Question about swimming ability

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I could barely swim when I got my cert... I can still barely swim. The only swimming that's ever been involved was the first day in the pool we had to do a few laps in the pool... and to be honest, I was wearing a full 3mm wetsuit so I was pretty much floating and kicking my feet.

There's really zero swimming involved in scuba. If you can kick your feet, you're fins will take you where you wanna go.
 
:rofl3: Thats funny, I cannot swim without fins and can't have anything less then the Scuba twin jet fins.
 
well, it was my first time to ever wear fins and they really look and feel funny!!! lol. before, when i do snorkeling, i just wear protection shoes. so it was sort of a new thing for me.

im gonna go diving this weekend again. hopefully, the fins will cooperate with me! or I, with the fins. :)!
 
Well, we did the 200m swim test and 10 min floater test last night, went better than expected, I like our instructor- we tended to start "rushing" the swim and he kept yelling "SLOW DOWN, this is not timed, do NOT wear yourself out". It went very well, and again thanks to all who posted here. AS soon as I can, you've got another supporter in the works here!
 
thats very nice to hear, harry. tell me how you'd find the fins. i just realized i seem to take a real, growing fancy in them. lol.
 
The swim was the 200m without fins/snorkel/mask type...thank the Lord for the backstroke!
 
ah yes, backstroke for me was the easier style. :D

quote=TXScubaBear]The swim was the 200m without fins/snorkel/mask type...thank the Lord for the backstroke![/quote]
 
My GF went from essentially a non-swimmer state (only one swimming class, in college, 14 years ago) to OW in 3 months, has finished her AOW, about 40 dives now. She had seen me practicing in the LDS pool and come along to watch several dives, wanted to learn it.

We did this incrementally, once a week visits to the shop pool. Started with wearing a Full wetsuit, plus fins, mask, snorkel, so she was positively buoyant (she has a fear of being a sinker though the staff was pretty sure she wasn't, but needed an edge for comfort), relearning basic swimming strokes doing laps in the shallow end of the pool.

Progressed to swimming laps lengthwise, same gear setup, but she was now going over the deep end.

Then dropped the flippers -- she now had the full suit, absolutely positively buoyant, but had to actually use her arms successfully for the swimming to work.

Removed the wetsuit, had her do laps in the shallow end.

Finally, laps lengthwise, going over the deeper part.

Next, buoyancy -- same kind of evolution, learn to back float in the shallow end, the try it in the deeper part, then learn buoyant on the surface vertical.

The shop staff helped, cheered her on and gave her pointers. I acted as a safety, even in the shallow end during initial things, otherwise I was in water, fully geared, right next to her when she went into the deeper end.

After the above she was fine on the PADI requirements, and her basic water comfort level is quite good now. As others have noted, the underwater part of diving is actually not much classic "swimming" -- the surface part, first normal swimming technique in pool conditions and then adding gear, then learning in worse conditions (cold, chop,...) does take new, building-block practice.
 
I did the swim in the sea, didn't even know I had to do it. First thing I had to do at start of course. Just told, swim to that buoy and back. It was further than 200 yds, but no problem. I'm not the greatest swimmer in the world, and about 45 lbs overweight, but a slow breastroke and all was ok. I then just floated on my back for 10 minutes and enjoyed the sun.
 
lowwall:
You may not need a lot of swimming skills while diving, but I've noticed that people who are better swimmers tend to be more comfortable divers. And more comfortable means safer, since it is panic that hurts you if there is a problem while diving.

So I'd encourage you to get to a pool and do some swims before your class starts.



Absolutely 2nd that thought!! If you aren't very comfortable swimming then you aren't going to be comfortable diving either. Panic is by far the most dangerous thing that can occur either underwater or on the surface so keep swimming until you are very comfortable in the water. (and swim in the ocean if you will be diving there, & not just in dead-calm water)
 
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