OW Class in a BP/W.... PADI version

[Snowbear]

I've read a lot of threads in the main forums as well as the Instructor forums about the feasibility of taking or teaching Open Water Scuba Diver classes in a BP/W.

The students in these pictures are on OW Dive #3 of a PADI class. They are in Halcyon BP/W with one piece harness. They are in drysuits (a necessity when conducting OW class in 42F water with +8F surface temp and 30 knot wind :11: ) They are using more "conventional" regulator setups, though the Instructor and DM's were using the 7' hose/bungied B/U configuration.

Here's a picture of the instructor setting the example:

And a student making a decent attempt at emulating him:

And a buddy team:

While they were not perfect (yet), they put a lot of effort into buoyancy control and trim. The instructors and DM's set the example and the students want to dive like we do.

And yes, viz was incredible.... these pictures were not photoshopped other than to crop them. They were taken with the point~n~shoot Optio with no strobe

 

[Makin Raider]

Now that is a beautiful site! Wish my OW started me in the right direction like that.

 

[airsix]

This ROCKS. Every student should get such great instruction! Students on their 3rd OW dive, in good trim comfortably diving in cold water gear... Wow. That's awesome.
-Ben M.

 

[OE2X]

Snow,
Great post. I wish I looked that good during DIRF. Not sure I look that good now. Kudos to the instructor and DM for taking the time to teach proper buoyancy and skills. Special kudos to the students!!!

 

[Snowbear]

Well, not everyone was comfortable.... one guy had a zipper that was not fully zipped and didn't say anything until the dive was over (~30 minutes). He dumped about 5 gallons of water out of each suit leg :11:

 

[Snowbear]

Actually, it's the instructor (and students) that get all the kudo's. As the DM, I didn't enter the picture until the OW dives

 

[scubamickey]

The instructor in question is very good. I'm pretty sure that was Scott . Snowbear, correct me if I'm wrong please.

 

[Snowbear]

Yes, that's Scott.

 

[jonix]

kudos to both students and scott! i was nowhere near that during my OW class

 

[TSandM]

Man, that is SO cool. I wish I had had that kind of instruction in OW. I wish I could meet that standard NOW! This is photographic proof that you DON'T have to teach everything sitting on the bottom at the beginning . . . right?