OP
Thanks everyone this is all useful. Keep it coming.
Looking for info for new presentation. Intro/Try/Discover Scuba
- Thread starter Jim Lapenta
- Start date
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bradells
Contributor
Looking for details on how it was done,
Confined water done on shore during dive 1 of a 3 dive charter, with 2 Open Water dives in the middle of the Caribbean.
number of people in the water,
2 total (me & instructor)
number of instructors,
1
and how you felt it was conducted.
Fantastic
I am also looking for details on the conditions and depths to which you were taken if this was done in open water.
Dive 1: confined water - 6-8ft. Calm sandy shore in clear water, with dive flag.
Dive 2&3: open water, 30ft with hard bottom.
How well was the equipment explained to you?
All equipment was explained basic operation (tank, regs, spg, depth gauge, inflator, bcd, weighting, mask, etc)
What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
Enough to sink, and adjusted on the 2 OW dives
Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
See above, hard weights on a belt
Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
Referred to trim, many details on buoyancy.
Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
Yes
Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
No
What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
Out of gas, airways, ascents/safety stops and all items on the waiver.
Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
Took a few times to get used to breathing underwater. Instructor was great and waited patiently in the 4ft of water until I was comfortable breathing off of SCUBA
How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
40-70min (boat ride out and while in water)
BRad
Confined water done on shore during dive 1 of a 3 dive charter, with 2 Open Water dives in the middle of the Caribbean.
number of people in the water,
2 total (me & instructor)
number of instructors,
1
and how you felt it was conducted.
Fantastic
I am also looking for details on the conditions and depths to which you were taken if this was done in open water.
Dive 1: confined water - 6-8ft. Calm sandy shore in clear water, with dive flag.
Dive 2&3: open water, 30ft with hard bottom.
How well was the equipment explained to you?
All equipment was explained basic operation (tank, regs, spg, depth gauge, inflator, bcd, weighting, mask, etc)
What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
Enough to sink, and adjusted on the 2 OW dives
Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
See above, hard weights on a belt
Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
Referred to trim, many details on buoyancy.
Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
Yes
Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
No
What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
Out of gas, airways, ascents/safety stops and all items on the waiver.
Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
Took a few times to get used to breathing underwater. Instructor was great and waited patiently in the 4ft of water until I was comfortable breathing off of SCUBA
How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
40-70min (boat ride out and while in water)
BRad
My wife and I did one at Caneel Bay in St John more than 20yrs ago. I have little recollection of any details other than my wife didn't like it at all.
I'm certain we did nothing more than meet the instructor at the pool, get in, "put the breathing thing in our mouths" and swim around.
---------- Post added December 30th, 2014 at 09:35 AM ----------
"It's not the agency... it's the instructor."
Remember Jim, as I'm sure you are aware, agencies don't conduct DSDs. Instructors/AIs/DMs conduct DSDs. Accordingly, no DSD is ever "done through an agency."
The instructor - who might well be affiliated with multiple agencies - might conduct the DSD "through" a shop, "through" a resort, "through" a dive op, etc. But they do not conduct one "through" an agency.
The mere fact that you feel the need to be "agency neutral" when looking at something where the agency is virtually immaterial should tell you that you're probably not capable of doing so.
I'm certain we did nothing more than meet the instructor at the pool, get in, "put the breathing thing in our mouths" and swim around.
---------- Post added December 30th, 2014 at 09:35 AM ----------
"It's not the agency... it's the instructor."
Remember Jim, as I'm sure you are aware, agencies don't conduct DSDs. Instructors/AIs/DMs conduct DSDs. Accordingly, no DSD is ever "done through an agency."
The instructor - who might well be affiliated with multiple agencies - might conduct the DSD "through" a shop, "through" a resort, "through" a dive op, etc. But they do not conduct one "through" an agency.
The mere fact that you feel the need to be "agency neutral" when looking at something where the agency is virtually immaterial should tell you that you're probably not capable of doing so.
Well, I did 2 discover scuba/try scuba or whatever name you like it.
The first one was in 1990 in Puerto Madryn - Argentina, in open water to a depth of at least 10 meters. Water was chilly cold, though we all used wetsuits, no gloves & full feet fins. Only hood was provided. The dive was one to one with the instructor/divemaster (who knows ?) who always kept me by my hand. Weather was clear and warm. Dive duration was 20 minutes. With the dive, an UW pic was part of the show.
The second one was in a pool in 2007 in Miramar - Argentina. The pool was a circular one of up to 4 meters depth full of colorful fishes and artifacts simulating the sea environment. The pool was built specifically for this purpose.
Water was little warmed, but we still used jump wetsuit. No hood, no gloves, no boots were required. The instructor was with me the first minutes, but after seeing my behavior, he left me alone and followed with the next diver. He only came to me to inflate a little the BCD as I was a little negative. Dive time was something like 30 minutes, perhaps they saw that I was having such a good time that they allowed me a few minutes more. After this lovely experience I decided to take my first OWD course.
To your specific questions :
- How well was the equipment explained to you?
Very little, at least to what I recall.
- What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
Very little, at least to what I recall.
- Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
No buoyancy check, though I do not recall being over-weighted.
- Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
Not at all.
- Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
In the first one, permanent contact. In the second one I was left alone, though conditions were different.
- Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
Yes, in the second one.
- What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
No mention at all in any two experiences.
- Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
In the first one, my wife dived after me, with the same tank. I don't remember if the tank had actually a SPG, but it was an old J valve tank. After surfacing, my wife told me that she could hardly breath from the tank in the last minutes of the dive, meaning that the tank was almost empty. She is not someone that loves water nor sports, so, perhaps, she was a little nervous.
- How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
To what I recall, very little in both experiences.
- Please note that I would prefer that you NOT identify the agency that this was done through or the specific shop/instructor. Region/country is ok.
The first one was in 1990. In those years there was no International agency in Argentina, and diving was hardly ruled by the National Authority Prefectura Naval Argentina. The second experience was in 2007 and I don't recall which agency, if any, was ruling the shop.
Now I'm in the process of becoming OWDI. I'm part of the Try Scuba experiences in our pool. Now your answers from the other side of the counter.
- How well was the equipment explained to you?
We explain mask, BCD & reg set and a little mention of weight & belt.
- What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
As we dive in a pool without wetsuit, the account for weight is straightforward.
- Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
Not required.
- Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
We explain not to use arms for swimming and only use fins, or nothing.
- Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
We take divers by the arm or by the yoke. Always contact.
- Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
We never leave alone a diver.
- What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
We explain that the diver never has to keep breath. Always breathing in a normal way. Prior to going deep, we let them breath in the shallow part of the pool, first over the water and then with the head under the water.
- Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
Sometimes a diver struggles under water and rockets to the surface. The pool is only 3 meters depth. We try to make them ascend as slow as possible. Some of the divers directly abort the dive, some others try again. Not everything is for everyone, so no culprit if this do not like him.
- How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
Our pool time is 90 minutes. So withing this time we have to go through everything. Normally a dive in the pool takes 20 minutes per diver end to end. 5 minutes explanation, 5 minutes acclimation and 10 minutes underwater. The rest of the time the diver plays in the pool with mask, snorkel and fins. There at least 2 DCS watching.
Hope this helps.
The first one was in 1990 in Puerto Madryn - Argentina, in open water to a depth of at least 10 meters. Water was chilly cold, though we all used wetsuits, no gloves & full feet fins. Only hood was provided. The dive was one to one with the instructor/divemaster (who knows ?) who always kept me by my hand. Weather was clear and warm. Dive duration was 20 minutes. With the dive, an UW pic was part of the show.
The second one was in a pool in 2007 in Miramar - Argentina. The pool was a circular one of up to 4 meters depth full of colorful fishes and artifacts simulating the sea environment. The pool was built specifically for this purpose.
Water was little warmed, but we still used jump wetsuit. No hood, no gloves, no boots were required. The instructor was with me the first minutes, but after seeing my behavior, he left me alone and followed with the next diver. He only came to me to inflate a little the BCD as I was a little negative. Dive time was something like 30 minutes, perhaps they saw that I was having such a good time that they allowed me a few minutes more. After this lovely experience I decided to take my first OWD course.
To your specific questions :
- How well was the equipment explained to you?
Very little, at least to what I recall.
- What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
Very little, at least to what I recall.
- Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
No buoyancy check, though I do not recall being over-weighted.
- Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
Not at all.
- Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
In the first one, permanent contact. In the second one I was left alone, though conditions were different.
- Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
Yes, in the second one.
- What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
No mention at all in any two experiences.
- Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
In the first one, my wife dived after me, with the same tank. I don't remember if the tank had actually a SPG, but it was an old J valve tank. After surfacing, my wife told me that she could hardly breath from the tank in the last minutes of the dive, meaning that the tank was almost empty. She is not someone that loves water nor sports, so, perhaps, she was a little nervous.
- How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
To what I recall, very little in both experiences.
- Please note that I would prefer that you NOT identify the agency that this was done through or the specific shop/instructor. Region/country is ok.
The first one was in 1990. In those years there was no International agency in Argentina, and diving was hardly ruled by the National Authority Prefectura Naval Argentina. The second experience was in 2007 and I don't recall which agency, if any, was ruling the shop.
Now I'm in the process of becoming OWDI. I'm part of the Try Scuba experiences in our pool. Now your answers from the other side of the counter.
- How well was the equipment explained to you?
We explain mask, BCD & reg set and a little mention of weight & belt.
- What kind of attention was paid to getting your weights set?
As we dive in a pool without wetsuit, the account for weight is straightforward.
- Did they conduct an actual buoyancy check (if you know what that is) or did they just hand you a belt with some lead on it or BC with lead in the pockets?
Not required.
- Did they explain buoyancy and trim in any way and why they were important?
We explain not to use arms for swimming and only use fins, or nothing.
- Was the instructor/instructors within arm's reach of all participants at all times?
We take divers by the arm or by the yoke. Always contact.
- Were you ever left alone (alone also defined as with another untrained person and the instructor/designated assistant not immediately adjacent to you)?
We never leave alone a diver.
- What risks did they tell you were involved with scuba diving and do you feel that you fully understood them?
We explain that the diver never has to keep breath. Always breathing in a normal way. Prior to going deep, we let them breath in the shallow part of the pool, first over the water and then with the head under the water.
- Did you observe any people having problems and if so how were they responded to?
Sometimes a diver struggles under water and rockets to the surface. The pool is only 3 meters depth. We try to make them ascend as slow as possible. Some of the divers directly abort the dive, some others try again. Not everything is for everyone, so no culprit if this do not like him.
- How much time was spent going over the safety procedures, equipment, buoyancy, diving risks, and how graphic were they in describing them?
Our pool time is 90 minutes. So withing this time we have to go through everything. Normally a dive in the pool takes 20 minutes per diver end to end. 5 minutes explanation, 5 minutes acclimation and 10 minutes underwater. The rest of the time the diver plays in the pool with mask, snorkel and fins. There at least 2 DCS watching.
Hope this helps.
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