Needing Advice -

[WinDuck]

Okay I finished my pool work, however I am not feeling all that comfortable. I plan on doing some private pool work to work on the skills I have learned. I have to say that the accelerated course is a bit trying. Too many people not enough time.

I have read alot on the board concerning ESA & EBA. Many pointing out that it may not be in the divers best interest. What skill would be better to us in an emergency. Not wiithstanding not getting yourself into an emergency to begin with. Many certifications teach this to the students, accually heavily emphasising the usage of it in case of an emergency, however I feel not giving enough in how to prevent it.

What skills would you say are more or less specifically needed before you go into OW?

Also what other classes or what other home reading/studing (which many say one should do) should I do to get more information, before going into OW?

I refuse to "Trust dive", or to go beyond my skills. Which I feel are very limited meaning I could dive maybe 18 feet and be "somewhat" comfortable, and I don't like even using "somewhat" because it sends a warning flag to me somehow, maybe?

thanks

 

[TeddyDiver]

Okay I finished my pool work, however I am not feeling all that comfortable. I plan on doing some private pool work to work on the skills I have learned. I have to say that the accelerated course is a bit trying. Too many people not enough time.

What skills would you say are more or less specifically needed before you go into OW?
thanks

Proper weighting, boyancy controll, removing mask and reg and replacing, buddy breathing, controlling your dive..etc. Take as many pool execises as you like before OW

 

[BigJetDriver]

Winduck,

You are doing the right thing by spending more time in the pool. Practice the skills you were taught until you are very comfortable doing them.

The one thing that will give you the best control over yourself in the underwater environment is relaxation. When you feel comfortable enough to relax, most of the rest becomes very easy to deal with.

Proper bouyancy is a perfect example. It is MUCH easier to achieve if you can relax.

Talk to your instructor and ask him (or her) to suggest some other exercises you can practice to get yourself ready for the OW.

 

[SHARKBAIT94]

removing mask and reg and replacing, buddy breathing. Take as many pool execises as you like before OW

Yeah what he said is the truth. If your not comfortable with certain skills own up to it and let the instructor know, no sham in it. I was doing my check out dives and had to do the reg recovery, when I pulled the reg out of my mouth unaware to me I had caused a vortex in my second stage and it started to free flow and swim up and away from me. So here I was under water letting the air leave my lungs and watching the bubbles leave me and I’m reaching and leaning and doing everything I was taught but could not retrieve my reg. So I’m looking at my instructor looking for a sign that “hey you should start to worry” but I never got a sign or look so in my mind I was ok were still good. So once I came to the conclusion that “ok I can’t get that reg” I went to reach for my octo so I could breath and figure out were that reg went to, the instructor slams his octo in my mouth and I was p o-ed off pretty good. We did a CEA and at the surface he asked me if I was ok and I was like yeah but what the hell did you slam the octo in my mouth I’ve got one. Long story short he told me what had happened and if I’m ok lets go get another set up and do it again. Once I changed out the set ups I started swim out to the flag and the group I got a real uneasy feeling in my gut and said you know what I’M not doing this, not now, My ego said shut up fool you’re a firefighter medic, your tuff, you can do this, your girlfriend is with you. So I carried on until my gut said what do we always tell rookie firefighter? that kicked in and made me realize what my ego is what kills people. So I told my instructor I’m thumbing this check out dive for now. So in my long winded story, I’m just saying if you got a gut feeling about a skill or something else let your instructor know that you want to work on it. If the instructor is a good instructor they’ll work on it with you without shaming you of it. Always a thumb a dive if you got a bad feeling about it, you can dive any time but not if your dead. Good luck and get ready for some of the best sights and times you could ever imagine underwater.

 

[spectrum]

Okay I finished my pool work, however I am not feeling all that comfortable. I plan on doing some private pool work to work on the skills I have learned. I have to say that the accelerated course is a bit trying. Too many people not enough time. thanks

That is not uncommon. My wife was in the same boat in a "standard" length course, we went back in with the next class and with limited supervision were left to fine tune what we had learned. Working together as a buddy team at our own pace worked great and we actually extended what we did beyond the class exercises based on some drills I heard of here. Unless you're an absolute natural there is a lot to assimilate and master in an accelerated format. No big deal, take the time you need.

I have read alot on the board concerning ESA & EBA. Many pointing out that it may not be in the divers best interest. What skill would be better to us in an emergency. Not wiithstanding not getting yourself into an emergency to begin with. Many certifications teach this to the students, accually heavily emphasising the usage of it in case of an emergency, however I feel not giving enough in how to prevent it.

You lost me with the alphabet soup. We did shared air ascents as well as bottom swim sharing. We used true safe seconds, not octo/inflators. Start with the method you will be tested on.

What skills would you say are more or less specifically needed before you go into OW?

Setting up your rig, deep water donning, bottom rig removal and replace, weight ditching & CESA, shared air ascent, surface oral BC inflate, Mask clear, mask replacement and clear, regulator R&R, dangling regulator recovery, taking a regulator back into your mouth and restore breathing on low lung volume since you can't count on sucking in a big breath before it gets snagged out of your mouth in the real world. Reasonable demonstration of bouyancy principles, the real development IMO begins in open water in your gear. A general sense of comfort with it all, this is supposed to be fun and it will be.
How can I forget skindiving... You should be comfortable going out into open water with a mask, snorkel and fins as well as exposure protection and weights as needed before you take a breath from a tank. You should be able to dive down to a decent depth, 10' is a good start as well as make an underwater swim. You can do all of this on your own at the local beach at your own pace. After that scuba is just a few more pieces of gear and learning how to use it safely.

Also what other classes or what other home reading/studing (which many say one should do) should I do to get more information, before going into OW?

Get all of the back issues of Dive Training Magazine you can find and devour them along with Scuba Board: This forum, the general forum and the gear forums in particular. We got out of class knowing the skills but building solid routines for buddy checks, pre-descent, communication when it's not a standard signal take time and patience. Think it through and snag all of the ideas you can. Take time to talk things through with your buddy. Alternate answer, the class should have given you all that you NEED, this is not always true, some want a deeper understanding or want to understand alternate methods/options/viewpoints.

I refuse to "Trust dive", or to go beyond my skills. Which I feel are very limited meaning I could dive maybe 18 feet and be "somewhat" comfortable, and I don't like even using "somewhat" because it sends a warning flag to me somehow, maybe?

Are you in an 18'+pool or confined space? It sounds like you need time to gain trust in the gear and yourself. Find out what your options are for more pool time, this IMO should cost you nothing. Take your time and follow though, it will be worth it.

thanks[/QUOTE]

Good luck and keep us posted,
Pete

 

[Doc Intrepid]

One option you may consider for OW is to arrange and pay for private lessons with an instructor you determine you're compatible with.

 

[wreckchick]

Check your gauges.

Check your gauges.

Check your gauges.

'Nuff said.

R

 

[WinDuck]

Thanks for all the information support and encouragement. I have made arrangements to do more pool work, to familiarize myself more with my equipment. I believe with less people and more space I wll be able to practice my skills with more focus. I agree with the fact that I will be able to relax more as I get more familiar with my gear, and more confident with my skills. Calling off a dive, I have no problem with I can always get a referral and take it later. $$ is not the issue when it comes to safety, you pay spend a couple of grand for gear what is a little more to make sure that I feel comfortable using it. No shame in that at all, actually it makes me brighter than most. And I am creating a check off list for myself and looking for those dive training mags.

Thanks

And do Dive ON!

 

[SHARKBAIT94]

Thanks for all the information support and encouragement. I have made arrangements to do more pool work, to familiarize myself more with my equipment. I believe with less people and more space I wll be able to practice my skills with more focus. I agree with the fact that I will be able to relax more as I get more familiar with my gear, and more confident with my skills. Calling off a dive, I have no problem with I can always get a referral and take it later. $$ is not the issue when it comes to safety, you pay spend a couple of grand for gear what is a little more to make sure that I feel comfortable using it. No shame in that at all, actually it makes me brighter than most. And I am creating a check off list for myself and looking for those dive training mags.

Thanks

And do Dive ON!

Good for you, You are most def on your way to be a smart and skilled diver. Congrats :balloon :35: