jd950
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I read a comment in another thread that at Anthony's Key Resort they will make you jump in, flood or remove mask and clear it before letting you dive. Is this common? Anyone else have a problem with this?
Here is why I ask...I have no problem partially flooding, fully flooding, removing and replacing, etc. I typically have to clear my mask numerous times during a dive and have never had a problem with a full flood and clear. The problem is that after a good flooding, my eyes are itchy and sting a bit for about 15 minutes, even if I have closed my eyes. I think it happens when some salt water drips into my eyes form my forehead, or something. I can see and I can function, but I'm not having much fun.
The other thing, although less important, is that if I am certified, and haven't given someone reason to distrust my abilities, and I'm not trying to do something questionable without supervision/training (like getting certified in the caribbean then wanting to go out in a kelp forest or dive in limited visibility, or use my OW cert to play wreck diver) then I should not need to prove myself to dive ops and divemasters. That IS one of the points of certification and liability waivers, isn't it?
It will irritate me to have some divemaster make me flood my mask just before a dive I am paying for, and then be squinting and tearing for the first 15-20 minutes of my dive. If they require this then I think it should at least occur on their time and not mine. They can take me out and I'll jump in and flood my mask if it makes them happy, then they can take me back and we'll dive later, but the "skills" session should be on their time and their air and not the dive I'm paying for.
Does this mean if it takes me two breaths to clear and they think I should do it in one, they won't let me dive? What's next, remove and don scuba gear, do a CESA? Maybe I will need to demonstrate my ability with PADI tables?
And actually, as I re-read the post, the test involves something like jumping in and with regulator out of mouth flooding and clearing? Where does this come from?
Am I out of line here? Do I need to change my attitude? Or does Roatan pose some extra high entanglement risk where folks are often simultaneously getting their reg ripped out and their mask pulled off and need to be ready for it?
I understand that practicing skills is a good idea, and I suppose flooding and clearing for practice should be done every now and then anyway, but if so, I'll do it at the end of my dive, maybe just after a safety stop or something, or maybe on one of those unlmited shore dives some dive operators offer, rather than a dive I am paying for, but I think that is a call I should make.
So what do you think?
Here is why I ask...I have no problem partially flooding, fully flooding, removing and replacing, etc. I typically have to clear my mask numerous times during a dive and have never had a problem with a full flood and clear. The problem is that after a good flooding, my eyes are itchy and sting a bit for about 15 minutes, even if I have closed my eyes. I think it happens when some salt water drips into my eyes form my forehead, or something. I can see and I can function, but I'm not having much fun.
The other thing, although less important, is that if I am certified, and haven't given someone reason to distrust my abilities, and I'm not trying to do something questionable without supervision/training (like getting certified in the caribbean then wanting to go out in a kelp forest or dive in limited visibility, or use my OW cert to play wreck diver) then I should not need to prove myself to dive ops and divemasters. That IS one of the points of certification and liability waivers, isn't it?
It will irritate me to have some divemaster make me flood my mask just before a dive I am paying for, and then be squinting and tearing for the first 15-20 minutes of my dive. If they require this then I think it should at least occur on their time and not mine. They can take me out and I'll jump in and flood my mask if it makes them happy, then they can take me back and we'll dive later, but the "skills" session should be on their time and their air and not the dive I'm paying for.
Does this mean if it takes me two breaths to clear and they think I should do it in one, they won't let me dive? What's next, remove and don scuba gear, do a CESA? Maybe I will need to demonstrate my ability with PADI tables?
And actually, as I re-read the post, the test involves something like jumping in and with regulator out of mouth flooding and clearing? Where does this come from?
Am I out of line here? Do I need to change my attitude? Or does Roatan pose some extra high entanglement risk where folks are often simultaneously getting their reg ripped out and their mask pulled off and need to be ready for it?
I understand that practicing skills is a good idea, and I suppose flooding and clearing for practice should be done every now and then anyway, but if so, I'll do it at the end of my dive, maybe just after a safety stop or something, or maybe on one of those unlmited shore dives some dive operators offer, rather than a dive I am paying for, but I think that is a call I should make.
So what do you think?