Tips for the 10 minute treading portion of OW certification?

[JackD342]

Does anyone have a link to the actual list/checklist that the instructors use while doing the dives? I thought it would be easy to find online so I didn't bother asking the one in my class, but doing a google search I'm not coming up with like real lists from PADI's website.

I found an online image of the slate that is meant for student use during the course. Not as detailed as our instructor slates, and you may not recognize some of the shorthand used, but it is an accurate list.
https://www.scuba-monkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Student-slate-PADI-open-water.jpg

 

[purbeast]

I found an online image of the slate that is meant for student use during the course. Not as detailed as our instructor slates, and you may not recognize some of the shorthand used, but it is an accurate list.
https://www.scuba-monkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Student-slate-PADI-open-water.jpg

Thanks for the link.

Is there any chance that like different dive operations do slightly different variations? Because I am positive that in the class they told us that in the actual OW checkout dives that we will NOT be doing the maskless swim out in the ocean. We had 4 total mask clearing tasks (partial, flooded, take mask off and replace, then maskless swim and replace) and they told us multiple times that only 3 of those 4 will be tested in the ocean and the swim is the one that we don't do in the ocean. Yet I see it on that list there. The one we're using is a reputable one in Grand Cayman so it's not like some bootleg operation.

And just for the record, I'm not concerned at all. I have no problems putting my mask back on and clearing it out. I was even practicing it last night as were underwater and waited between my turns in the group tests where we were all underwater while each person did it one at a time and we watched.

 

[JackD342]

That slate is for the pool skills. You will do most but not ALL of those skills again in Open Water. Some of what you learned in the pool in bits and pieces (building blocks) is covered by one exercise.
Notably, underwater maskless swim and remove/replace gear underwater are NOT done in OW. You will also learn some compass skills, use of an SMB, and practice a safety stop.

 

[purbeast]

That slate is for the pool skills. You will do most but not ALL of those skills again in Open Water. Some of what you learned in the pool in bits and pieces (building blocks) is covered by one exercise.
Notably, underwater maskless swim and remove/replace gear underwater are NOT done in OW. You will also learn some compass skills, use of an SMB, and practice a safety stop.

Ah okay gotcha. Yeah I was just wondering if there is like a checklist of what each of the 4 dives entails. I misread your reply with the link to the slate. I know the dives I'm doing the first 3 are in like 20-30 feet of water then the last one is the one that takes you down a bit deeper. But I'm not sure which one has what skills or anything.

They did tell us that the compass one will be there and we saw how to read the compass while in the classroom. It was pretty straight forward but I can see how it would be a bit disorienting while in actual water doing it.

 

[JackD342]

Several skills are “dive flexible.” The instructor can slot them almost anywhere.

Two compass skills.

 

[TMHeimer]

High pitched ahhh tends to use less air than a low pitched ahhh, in my experience.

Thanks. Never thought of that (never heard of that). Just trying it here at my desk one can see the difference.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yes it was a PADI course. I don't know, googling around I see some places say they specificly test above/below the surface, and some just say they test you on orally inflating it. So maybe my instructor assumes that since we could do it above surface after some strenuous activity, we'd be fine doing it underwater. We did the above water one pretty late in the training and we did it where we completely deflated our BCS and kicked for like 10 seconds to stay above water. Then we dropped our weight belt and kicked for like 10 seconds or so to stay above. Then we had to manually inflate it at the surface until we could float. I'm just assuming that doing that, plus all of the other skills, he was confident in us being able to inflate it underwater.


Yeah my instructor did mention that as well, that when coming up from even the 30 feet that I would have more air in my lungs than I did in the pool at like 3 feet, so that is something to think about as well to maybe help calm my nerves a little bit about it.

Oral inflation IMO is easierunder water because you don't even have to kick, just use tank air (and don't swallow any water when "blowing bubbles" between blows. A couple of times my LPI hose detached during a dive and I continued by orally inflating--it was a 20-30 foot dive though.
But oral at the surface isn't hard--just a little kicking, doesn't take long to get buoyant.

 

[JackD342]

Thanks. Never thought of that (never heard of that). Just trying it here at my desk one can see the difference.

My pleasure. I don’t know if that is written somewhere, but I acquired it via tribal knowledge.

Here’s one definitely not written. On Confined #2, have students practice airway control on the surface before you take them down and have them rip their mask off. I tell them to lay forward with their face in the water, mask on their elbow, and take 10 unhurried breathes.

 

[TMHeimer]

My pleasure. I don’t know if that is written somewhere, but I acquired it via tribal knowledge.

Here’s one definitely not written. On Confined #2, have students practice airway control on the surface before you take them down and have them rip their mask off. I tell them to lay forward with their face in the water, mask on their elbow, and take 10 unhurried breathes.

Yeah, good idea. Maybe ever a little practice before putting face in water. When I took OW it wasn't something I even thought about. Are you telling me there are some OW students who would have to learn how to breathe from the mouth while nose is exposed to water????? Can't be.

 

[Geobound]

Are you sure PADI still does a CESA in open water? I think most other agencies have all but abandoned it and only do it in confined water.

The CESA isn't a big deal at all.

Stand outside beside any midsize car as they are typically between 14'-16', take a deep breath and then slowly exhale has you pace it off. I bet you could walk the distance of the car twice whilst exhaling and still have some breath left over.

Now when in the water just think of walking the car and how long that took, and you will pass that portion with flying colours.

Stand outside by any typical midsize car and walk that distan

Are you sure PADI still does a CESA in open water? I think most other agencies have all but abandoned it and only do it in confined water.

I had to do it in my OW testing.

We were down about 15' - 20' if memory serves, and as you know, it's really no big deal.