Divingnthedark
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I like that!!!!Nomad:
Is this safe training practice?
- Thread starter peter_dorset
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When I was doing my OW classes, everyone is worried the most about mask removal and replacement. Losing your regulator isn't a problem as long as you can see, it seems.
Anyway we did it stepwise. First the instructor had use flood the mask to a level below our eyes and clear, then flood it all the way above our eyes, then completely remove it and replace. It certainly wasn't comfortable but its important (IMO) to know you aren't helpless if your mask comes off during a dive.
Also if you can do the skill in very cold water with poor visibility, you can do it anywhere.
Anyway we did it stepwise. First the instructor had use flood the mask to a level below our eyes and clear, then flood it all the way above our eyes, then completely remove it and replace. It certainly wasn't comfortable but its important (IMO) to know you aren't helpless if your mask comes off during a dive.
Also if you can do the skill in very cold water with poor visibility, you can do it anywhere.
miketsp
Contributor
peter_dorset:
Yes.
I know of a few checkout sites in "tropical" waters where water temps are around 15C and vis may be less than 20cm.
So for someone training for UK diving I see nothing special in this.
jeff99
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Hi Peter
Did my OW in UK 8 years ago. It was in March I think, water temperature was 6 or 7 degrees, visibility was, say, 2-3m. We were in freshwater and we were on the 7m platform which was used for most of the excercises. It wasn't very comfortable or easy due to the pretty useless vis and the cold water. My thoughts on this are that at a greater depth, it would have been much more dangerous if one of the students had panicked and gone runaway to the surface. I know the instructors should be ready for this during what is a high stress situation for most students, but some of them are very slippery - I should know as I went runaway during one of the OOA excercises - got a mouthful of water after forgetting to purge and panicked. Fortunately I didn't do myself any damage, but there were some very strange noises in my head as I went up like a Polaris missile.............:11:
Did my OW in UK 8 years ago. It was in March I think, water temperature was 6 or 7 degrees, visibility was, say, 2-3m. We were in freshwater and we were on the 7m platform which was used for most of the excercises. It wasn't very comfortable or easy due to the pretty useless vis and the cold water. My thoughts on this are that at a greater depth, it would have been much more dangerous if one of the students had panicked and gone runaway to the surface. I know the instructors should be ready for this during what is a high stress situation for most students, but some of them are very slippery - I should know as I went runaway during one of the OOA excercises - got a mouthful of water after forgetting to purge and panicked. Fortunately I didn't do myself any damage, but there were some very strange noises in my head as I went up like a Polaris missile.............:11:
OP
peter_dorset
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Hi
Yes I was at the site watching this. I am trained to Rescue diver. I do not think that this was safe practice from the point of the HSE. It did comply with PADI ratio of staff to student but in very low viz I question the wisdom or complete lack of.
JMO
Yes I was at the site watching this. I am trained to Rescue diver. I do not think that this was safe practice from the point of the HSE. It did comply with PADI ratio of staff to student but in very low viz I question the wisdom or complete lack of.
JMO
When I did my OW on dive 1 we flooded the mask partially & cleared it. I thought we didn't do the full removal & replacement till dive 3. But I could be wrong. I would say that if the students had already flooded & cleared their masks on dive 1 ... well I'm still happy we did it in about 25 or 30 fsw (i.e. < 10 meters).
Was the viz better lower perhaps? Maybe the instructor thought he would be able to see the class better. I do know that the place I trained through does not do OW cert dives below 40 fsw
Was the viz better lower perhaps? Maybe the instructor thought he would be able to see the class better. I do know that the place I trained through does not do OW cert dives below 40 fsw
dbulmer
Contributor
Peter,
At some stage the trainee has to do a mask removal - if you can do it in 6m then you can do it at 16 so my view is why make it any more unpleasant than it already is?
My concern in addition to yours is that diving is also about having fun and taking your mask off at 16m does not fall into the fun category when you're still at a very early stage in diving. Did the instructor also take his mask off ? If not, the bloke is a *wat.
And where was the water 14C? Stoney yesterday was 10 at the surface and 8 at 20 m - what site were you at?
At some stage the trainee has to do a mask removal - if you can do it in 6m then you can do it at 16 so my view is why make it any more unpleasant than it already is?
My concern in addition to yours is that diving is also about having fun and taking your mask off at 16m does not fall into the fun category when you're still at a very early stage in diving. Did the instructor also take his mask off ? If not, the bloke is a *wat.
And where was the water 14C? Stoney yesterday was 10 at the surface and 8 at 20 m - what site were you at?
I would fully expect a student to be able to remove and replace a mask under those condidtions if they are the conditions the student will be diving in. Mask removal is not a dangerous activity even for a new diver, especially when they are under the close supervision of the instructor.
This is another symtom of the "dumbing down" of our scuba industry.
This is another symtom of the "dumbing down" of our scuba industry.
dbulmer
Contributor
wedivebc,
What is the dumbing down here? What did the instructor achieve at 16 m that he could not have achieved at 6m?
What is the dumbing down here? What did the instructor achieve at 16 m that he could not have achieved at 6m?
If the student has a perceived notion that it is more dangerous to remove the mask at 16m and the instructor shields them from that by only doing the skill at 6m how will the student react when the situation occurs in real life at 16m? You and I both know the task is no greater at depth but the student will not believe that until they actually experience it. I think the training should be tougher than it is rather than the skills become easier. This is just another example of the mentality that believes everyone should be able to scuba dive after 4 OW training sessions.dbulmer:
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