Buddy Breathe and Equip Swap - I DID IT!

[B.L. Justice]

Last night I finished up the last DM pool session by doing the buddy breath and equipment swap. :banana:. That was a real confidence builder for me. I will admit that I did glance longingly toward the surface a couple of times when the C02 started to build but, we stayed focused and slowed down when things got complicated. The EQ swap was the one pool skill I was worried about. Now, I feel much more confident in the skills I have acquired and my ability to stop, breath, think and problem solve.

It was a great night!

 

[Dave1981]

What did the instructors do to mess with you? seems like it would be tricky to cause much trouble in a pool?

 

[Joe-Diver]

Congrats on getting it done!

I've got a DMC class tonight....we're doing the exchange and the 20 Skills Evaluation. They've been practicing for two weeks after the 20 Skills Workshop.

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

Congrats on completing your swap!

 

[namabiru]

Congratulations! I have to admit, my colleague and I have tried this once, and it didn't go too well.

 

[scubasully]

Congragts! I just did my swap the other day - but not in a pool. There were 3 people dumping sand all over us - couldn't see anything, so when the instructor jumped into the buddy breathing action I was unaware of it for the first minute, and just thought my buddy was hogging the reg! Then he purged all of our air with my alternate until we had a real out of air situation, and had to buddy breathe for real. It was a lot of fun, and I was grateful for the extra stressors he presented. We did a good job of problem solving, I think, and we had a blast. Especially when he tried to put my tiny fins on and I tried to wear his huge fins that wouldn't stay on my feet. That was a funny swim back to the boat for sure!

 

[Michelle's Guy]

That sounds intense...

 

[Walter]

That sounds intense...

Not really. If you are prepared for the skill (are completely comfortable with no mask breathing, have buddy breathing down pat and have breezed through both doff & don and bailout), talk it over, step by step, with your buddy ahead of time and take it slowly it's quite easy. It's one of the last skills I have my open water students complete before we go to the ocean.

 

[dhuskins]

Congrats.

I have yet to pass it. On my first attempt, a fin got away from me as my buddy handed it to me and floated to the surface. On attempt two, my buddy couldn't get his BCD off and bolted for the surface. He is still new to diving with only 20+ dives.

My wife is in the same class and blew through the exercise with another DMC flawlessly. I will have to see if I can do it with another DMC.

I've passed all the knowledge tests and 20 skills. I still have the exchange and a couple stamina tests left to do. Map is done, but needs to be handed in.

 

[Joe-Diver]

On attempt two, my buddy couldn't get his BCD off and bolted for the surface.

I tell my Candidates, before we ever get in the pool the first time....that if you bolt, you better just keep right on going, out the door....