Swimming

[Thalassamania]

I don't like the idea of diving with anyone who can't tow my unconscious body through a surf exit.

Aquaregia I have only dove twice where I felt like I could swim all the way to shore. I know I can swim 2 miles if I have to but off shore to on shore on a deep water boat dive. Aquaregia really.

He's from Northern California, mostly beach diving there.

 

[oldogre]

Being able to "swim", is completely different from being able to tow an unconscious diver. I have done the latter (when learning Rescue), but the only stroke I can do is Backstroke.

 

[ptyx]

"Not a swimmer" might have completely different meanings depending who you ask.

For some competitive swimmers, if you can't do five miles in 60F open water in less than two hours (without a wetsuit of course) - you can't really swim.

As far as diving is concerned, if:

• you can float for a long time (i.e. water temperature and boredom, not physical exertion, will wear you down)
• you can propel yourself forward while floating (doesn't need to be fast, pretty or efficient)
• you can manage your breathing pattern to deal with chop/small surf, and do short underwater swims

then you're fine.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Aquaregia I have only dove twice where I felt like I could swim all the way to shore. I know I can swim 2 miles if I have to but off shore to on shore on a deep water boat dive. Aquaregia really.

Aquaregia's point is completely valid, as a shore diver.

I'm also a shore diver.... but I don't expect my buddies to drag my old carcass ashore. They can just salvage and sell my gear and let the fishes have the rest of me

I do expect my buddies to be able to get themselves safely to shore if anything were to happen to me... see, my buddies are my wife and kids; they are all competetive swimmers, surf, freedive.... in otherwords, strong swimmers. It is important for my peace of mind to know that any buddy I dive with is not depending on me for their safety (and vice versa).

jrl5549: Your new girlfriend needs to be competent enough and comfortable enough in the water so that she:

1. Will not panic easily,
2. Will be able to take care of herself without assistance, and is fully "water safe"
3. Will be able to render a "reasonable" amount of assistance if you or another buddy ever needs help.

1 - 3 above really do not require that she be a "strong" swimmer.... just that she can swim well enough to pass the minimum requirements, and be very comfortable in the water. The problem is that folks who just barely pass the minimum swim requirement are often not very comfortable in the water.

Best wishes.

 

[tracydr]

Aquaregia I have only dove twice where I felt like I could swim all the way to shore. I know I can swim 2 miles if I have to but off shore to on shore on a deep water boat dive. Aquaregia really.

Considering where he lives, I'd say his dives are mostly shore dives through rough surf. I wouldn't want to see a non-swimmer try that in too high of a surf.
Panic is probably the biggest issue. Can she hold her breath and swim to the bottom of the deep end? Dog paddle 200m?
My husband won't teach a non-swimmer because he's found that they are more likely to panic. They don't have to be long distance triathaletes, able to swim to Alcatraz, though.

 

[aquaregia]

Aquaregia I have only dove twice where I felt like I could swim all the way to shore. I know I can swim 2 miles if I have to but off shore to on shore on a deep water boat dive. Aquaregia really.

Right, sorry, I forget about those darned boat things.

 

[Saudi-Diver]

You do need to be able to swim, I am not the worlds best swimmer by any means but I am comfortable in the water. The daftest thing I have ever done is go boogie boarding in big Surf off Machrahanish beach in my diving drysuit. It was impossible to swim the drysuit unless I was on my back and I got really heat stressed trying to swim out of the break! Thought I was going to end up in Ireland!

 

[Thalassamania]

Right, sorry, I forget about those darned boat things.

Whatever are they teaching you at Uncle Charlie's Summer Camp?

 

[natew]

I think it's already been well covered, you really just need to be comfortable in the water and not afraid of it. Especially when you get into the open ocean, you will have swells coming at you from possibly any given direction your face/nose/mouth may occasionally be unexpectedly submerged by a larger than normal swell. Regardless of how well you swim you need to be able to deal with stuff like that without panicing. You need to roll with the waves and be comfortable letting the ocean do its thing.

Now, if all that's good but your GF just can't swim well I wouldn't worry too much. How well can she swim? And has she tried swimming with fins on? To me there is a HUGE difference between just free swimming in a pool and swimming with just a simple set of fins. IMO, a set of fins can turn even a weak swimmer into a star.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

And anyone who cannot swim should not be in the water. Nothing to do with scuba just simple common sense survival. Swimming with fins is not swimming.