Hints for Developing Skills

[Lela]

I'm new to scuba - about to do my open water certification dives actually. I have been practicing some of the skills I learned in class that I had a hard time with - the hardest for me was mask removal and retrieval. I figure that practicing skills is the best way to develop them, so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend other skills that come in handy over time. Even things that aren't formally taught, but are things that are good to know, that you have picked up over time.

I'd also appreciate any feedback you might be able to share about the skills assessment. Are there any tips you can pass along that might help me prepare?

Thanks!

 

[diveprof]

Breathing off a snorkle without a mask on in the bath tub helps many get used to the idea of being without a mask. Another tip with the no mask skill is don't get in a rush to put it back on. Remember, you have air - all is well. If you rush putting it back on by pulling the mask quickly to your face this only creates a wave of water that will hit your face and may go up your nose. Go slow. You have practiced the skills in the pool. You know them. Prepare early. Do not be the last one to assemble gear and suit up. Do so early so you can have a few moments to relax and meditate about how much you are going to enjoy the experience. Post certification tip is to learn from every dive. I always mentally review the dive to find a nugget of learning that I can take forward to the next dive.

 

[TSandM]

One of the biggest skills I've found useful from OW is hovering. If you like animals, and want to watch them, you need to learn how to be still in the water, because sculling with your hands or your feet will move you away from what you want to see. You probably don't think a lot about that as a skill, but it is actually one of the most difficult ones in diving. Being perfectly still requires that you balance the weights on your gear properly, and that you learn to control your body posture and your breathing. The payoff is HUGE!

It is not a bad idea to practice emergency skills, like sharing gas, on a regular basis. This is because being in a circumstance where you NEED those skills is not the time to find out that you are rusty, or have trouble managing your buoyancy while doing them.

A lot of skills, you are going to practice whether you plan to or not. Putting your gear together, doing various sorts of water entries, and mask clearing are things you're going to do as a natural part of diving. Descents and ascents are part of every dive. On the other hand, there are skills you probably will never practice again, like removing and replacing your gear underwater. (Doing so on the surface is not an uncommon way of managing equipment when diving off small boats.)

 

[Quero]

It's not exactly a "skill" per se, but relaxed diaphragmatic breathing/breath control is a major component of success in other skills, like hovering mentioned above. Anxiety makes us take short shallow thoracic breaths which don't properly oxygenate our blood which then adds to the feelings of anxiety. And let's face it, there is so much task loading in learning to dive, that a little anxiety is perfectly natural. So if you can get yourself used to a very relaxed breathing pattern right away--I mean RIGHT AWAY on those very first breaths underwater, not only does it make it easier to accomplish many of the skills, but this kind of breathing actually reduces feelings of anxiety.

 

[k ellis]

Yes breathing is the most common skill I recommed to newer divers. The only way to get a great sac rate is to practice it. Buoyancy is a must too

 

[Divejones]

you are paying for every swig buddy, breathing in rhythm making & every swig count is the key for the newbie

 

[spectrum]

Did they have you do a regulator recovery after you exhaled? Usually you get to stage the demo with full happy lungs. That may not be the case when a flailing diver rips the second stage from your mouth. Lacking full lungs from which to exhale learning to trust your use of the regulator purge as you take that first tentative breath is worth trying.

 

[TMHeimer]

Did they have you do a regulator recovery after you exhaled? Usually you get to stage the demo with full happy lungs. That may not be the case when a flailing diver rips the second stage from your mouth. Lacking full lungs from which to exhale learning to trust your use of the regulator purge as you take that first tentative breath is worth trying.

Ditto for CESA.

 

[BAMA6977]

Every time you dive observe what others are doing on the boat/shore. Think of things you can do early, put wet suit on before others, then observe. The more experienced will have everything on and then gone, then you will have one of those "Oh............" moments! Look for most experienced and watch. Ask questions, remember the more experienced at one time did not know squat about diving. THINK,THINK,THINK on the dive and again observe what the more experienced are doing. Every dive do one skill, remove your mask, remove regulator and recover. Lastly, did I mention "observe, ask questions, think"? Finally enjoy, laugh if you screw up, be safe, and watch for me as I observe what you are doing so I can learn and be a better diver.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

One way to make the mask removal/retrieval easier is when you recover the mask and put it back over your eyes, clear the mask first, then fix the strap. Hold the mask to your face with the heel of one hand, clear the mask in the usual manner, then use the other hand to put the strap over the back of your head. Many students who have trouble with this skill find it much easier when they do it in this sequence rather than messing with the strap first and then clearing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)