Best thing you learned in OW

[Exodusjpg]

The best thing I learned was to just relax. If you cant do that youre not going to have any fun... and thats the whole point!




Side question:

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?

Why risk it? I wouldnt want to be the first one in 30 years to have a gauge explode in my face. I dont think you should feel silly about doing that at all.

 

[Rainer]

That's silly logic. Do you seriously go around your entire life trying to avoid one in a billion odds? Better not leave the house!

 

[MaconBubbles]

The most important thing I learned is that I can get all choked up on the bottom and I can handle that while staying on the bottom. My instructor had told us that if that happened to just cough into your regulator. Well, it happened to me when doing mask removal at the bottom. I inhaled some water and freaked out. I wanted to go to the surface but he made me calm down and stay down. It's probably the most important lesson I will ever learn. Stay calm and think...spit and sputter and cough all you want--just stay down until you get situated again. It could save your life some day.

 

[divedadepths]

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

Hey!! Im a teenager!!:no


Is there a story??

 

[Belmont]

In my OW check I had to put my BC in the water behind the boat and then my weight belt. The captain handed me a belt that was one inch too short. I struggled with it like a fool, enough to loose all my energy as the sea was choppy and I was drifting away from the boat. I finally removed one 5 pound piece wich gave me some slack on the belt.

Lesson learned: you are responsible for your equipment, don't put your faith in someone's actions and a little problem on the ground can become a major one in the water.:11:

 

[JGBrown]

Hey!! Im a teenager!!:no


Is there a story??

Me too!

I'm also curious, because I learned the opposite in my OW class, I was buddied with an older buisnessman and that is an experience I hope I never repeat. At least if all oder buisnessmen are the same just like teenagers are.

 

[MBH]

The single most important thing that I learned in OW is that....there is a better way.

 

[Rainer]

I didn't learn that until AFTER OW.

 

[BubblesUp]

My OW instructor reminded us that if our mask flooded or our buddy was low on air, we wouldn't have the luxury of dropping to our knees at the bottom of the lake/quarry/ocean to take care of the situation. Once we got the hang of the various skills on our knees at the bottom of the pool, he made us practice them while swimming. It was a great lesson in reality, and it's something I now use with my own students.

 

[diverdown247]

I have an interesting reply to this one. This was during my DM internship on the island, but it was in an OW course.

I realized that as new divers we are easily fascinated by some of the strangest things.
The USMC newbies we certified in one course kept clammering over something in the sand in front of them. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with them. Upon further investigation I discover that they have located a hermit crab the size of the head of a small sewing push pin. Since I had black gloves on I picked it up and they passed it down the line carefully so everyone could see it. They gladly passed it back to me so I could put it back where it was.