Combination skills practice

[Walt1957]

I know all agencies teach mask removal, and they all teach reg recovery. But does anybody teach the combination of those? That is one realistic combination that might cause panic in a diver who has not practiced it. I am very comfortable in the water, so when I was kicked in the face by a diver coming across in front of me and lost my reg and had my mask unseated it was painful (the kick AND the salt water in the eyes and up the nose), but not a big concern. I simply did a sweep for my reg, reseated my mask and cleared it and signalled my buddy that I was OK. But I have to wonder how many divers who have not grown up in the water might panic in a similar situation. They know the skills seperately, but would they become overwhelmed by the combination, especially in salt water?

I am going to drill my daughter on that one the next time we dive together, and it is something that is easy to practice and would seem a worthwhile drill for anyone.

 

[PerroneFord]

Yes. And one agency even demands you do these skills without kneeling on the bottom...

 

[Don Wray]

Come on Ford! I'm PADI and not all skills where performed kneeling on the bottom.

 

[Walt1957]

Come on Ford! I'm PADI and not all skills where performed kneeling on the bottom.

Yeah, we didn't do ascents kneeling on the bottom, at least not once we got positive.

One of the many good things I have learned here is to practice skills while hovering horizontally.

 

[Blackwood]

Come on Ford! I'm PADI and not all skills where performed kneeling on the bottom.

Maybe not all, but Mask R&R generally is.

But clearly, kneeling on the bottom is not an appropriate position for a diver to be in, so all skills should be perfected mid-water.

 

[neil]

Yes. And one agency even demands you do these skills without kneeling on the bottom...

Do the standards specifically state "while NOT kneeling on the bottom" ? Aha! I thought not, then it's not part of the standards. (He said, tongue planted firmly in cheek)

 

[PerroneFord]

Do the standards specifically state "while NOT kneeling on the bottom" ?

Actually it states while hovering in mid-water in good trim.

 

[SNorman]

In my PADI class we shared air halfway down in a 12' pool and had to swim around for about a minute together at the same depth. We would swim next to a buddy then the instructor would give the signal to share air, then after a minute we'd go back to our own regs, and we'd switch back and forth for donor/recipient.

 

[TheRedHead]

I simply did a sweep for my reg, reseated my mask and cleared it and signalled my buddy that I was OK.

What would happen if you couldn't find it very easily? I think the reg sweep skill while blowing bubbles is silly when you should have a perfectly functioning reg bungeed around you neck. Then you have plenty of time to locate and square away your primary regulator.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Walt, That looks like you did everything correctly. I have had this happen also, my reg never ended up around in back of me though. I could see it so I just grabbed it.