Worse yet is when they think you're stupid for not understanding that when they wrote one thing you didn't understand they actually meant something else.

 

[Skittl1321]

Years ago I tried to explain to a PADI rep the problem with the wording of an answer to a question on a DSAT test compared to the text in the chapter. Long and short of it, in explaining how long to extend a deco stop if you descended back to stop depth after a missed/omitted stop, the chapter said to "complete a stop that is 150% of the original stop time" while the only answer to the corresponding question that was even close was "extend the original stop time by 150%."

PADI's response: "It means the same thing."

No. It doesn't.

Why?

Words mean things.

This is actually really disconcerting because these two things mean very different things- it could amount to a signifigant difference in time depending on what the missed stop was supposed to be.

Which one is actually right?

 

[kaerius]

I would like to book scuba diving lessons at a resort I'll be vacationing at. But before booking them, I would like to find out if I am fit for diving. Unfortunately, I could not find any online form that would tell me that. So here is my input data, may be you could tell me if I am fit or not.

1. My goal is to dive at 3-5 meters (10-15 feet) depth, I don't need more.

2. Open water test: I cannot swim 200m at the surface, but I can swim 300m with a snorkel and fins.

3. I am a 49yo male, with slightly elevated blood pressure that is fully controlled by 5mg of Lisinopril (I suspect that I don't need it any more). I have 2.5 dioptries nearsightedness. No other known chronic conditions.

4. My cholesterol is borderline to slightly elevated, but recent blood vessel calcium scoring was very good.

5. Recent treadmill echo cardiogram was normal.

6. My overall physical fitness level is probably below average for my age, though it is hard to estimate. For example, I can hike 5 miles with altitude gain of 3000 feet in both directions (10 miles) in less than 5 hours.

So am I fit for scuba diving, or not ?

I know everything has been answered, but here's a point by point breakdown.

1: Certification is to 60'. This should not be a concern. You won't feel the difference, and it's possible to reach the surface from any depth on one breath, regardless of what a lot of people tell you(there's a famous example where a british submarine ran aground at 100 meters/330 feet during WWII, all crewmembers safely swam to the surface, exhaling all the way up, because air in the lungs expands and you can't breath out the final liter).

2: Practice in a pool, it's not hard.

3: The blood pressure pills are an instant see a physician to be cleared for diving flag.

4: Essentially irrelevant.

5: Good.

6: Good.

Bottom line: get some swimming practice, and see a doctor. You'll probably be fine.