Best thing you learned in OW

[Humble older aquaman]

It was amazing to learn (this is over 30 years ago now...) that those damn regulaters did in fact deliver air everytime I asked. Sure, over time and practice, coping without the things not working is a skill all should be HIGHLY skilled at...but the newbie is more fixated on learning to trust the gear, mainly air delivery.

The new found freedom of not coming up to the surface to get more air so I could stay down where I prefer to be is the strongest memory of my dive class. Guess my advice to the beginner would be, this is awsome, but only the BEGINNING. THE REST OF THE CLASS IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT!

Hoa!

 

[fisherdvm]

Best thing I learned about OW? Never trust a teenager for a buddy.

 

[spectrum]

What's the one thing that you learned in OW that stuck with you and you think could help out some future OW divers?

That instruction only scratches the surface. Study independently and dive with a spirit of continuous improvement.

Pete

 

[bigmak]

Be responsible for your own gear (rented or owned) it's your life on the line, and leaving your mask on your forhead will cost you a can of Diet Coke (instructors got me 3x).

 

[jjdub]

The piece of advise I find myself using often is to slow down and relax. This point was driven home in the pool when my instructor had to remove my BC and then put it back on twice. The first time he said to do it as fast as I can and the second time he said to try to go at a ridiculously slow pace (as if half asleep) and he timed me both times. I was almost 5 seconds faster on the slow run and much more relaxed.

 

[Blackwood]

The piece of advise I find myself using often is to slow down and relax. This point was driven home in the pool when my instructor had to remove my BC and then put it back on twice. The first time he said to do it as fast as I can and the second time he said to try to go at a ridiculously slow pace (as if half asleep) and he timed me both times. I was almost 5 seconds faster on the slow run and much more relaxed.

Nice anecdote.

 

[rushingwaters]

I had one other student in my class, and their reg was acting up, so they signaled the instructor and wanted to ascend. The instructor insisted they not go up and to use his octo, since the student was low on air. I was a little puzzled, but we were at our turn around point anyways. When we got back the instructor mentioned that there were too many boats near by and we did not want to surface in a boat lane. Some time when you are down there you forget about what is above you.
.

 

[littlewaywelt]

Had an avalanche instructor that once said "you now know just enough to kill yourself."
A little knowledge is often very dangerous. I thought the same thing during the open water cert dives.

 

[heliflyer]

That Bluegills do bite, and it hurts!

 

[Rainer]

Something that I didn't know before my OW class was to hold your gauges away from you when turning on the air. This way if for some reason they blow, you don't have shards of glass flying at you.

Does anyone know of a *documented* case of a gauge blowing in the last 20 years? I've heard a few stories of bad gauges 30+ years ago, but nothing in "recent' times. I too hold the gauge away from me, but I feel silly doing so given no evidence that it poses even the slightest risk. Any stories? Anyone?