Brushing up on my swimming skills?

[TMHeimer]

Well, I'm at the pool for my Discover Scuba class. After seeing some of the people here for an OW class and seeing their swimming skills, I'm not so worried!

Yeah, that situation always amazed me when I was DMing. So many have no real proper swim stroke, yet they sign up for scuba.

 

[TMHeimer]

The folks doing the OW swim with mask, snorkel, and fins are just cruising along. The other folks seem to be struggling a bit. Instructors are giving students the choice of which one to do. I know I've made up my mind!

We all did the mask/fin/snorkel. Given a choice (we had none), I'd chose that too, since my philosophy since a JHS student has been to pass the class with the best marks possible, then worry about what you learned. But learning a proper swim stroke then should be a priority for any water activity.

 

[Marie13]

I had such a ball tonight that I'm signing up for the OW class Saturday.

 

[Fedaykin]

Have you ever witnessed someone causing a major incident during scuba diving just because he or she is not fit? I have not…

Have you ever witnessed someone causing a major incident during scuba diving just because he is an arrogant idiot and thinks he is capable of doing everything just because he is fit? Yes I have…

Are you afraid of newbies who are not fit or are you afraid of newbies who are fit and arrogant?

I’m not saying all fit people are arrogant but percentage of arrogant fit people in scuba is much more higher than the non fit ones.

To participate to any of the sports you don’t have to be fit, period. None of the sports is in the monopoly of fit people. If you don’t want to dive with a fat person that’s your problem, then don’t dive with them. If you are a recreational diver and if you are not pushing the limits there is no problem that I see.

 

[Neilwood]

I had such a ball tonight that I'm signing up for the OW class Saturday.

Glad to hear it. Look forward to hearing about your experiences both on the course and in the future.

 

[scubadada]

I am with Nemrod and have said it many times in previous, similar threads.

Last Friday I went diving in Jupiter. Our 1st dive was on Deep Ledge. The current was extremely brisk and the swim down to the edge of the reef required strong, competent finning and good fitness. There were 5 of us with the DM, nobody was obviously unfit. Two of the divers were unable to make the swim, were seriously winded, and called the dive. Both of theses divers proved to be perfectly competent on the other 2 dives we did that day, they just weren't up to the requirements of the 1st dive.

I have many similar examples, good technique and fitness frequently make the difference between being able to swim around on the Castor or hanging on for dear life.

 

[Fedaykin]

Again I'm asking, the same question by a different way. As you were all fit and experienced you tried that risky area. Do recreational divers must try to dive that area too or don’t you call them divers if they can’t dive there?

If you don’t know your limits and the risks of the dive point than you might hang on for dear life no matter how fit you are.

 

[scubadada]

Again I'm asking, the same question by a different way. As you were all fit and experienced you tried that risky area. Do recreational divers must try to dive that area too or don’t you call them divers if they can’t dive there?

If you don’t know your limits and the risks of the dive point than you might hang on for dear life no matter how fit you are.

The Deep Ledge dive is advertised as an advanced dive and is done as part of a 3 tanker where everyone is at least AOW/nitrox. Sometimes it is a very easy dive, sometimes not

You don't always know what the current will be like down on the wreck. It is not always predicted by the surface current, sometimes it changes during the dive

 

[Fedaykin]

So if you are not fit you shouldn't dive at that location. As there are tens of thousands of diving locations on the world it is not a big deal right? Again not diving there doesn't make you a non diver as there isn't any requirement to dive at that location to be called as a diver.

If your limits allow you to dive there then you might dive there. I'm 100 percent sure there are places that you can not dare to dive with your current abilities, fitness etc. Then you are not a diver and you should be more fit. Or what is the minimum fitness limit needed to be called as diver?

 

[dmaziuk]

Well, I'm at the pool for my Discover Scuba class. After seeing some of the people here for an OW class and seeing their swimming skills, I'm not so worried!

I keep repeating this: I had two kids (as in university age) in my OW class who couldn't swim. As in were holding on to the side and couldn't let go for more than 30 seconds or so during the float test. And that's after they paid for the course and after the "get a feel for it" dive on the 1st day (they had no problems zooming around underwater in gear). Mind boggles...