Should they require swimming for OW certificate?

[MikeFerrara]

Mike, agree on the relevance of swimming skills to do cave diving. However, I've never met a diver who got certified for cave diving before he or she did their OW. For the vast majority of divers, swimming skills are important (or should be).

I agree. I would think that any one who is planning on spending time anywhere near the water would want to know how to swim. As Gary pointed out, you might just fall in.

I find it interesting that for the divers you refer to their "drive to survive" doesn't kick in. Heck, I know mine has on the few occasions where I needed it. I've got things to live for... like finally meeting that ultimate dive buddy with benefits!

I'm no psychologist but I think that the "drive to survive" needs some sort of focus.
What I'm getting at is that we know that panic is a problem is diving accidents. The question is, why panic? Whether it's passive panic where the diver does nothing or active panic where lots of energy is expended, it's all a waste of time and never brings the diver any closer to a solution. I think there's so much panic because divers are getting in the water with insufficient tools and skills to draw on in an emergency.

 

[SparticleBrane]

The question is, why panic?

One of my favorite sayings: "As long as you've got air, everything's gravy."
No matter what else is going on, as long as you can breathe...you're good to go.

 

[NYHippo]

My instructor required that I swim 100 yards within a limited amount of time (I forget how long). I have since have to swim that far with full scuba gear when I could not find the anchor line (I know, how can you lose the anchor line). I am glad I am in good enough shape to do it.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

WHY??? Why would someone that can't swim want to learn how to scuba dive?

Hey there could be an OW Swimmer card?? Hmmmm.

 

[MBH]

Where are the scuba police when you need them?

I tend to think that as individuals we are our own "scuba police".

This is just me but...I MUST know and have confidence in my capabilities, be able to recognise my limitations, and train to be the best OW, AOW, or any other cert that I go after. This is the VERY LEAST that I owe to my dive buddy and myself.

I KNOW that I can swim non stop for 200 yds. with no fins, therefor I can reasonably calculate that I can tow my buddy for at least 100 yds without stopping to rest. Excluding any differences in current, I'd expect my buddy to be able to do the same.

I don't think it's asking too much for a card carrying scuba diver to be a strong swimmer.

 

[Gary D.]

One of my favorite sayings: "As long as you've got air, everything's gravy."
No matter what else is going on, as long as you can breathe...you're good to go.

Here is one of several similar posts I have done on what we do to our guys and gals. When we're done and a day or two later we ask them how there doing and what they thought about what we did to them. A common response is; “We need it” and “As long as you have air you’re not in trouble”.

During this past training a couple of the guys had their gauges removed but they never ran out of air, bummer.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174484

During the diver-tow part of training we did a relay train. One diver pushing two or three and when he got tired we'd rotate. It worked very well.

Gary D.

 

[pir8]

I really don't mind the alternative of 300 snorkel. That being said I don't normally give students an option and just have them do the swim before any other pool work, I like to get prereqs out of the way.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Can we define "swimming?" Because using a snorkel, mask and fins still requires swimming, correct?

 

[Walter]

No, I could snorkel any distance before I learned to swim.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

how can you do that though? What is different?