Swimming Skills Assessment

[MRadke]

As a firefighter I can agree with your sentiment a bit, but not completely. I have seen a ton of oldtimers do some really stoopid $hit because they believe that adding intelligence to firefighting gets people killed. But, if you look at some of the greatest losses of life in firefighting it was always the cock-sure aggressive attitude in the absence of thinking that got people killed. Ive seen quite a few dumb mistakes on a fireground due to lack of cerebral activity, and sadly even seen some seriously hurt firefighter too. There has to be a balance of training and real life experience/exercises and the expectation that not everything goes by the book (which can trip people up when they get into the real world). Training agencies everywhere forget that whether in firefighting or in SCUBA.

I agree with what your saying, I also have seen my share of stupid. I took a class in Emmitsburg with a chief from the DC fire dept. His biggest lament was that specialty training had supplanted basic skills to the point that a ladder man no longer knew how to hook a hydrant properly. I'm not saying that continued training should not be pursued. More to the point, the basics should be trained on until they are instinctive.

 

[Peter Guy]

I absolutely agree with Rob and believe that the idea of "the olden days were better" is just flat out wrong.

EXAMPLE -- Last night I met with a potential student, mid-50's who is a NAUI certified diver and is a NAUI AI (or so he said -- just saw one card). BUT, those cards are from the early 70's and his instructor was the instructor who did MY OW checkout dive in 1967 and was my Dad's diving buddy! (How about that for a small world?) Anyway, I show him some video from the 5th DX series and his response was -- "That's a whole different world and type of diving. I had no idea you could do that."

Diving today IS different from the diving I was taught 40+ years ago AND the diving is done differently -- and thank goodness for that.

Must people be "comfortable in the water" in order to be successfully trained to be Scuba divers? OF COURSE -- but that does NOT necessarily translate into being strong swimmers. They just need to be comfortable in the water, with their face in the water, with water ON their face, etc. No need to be a strong swimmer IMHO.

And Trace, my first memories are jumping off the dock, into the water and paddling over to my Dad (who WAS a competitive swimmer and swim coach). I grew up swimming every day during the summer (and in places I wouldn't set toe to now without a hazmet suit!). But I haven't been doing much swimming for many, many years -- and yet I do believe I am quite comfortable in the water -- which is the important thing.

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Absolutely no reason for learning to drive a stick -- silliness. For those of you who think it somehow makes you a better driver, then wouldn't learning WITHOUT synchro be even better? And yes, I first learned to drive on vehicles without synchromesh -- ya gotta love old time farm machinery.

 

[MRadke]

To get this back on topic, I marked myself in the average swimmer category. I took lessons as a kid, I can swim on my back or side forever, I float like a stone in freshwater, and I don't pace myself well enough doing the breast stroke.

 

[50Fathom]

Absolutely no reason for learning to drive a stick -- silliness. For those of you who think it somehow makes you a better driver, then wouldn't learning WITHOUT synchro be even better? And yes, I first learned to drive on vehicles without synchromesh -- ya gotta love old time farm machinery.

Double-clutching FTW. My non-syncho experiences were in old British cars, quite close to farm implements in many ways, LOL.

 

[cbm32]

I also listed myself as an average swimmer....which IMO is probably a not very good swimmer these days.

In my youth I was an extremely strong swimmer, but being older and having spinal cord damage the causes a lot of pain with certain movements I am not nearly the swimmer I once was.

All that being said, not currently being a real strong swimmer has not had any effect whatsoever on my comfort in the water. I LOVE being in and under the water and have total confidence in being able to handle most any situation that may arise. That doesnt mean I take stupid risks or that I dont have a healthy respect for what can go wrong in the water and try to take steps to avoid having to handle said situations if possible.

Would I feel more comfortable in the water if I were still the swimmer I once was? Probably not.

 

[seaducer]

I answered that I am a fitness swimmer (although I took the winter off). That is now. When I was certified I was badly out of shape and could barely swim the distance required. I think it took me 25 minutes or something. I am still not a great swimmer, I think when I stopped I was 1:40 per 100 which I could maitain for maybe 1000. Im a sprinter

 

[williss]

To get this back on topic, I marked myself in the average swimmer category. I took lessons as a kid, I can swim on my back or side forever, I float like a stone in freshwater, and I don't pace myself well enough doing the breast stroke.

What he said.

 

[Diver0001]

Diver0001,

I'm going to bet that the poll results will show that most divers are quite comfortable with their swimming abilities whatever their level of training, experience or enthusiasm as swimmers.

The poll results will show that an alarming number of cyber-divers are willing to lie about their abilities.

Nothing new there.....

R..

 

[ScubaFeenD]

taught 40+ years ago AND the diving is done differently -- and thank goodness for that.

Must people be "comfortable in the water" in order to be successfully trained to be Scuba divers? OF COURSE -- but that does NOT necessarily translate into being strong swimmers. They just need to be comfortable in the water, with their face in the water, with water ON their face, etc. No need to be a strong swimmer IMHO.

Just comfort with water on their face? THAT is wrong. Good diving doesn't come from getting in the safety of a bathtub and splashing water on your face. It comes from being in the water and enjoying it and being the master of yourself in the water. Sure, you dont necessarily need to be a marathon swimmer now, but the experience of being that comfortable shapes the way you approach the water and activities within it.

Being wary and uncomfortable in the water is a huge stumbling block to training great divers and is the reason so much damn time is spent on mask removal drills instead of diving. If you have to ask "do you need to be a good swimmer to be a diver?" you shouldnt be a diver yet, because people who are comfortable enough in the water to be a competent diver never have that question cross their mind. Just my opinion.

 

[oldogre]

Very Weak swimmer, never tried it until retired. Comfortable in the water, in that I can backstroke 600m, or dive for 60mins SI & repeat. Front crawl no chance!