What Did You Self-Teach Yourself?

[Matt S.]

That is a cool story... and I am SO glad that I didn't have to do it that way.

 

[muddiver]

1. How to configure a harness and wings rig.
2. Boat dive.
3. Navigate using underwater features and topagraphy.
4. Nuetral buoyancy.
5. Dry suit diving.
6. How to use a full face mask with SCUBA gear.
7. Fish I.D.
8. Small boat handling.
9. Knotical navigation.
10. Marker buoy deployment and how to make a marker buoy (milk jugs work best).
11. Self rescue.
12. Configuration and use of a redundant breathing gas supply (i.e. pony bottle).

 

[Thalassamania]

Well, to address my answer in my first post, specifically, I was completely aware of the inherent buouancy difference characteristics between wet suits and dry suits.

Having had basic physics in both high school and college, I was aware of how an air bubble would act within a confined, flexible bladder (that's basically what a dry suit is) at depth.

I was aware of how dump valves work and how to adjust them.

I knew how a bubble migrates from the low end of a tube to the high end (ie a level).

Taking these basics of physics and implementing a bit of due dilligence and caution, I elected to learn how to manage a dry suit in shallow water (< 20') so that any runaway ascent, if it did occur, would not present a serious issue.

One can teach objective things, but subjective things must, in my opinion be learned, or to use another term, self-taught.

And instructor can tell me that there is an air bubble in a dry suit and one must learn to manage it. It is that learning, self-teaching, that I elected to do on my own.

the K

I got my first dry suit in the late 1960s. It was a Viking (maybe Viking style?) suit with an inlet valve and an outlet valve but no overpressure feature. All the instruction that I got was a phone call with a friend of mine who'd used one before. He gave me the basic rundown and said I needed to spend some time in the pool, upside down, over-inflated, with someone ready to help me, and mess around till I could right myself. That's what I did ... I have to admit, though I've taught literally hundreds of divers to use dry suit, and whilst I grasp the potential danger, I fail to grasp what the big deal is.

In my experience...a runaway ascent with 'feet-up' buoyancy is always a serious issue.

I'll have to take your word for that since I've never had the experience of a runaway ascent, I'm guessing that perhaps my self-teaching concerning how to avoid one was more effective than the instruction you received from a Certified Master Dry Suit Diving Instructor?

An instructor WON'T tell you that you must learn to manage it. He will SHOW you how to manage it. He will also SHOW you where the dangers are...and the stuff not written in the books...or by the 'forum super-divers'...and he will make sure you are mentally and physically equipped to utilise that equipment...and continue practicing with it effectively after the course ends...

Drysuits and DSMBs are the single biggest cause of uncontrolled ascents...and these (according to UK figures) make up a disturbingly large proportion of DCS incidents.

When you are ignorant of the risks, it is easy to think you have the answer to the question "what could possibly go wrong?".

Good training should educate you of those risks....and provide you with pre-rehearsed solutions, that mean you don't need to problem solve when death is seconds away.

What you describe is 'practice'. Practice on you own.... but only AFTER you know WHAT to practice and WHY.

Knowing the importance of practice, and knowing what to practice, and knowing how to practice are allied topics that were specifically covered in the scientific diving course I took at UC Berkeley and that I have taught in my classes throughout my career. These are subjects, woefully neglected in today's diving curriculum, for which, "take another class ... pay another five hundred dollars," is a rather poor substitute. Practice, that's a good topic ... I feel a new thread coming on.

Chicken and the egg.question

Clearly not a question ... egg and self taught first.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I taught myself how to do deep solo air dives and to use oxygen for deco. I taught myself to clean tanks and valves for oxygen service in the driveway and also how to do my own partial pressure nitrox fills in the garage. I taught myself how to make the formulas (spreadsheet) for gas matching for dis-similar tanks (the published tables I found were wrong). I taught myself how to repair, patch and sew wetsuits. I taught myself to freedive (but later with mentors it was a lot better). I taught myself to make homemade knife sheaths from melted pvc pipe and truck inner tubes. I taught myself to make snorkel holder, mask strap, regulator necklace and fins straps from truck inner tubes. I experimented for days to figure out how to make spearfishing coil lines that worked. I actually invented hose protectors (from an old dishwasher hose). Also how to make special weight belts using truck inner tube and nylon belt. Taught myself to catch Florida and Maine lobsters and how to hunt fish with guns, powerheads and pole spears. Taught myself to make lobster bags from PVC pipe and old buckets and netting. Taught myself how to rig and use pneumatic tools underwater to collect certain sea shells.

Oh yeah, more stuff: learned to dive a unisuit dry suit by reading the very short manual when I bought it at 14 or 15 yrs old. Figured how to make ankle weights from bicycle inner tube, fastex clips, string, lead shot and duct tape. How to rig a pony bottle and stage bottles (if that is worth mentioning?)

Some of the stuff I learned in books, some on the internet and some I learned the hard way.

 

[TMHeimer]

dumpsterDiver, May I ask what tools to collect which seashells?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

pnuematic chisel mostly for a type of "oyster"..

 

[DevonDiver]

Knowing the importance of practice, and knowing what to practice, and knowing how to practice are allied topics that were specifically covered in the scientific diving course I took at UC Berkeley and that I have taught in my classes throughout my career.

Couldn't students self-teach those things?

 

[DevonDiver]

Which is exactly why I tell divers not to take a drysuit course. Instructors insist on teaching the use of the drysuit for buoyancy.

Do they?

All of them?

 

[DevonDiver]

... I have to admit, though I've taught literally hundreds of divers to use dry suit, and whilst I grasp the potential danger, I fail to grasp what the big deal is.

Nobody said it was a big deal.

But if you taught hundreds of courses....then you must agree that the use of drysuits requires tuition?

I'll have to take your word for that since I've never had the experience of a runaway ascent, I'm guessing that perhaps my self-teaching concerning how to avoid one was more effective than the instruction you received from a Certified Master Dry Suit Diving Instructor?

Neither have I (had a runaway ascent). i was taught (in the military) by an instructor who had served in the SBS. However, it is a real risk and the dangers are illustrated by the incident reports of those divers who have had them. As you say...you taught hundreds of divers to use drysuits...so you must see a need for tuition - what need is that?

oh yes...and there is no need to have a poke at every dive instructor in the world other than yourself...it makes you sound incredible arrogant.

These are subjects, woefully neglected in today's diving curriculum, for which, "take another class ... pay another five hundred dollars," is a rather poor substitute.

Another sweeping generalisation aimed at the entire dive industry? wooooh!

 

[b1gcountry]

Do they?

All of them?

If they are teaching a PADI course, then it is in the standards to teach it that way...and if it is in the standards, then they are exposing themselves to lawsuits by doing things differently.

Tom