Open Water Dives Next Weekend... What Else Can I do to Prepare?

[FurtekJR]

Hey All,

I have my open water checkout dives next weekend at Lake Rawlings, Virginia. I have been reviewing my open water book, working dive table problems and practicing putting on and taking off the gear that I am going to be using. Is there anything else that I could/should be doing to prepare for the checkout dives?

Thanks.

 

[Mafiaman]

relax..

 

[fisherdvm]

If you already got the gears, you can put them on. Walk around with them. Position the weight belt in all different locations around your body, and see if you can find it.

Put a blind fold on, and see if you can find the valve behind your head. Learn to turn it on and off. Find the hoses to the regulators, and see if you can retrieve them with a right arm sweep.

Learn to find your dump valves, where your inflator hose is, the power inflate button, and the deflate button. Blow up the BC with your mouth till it is full. Check all the dumps and deflate button.

Learn to put on and take off your BC with the tank on, and put it back on and secure it, with a blind fold.

The more familiar with your BC, regs, and position of your hoses, the less anxiety you would have under the water.

If you want it to be more challenging, do all of the above in the shower, but fill your mask up with salt water first.

 

[fisherdvm]

Just kidding...

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Sounds like you are well on your way. Relax and have a great time!

 

[spectrum]

FurtekJR

We had a few months between our pool work and checkout dives. What was very helpful to me was to visualize myself diving. Take yourself right through the process from set-up onward. You have been in the pool and have probably read countless tips here, now put them all together and live it out in your minds eye. It's a great learning tool as well as a positive affirmation.

Pete

 

[SteveDiver]

Rest the night before, relax and enjoy!

 

[300bar]

If you already got the gears, you can put them on. Walk around with them. Position the weight belt in all different locations around your body, and see if you can find it.

Put a blind fold on, and see if you can find the valve behind your head. Learn to turn it on and off. Find the hoses to the regulators, and see if you can retrieve them with a right arm sweep.

Learn to find your dump valves, where your inflator hose is, the power inflate button, and the deflate button. Blow up the BC with your mouth till it is full. Check all the dumps and deflate button.

Learn to put on and take off your BC with the tank on, and put it back on and secure it, with a blind fold.

The more familiar with your BC, regs, and position of your hoses, the less anxiety you would have under the water.

If you want it to be more challenging, do all of the above in the shower, but fill your mask up with salt water first.

Do all of yhis...



And then you sitback and relax and have a lot of fun.
There's nothing new to do, after this you start the learning

 

[brdr882]

relax & have fun. you've done more prep then most students, if everyone was a thorough as your being scuba instruction would be a breeze. good luck you'll do a rock star job!

 

[RikRaeder]

Go swimming and of course...relax.