Share Air - Need Advice

[MNScuba]

There's no easy way to put this, and I'm sure I'm not the ONLY one who's ever felt this way but...

I'm the kind of person that won't drink out of a glass/can/bottle that someone else drank out of, especially people I don't know. My problem is this, (and maybe your comments will ease my tensions). During the pool time and OW time I know it's going to come to the point where we have to practice the "share air" skill, this part I am not looking forward to. I know it sounds terrible, but it's just the way I am. Don't get me wrong if someone was in danger I wouldn't think twice about it and hand over my primary. I think you get my drift, what can I do?

I hope this doesn't sound too out of line, I know its no big deal and all that... it's just a personal thing that I have a hard time with and will probably just have to deal with.

I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of heat on this, so I'm ready... bring it on!

 

[The Chairman]

Relax... buddy breathing (sharing air on the same regulator) is passe UNTIL you get to Dive Master. You should be breathing on your buddies OCTO (safe second) when you are simulating an OOA situation. And your buddy should be breathing on YOUR octo when they are simulating an OOA situation. Even if you DID practice buddybreathing, you would probably get more cooties (germs, etc) from the water than from the shared regulator. As soon as you transfer it from you mouth, you are giving it a good rinse. Just hit the purge for a good measure, and you will be fine!

 

[MNScuba]

That was all I needed to hear. (Ear to ear grin.) That purge suggestion is what did it for me, haha... blast it right out! Anyway, as far as the OCTO goes, I have an Air2 system so I would have to donate my primary and switch to my Air2 right?

 

[bgonderi]

Interesting issue. I assume that you're not taking the certification with someone you know already that you can buddy up with (although I don't remember if in our pool sessions we shared air with our buddies or with the instructor). We never did pass our primaries off, just our octos, so you really aren't getting something that's been in someone else's mouth a lot.

Would you buy that the chlorine/salt water sterilizes the mouthpiece as it's passing through the water between you and your buddy?

Not sure if you have your own gear or not, but if you're renting, you'll proabbly not be the first person using your primary either. Depending on the dive shop, it sounds like they may or may not clean the mouthpieces beyond a simple washing.

I suppose in the long run, you're right - it's something you'll just have to get over. One good point - if you're really concerned about this issue, you'll probably breeze through the other skills like mask clearing and equipment removal with ease!

I'd imagine that most people start off with some "issue" that they're worried about. Mine was getting water up my nose. It was really hard for me to let water in my mask that first time. Now, it's second nature and I barely even think about it.

I'll bet that the first time you get to swim around at 12 feet in the deep end of the pool, you'll forget about any of these issues because you're having too much fun!

 

[TexasMike]

Sounds like something to bring with your instructor.

 

[Rick Murchison]

SSI teaches passing the primary, as does GUE. Not sure about the others.
As for contamination, the rinse job the reg gets between the time it leaves your buddy's mouth and the time it gets to yours is about like running the reg under a faucet for a few seconds - perhaps even better as the water's all over it.
There are things in this life worth worrying over... passing a reg back & forth ain't one of 'em.
Rick

 

[bgonderi]

You're right - with the Air2 you give them your primary reg and you switch to it.

 

[Stone]

Would it bother you to buddy breathe with Heather Locklear?

 

[MNScuba]

No... You think she's in my class?

Unfortunately I couldn't convince any of my friends to take the class with me.

 

[Dee]

Murdock...if the chlorine level in your class pool is anything like ours usually is, you have nothing to worry about! The chlorine will eat whatever organism is there along with your gear.