More on CESA

[JodiBB]

Buddy breathing was done in my ow class. I'm PADI trained. And in looking at my instructor manual I see that it is optional. We do however do it in the pool and in open water with every student.

I'm so surprised it's optional as it's part of the quizzes and final exam....I'm glad to know my instructor taught it to us...the more ways I can prevent myself from panicking underwater and prevent chance of injury, the better....

 

[elmbruker]

Oh what the hell I wade in .......

In my NAUI OW class (23 years ago) we jumped into 15 ft of water (safety diver accompanied) with our gear in our hands (tank, mask, fins, reg etc.). Reg was on the tank, but the tank was off. No mask on your face. You had to find the valve and turn the tank on. Put the reg in and then put on our mask and clear it. Last, put on your tank and fins and make a controlled ascent.

My instructor was also NAVY , after that spectacular entrance into the water...you would think that yours could of thought up with some kind of "uncontrolled" assent!

Bruke

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

I honestly don't know why Buddy Breathing is even mentioned in OW curriculum today. There is no way this skill should be necessary in real life diving today. 30 years ago when we still were'nt using alternates, yeah. But today when everyone should be carrying an alternate air source, there is no need. It is an overly complicated skill, especially in an OOA, panic situation. I think it is useful at Divemaster level to promote underwater problem solving, but instructors should realize this may be candidates first time doing it and should get them comfortable with the skill before complicating it further with a gear exchange.
I used to teach buddy breathing in pool training, but now I spend the time on more useful skills. When it comes to Divemaster training, I go over it and make sure students have it down before they attempt it in the gear exchange.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

Dennis Buddy-breathing is NOT the use of the alternate air source...it is the use of a SINGLE regulator that is passed back and forth between the two divers as the ascend toward the surface...

Paul,

I know that buddy breathing is NOT the use of an alternate air source. I admit that my last sentence wasn't very clear. It should have continued as:

"....insure your buddy has an alternate air source so you DON'T have to buddy breath."

I still stand by my statement that I would rather buddy breath than do a CESA.

I teach buddy breathing in all my classes, but more important, I teach buddy awareness and to watch your gauge so you don't find yourself in this situation.

Dennis

 

[PaulChristenson]

Paul,

I know that buddy breathing is NOT the use of an alternate air source. I admit that my last sentence wasn't very clear. It should have continued as:

"....insure your buddy has an alternate air source so you DON'T have to buddy breath."
Dennis

That cool...as you noted elmbruker finished my thought...

I still stand by my statement that I would rather buddy breath than do a CESA.
Dennis

I carry a pony on top of everything else...

I teach buddy breathing in all my classes, but more important, I teach buddy awareness and to watch your gauge so you don't find yourself in this situation.
Dennis

It would be nice if everyone you dove with were equally trained and reacted the same in emergencies...but in diving as in the fire service...people ARE individuals and therefore there are different triggers which cause people trained the same to react differently....

So we are back to the 6Ps...

In otherwords...watch your air and don't run out...

 

[cerich]

Oh what the hell I wade in .......

In my NAUI OW class (23 years ago) we jumped into 15 ft of water (safety diver accompanied) with our gear in our hands (tank, mask, fins, reg etc.). Reg was on the tank, but the tank was off. No mask on your face. You had to find the valve and turn the tank on. Put the reg in and then put on our mask and clear it. Last, put on your tank and fins and make a controlled ascent.

My instructor was also NAVY , after that spectacular entrance into the water...you would think that yours could of thought up with some kind of "uncontrolled" assent!

Bruke

Still a required skill to be a NAUI Instructor

 

[Skeeter1097]

I was not touth buddy breathing. I was touth not to run out of air. That is way you have a spg. I was touth us of alternet air source and octo's should be worn just for that reason too. I have praticed 20ft cesa but not deper. Way put your salf in harmway to pervent hearting you later. That would be like letting me hit you with a bat to see it you can take it just incase i realy do it later. Be perpaird yes but don't hurt your salf know so you can know how not to hurt your salf later.

 

[Gary D.]

To teach Buddy Breathing, to not teach Buddy Breathing.
To use Buddy Breathing, to not use Buddy Breathing.

Lots of opinions both ways.

Lets approach it from a different angle and see if that changes anything.

Everyone here has a similar goal, which is safety. I think we all agree on that. Also training is one of the main contributing factors in the safety issue.

People who look at safety in diving will usually look at safety in other areas of their lives.

A person that runs out of gas in a car will more than likely run out of gas on a dive because it is from simple inattention on their part.

So let’s start out with Drivers Ed.

A large percentage of vehicles on the road have automatic transmissions. Depending on where you live, the bulk of the population can only drive an automatic and can’t drive a stick.

A simple solution to it is use stick shifts in Drivers Ed. Then it is easy to cross over to an automatic. Now the bulk of the population can drive either.

Who cares, right? Well, for example, you’re at a remote dive site with no cell access or other way to call for help.

You rode out to the sight where your buddy is for some unknown reason incapacitated. Your only hope for help is to drive several miles with or without your buddy.

The problem is you have never driven a stick shift and don't have a clue as to how it works. Is your buddy in the best of hands? Does the buddy system stop when you exit the water?

So why not teach Buddy Breathing so the student at least has been exposed to it. Will they use it? Maybe yes maybe not but they have been introduced to the skill.

Now what happens when you’re a DM and know the skill? Can it only be used with another DM? What makes it so much better for a DM to know than an OW diver?

Someone posted about getting a pebble in the primary reg and had to switch to the octo until he fixed the problem. What if this happened due to a sandy surf or what ever but rocks and sand got into both divers regs.

Then there is an OOA for some reason and each diver only has one working reg.

Don’t you think at least knowing the skill might be an advantage?

Gary D.

 

[perpet1]

I watched a Navy diver forget to set his j valve and do a CESA from 80 feet on a fun dive. He was diving and got seperated from his group and was about 50' from me. He looked fine like he was doing a normal ascent but I noticed the steady stream of "small" bubbles and no inhale. He was calm and I though little of it until I got on the boat. Wjen I asked he told me what happend and that it was fine.

So while I think it was not fine, he did proove to me that it is possible from at least 80 feet. And he did not race me to the surface.

If you have an "empty" 80ft3 tank at 99fsw. Will that tank ne "empty" at 33'?

 

[del_mo]

If you have an "empty" 80ft3 tank at 99fsw. Will that tank ne "empty" at 33'?

Is this a trick question?