New Dive Buddy in Training...

[Lenmonster]

Hey, everyone...

I took my 12 year old son to a "splash party" tonight...Part of it was for him to get under water a bit (he had a short experience during a bad Discovery class last year), and for me to dive with a plate and wing (DiveRite Transplate and SS Plate).

Anyway...he LOVED it, and did very well. He was really comfortable in the water, and the only reason we cut things short was he was freezing after a while. The pool was cold and he didn't have any exposure protection.

The cool thing is that the instructor is trying to set up a very small class for him and two other kids his age. My son was flipping out at that news.

My plan was to wait til at least next year to certify him. He's not a hugely strong swimmer, although comfortable in the water. But he's going to join swim team this summer and do laps, and he wants to start now. So we'll do the pool and OWs in the quarry, I guess. He seems perfectly at ease currently.

As far as the BP/W...I was really happy with it. With a 3.5mm suit, I literally had no weight in the pool, and was perfectly neutral with a full tank. I'm going to get a 5mm suit, so will have to add a bit of weight, but I think the steel plate is going to work fine for me. It was so much easier to swim horizontally. The harness didn't have a crotch strap, which made the plate ride up a bit, but overall, it was really nice.

 

[fisherdvm]

What a cruel man you are. You, comfy and warm in a 3.5 mm suit. And him, buck naked? You should be ashame of yourself. Go and do a hail mary and 2 our father, and be nice to the dog.

 

[Lenmonster]

I know...I know. I had no idea the pool would be that cold, and the only reason I even had a wetsuit was because I knew I was going to try a plate. Believe me, when he starts class, I'll gear him up with fins and a nice comfy suit. I will be attending church tomorrow (playing bass as a matter of fact), and I'm always nice to my dogs. They both just got a few Tostitos.

 

[fisherdvm]

My son wore a 3 mm full suit, plus a shortie, plus a beanie, and his lips were still blue in the pool. Later we added socks..... He wanted to wear gloves. I did fine in a shortie. Fortunately, within 1 year, he now can wear my boots, gloves, and most of my wetsuits. When he got certified in Key Largo last summer, he got cold with a full 5 mm suit and a beanie. When kids are in pool and not moving around, they get cold quickly. I wear a full 3 mm in the pool with boots, and feel bad for the students chattering their teeth going through confined water training.