As do I.
IMHO, there is zero benefit from suffering air deprivation when you don't need to; even if only for a short time. I'd hazard a guess that not having immediate access to gas is a primary stressor/panic trigger amongst novice divers; whether due to OOA, mask flood (perceived inability to inhale), lost reg etc etc. It's a stressor that can reduced through familiarization training - but also a stressor that can be removed from the mix with effective diving protocols.
Wouldn't training for freediving,breath hold skills and also practicing mask skills with the snorkel be helpful? I know they helped me greatly when I realized that I had a gap in my training and went back to plug the hole.
---------- Post added September 30th, 2013 at 02:12 PM ----------
Well... you could practice freediving in a pool. Once you manage to freedive (no mask, no fins) the whole pool length (25m/100ft) then you suddenly notice that you can also dive and sit on the bottom for a while. You learn to relax while holding your breath. This gives you a comfortable minute to deal with problems (and another less comfortable minute).
You can do these excercises in any pool and without diving gear. You should beware of hyperventilating though, as you may vent too much CO2 out and then you may stay under water untill you pass out. It's the CO2 that makes you feel bad. Not the lack of oxygen, So freediving has its own dangers. You need a buddy and some knowledge.
It is quite calming to know that you have some time to solve any issues under water.
Also notice that quick sudden ascents are not that dangerous from shallow depth if you just remember to EXHALE. Getting DCS on a shallow OWD course is quite difficult
Also, you might want to consider using a long hose for your primary regulator and a hose with your secondary regulator on a bungee around your neck for your second regulator. That way, if the regulator ever gets knocked out of your mouth you can easily reach down without even using your hands and get that second reg into your mouth instantly.
Last fall while on a night lobster dive, we had a lot of surge, current and craziness. I had my primary reg knocked out of my mouth and it free flowed. I also had my mask knocked off my face at the same time. They say that diving accidents are usually a culmination of three small events. Luckily, because I dive with a " DIR" configuration" and I even keep a spare mask in my drysuit pocket, I simply dipped my head down and got onto my second reg. Air,check. Found my primary and pounded it against the palm of my hand to dislodge a piece of sand or whatever was the problem and dialed back down the knob a touch, free flow fixed,check.
Pulled my spare mask from my pocket and put it on my face, cleared it. Finally, I found the mask that had been knocked from my head. Wow! I was really glad that I found it, since it was an expensive Atamic Aquatics Venom mask. I would have been really sad if I'd lost it.
This would have been a huge CF except that I had practiced these sorts of things in the pool and ocean, not all together but as separate parts. Plus, I've done bits and pieces as of this as practice in the pool or lake.
One thing that I believe helped me with this particular incident and other similar incident is an exercise that I invented to prep for the equipment exchange when I did my DM certification. You can't practice for equipment exchange but you can certainly be prepared by becoming a better overall diver and by practicing stressful situations. What I did, because I knew that I didn't like to have my regulator out of my mouth for long periods of time while trying to do other things, is that I would take my regulator out of my mouth and remove/replace various items of my gear. For instance, take my regulator out,drop it, remove my BC, replace my BC, put regulator back in mouth and clear. Next, same thing with each fin, and so on. This was fun and easy to do by my self.
Another fun exercise that is no longer taught is buddy breathing.