Question Soon to be new diver - Question?

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

*IF* it is a PADI OW course you will practice CESA horizontally in a pool or other confined water then you will practice it vertically in open water from a depth of 20-25 feet.

This is not a difficult skill.

 

[dmaziuk]

As I was told, you're taught to go "zzzzzzzz" to ensure that you're not holding your breath; but in a trueCESA you're more likely going "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk"...

And then you find out that the surface is much farther away than it looks.

If you really want to practice for "true CESA", practice underwater swims with your glottis open. For the OW skill, they just want to "see the bubbles".

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Practice your drills in front of a mirror before you even get in the water. Watch lots of YouTube videos for the OW cert skillsets.

Breathe, relax, have fun, and kiss your bank account goodbye.

 

[tursiops]

*IF* it is a PADI OW course you will practice CESA horizontally in a pool or other confined water then you will practice it vertically in open water from a depth of 20-25 feet.

This is not a difficult skill.

Exactly correct, although by standards the depth can be 20-30 ft.

Anyways, on to the question. In the e-learning it goes through the diver skills that will be in confined sessions and open water sessions. Is the CESA skill done in the pool or open water? It doesn't list it in the open water skills checklist, not in either of the 4 dive checklists for open water.

It is a "Dive Flexible" skill, meaning it is not on the list of required skills for OW dives 1,2,3, or 4. Rather, it can (and must) be done on OW dives 2, 3, or 4, as decided by the instructor. In a class of more than maybe 4 students, it is often divided up into two different sessions on two different days so the instructor is not having to go up-and-down a bunch of times in one day.
Everybody says it is easier in OW than in the pool. The reason it is easier is because when going up you have Boyle's Law helping you; the air in your lungs is expanding so it feels like you have more than enough air.

 

[Awkwatic]

it will be less than that no worries. don't over focus on this skill.

handle mask clearing and removal and share air.

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll be getting fitted for my personal mask, snorkel and fins this next week and I'll be taking them to the pool to practice the clearing.

 

[Awkwatic]

Hey, can I ask if you're taking your training through Aquatic Adventures in Brookfield? If so, it'll be done in the pool as far as I recall. Don't stress about it.

I'll be going through Underwater Connections in Menomonee Falls!

I originally was gonna go through AD because they're close to my work and seem like a great bunch of fellows, but my brother whose on the fire department here in Milwaukee mentioned there is firefighters on the UW staff and that if he took the class with me there he'd get reimbursed through his work. So I signed up with UW instead.

 

[Awkwatic]

We got all worked up thinking it would be the hardest skill of all, but it was way easier than anticipated.

Haha, I am sure that's the case, I am just slightly concerned because it seems so hard to do on land.

I was worried I'd have an issue with the 200yard swim, but I went to a pool yesterday and was able to swim 450yards nonstop and had gas left in the tank. My saving grace for swimming is I am a big, buoyant dude 6'3 350ish lbs. So, I may not be super fast, but I can always keep my head above water and keep the paddles wheelin haha.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Awkwatic]

I'd be more worried about staying warm, doing your open water in late March in Wisconsin.

Pool classes start late March, then we gotta wait for the rest of the ice to melt, then we get to be cold!

I'll be fine though, I am 6'3" and 350, plenty of insulation, getting cold for me even in cold water has never been much of an issue. We do a polar plunge every New Year in Lake Michigan, even if we have to cut a hole!

 

[dorsal]

You’ll learn it in the pool. Then do it in open water. Great skill to give the confidence you can get to the surface in that unlikely event you run out of gas.

 

[34109411]

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll be getting fitted for my personal mask, snorkel and fins this next week and I'll be taking them to the pool to practice the clearing.

tell us how it went and good luck ! If you have questions reach in to us.