JDMerk
Contributor
I don't know which agency has stricter standards but my instructor is going far above any stated. We (Master divers) are being trained with his divemaster class...these are some examples of the waterskills he is requiring of us:
Tread water for 20 min (feet and arms tied behind back)
Swim 500y in 10 min (no rescue stroke)
Swim 25y underwater (one breath)
Swim 50 y underwater (three breaths)
Skin diver ditch/don (15ft)*
Push 10lb brick 50y underwater (15ft)*
Clear mask 5+ times underwater on one breath*
Hold breath for 90sec (immediately after 500y swim)
Retrieve four screws placed in each corner of the dive well on one breath (dimensions 25x15x5yards)*
Snorkle 900 yards (forgot the time limit)*
Rescue tow 250y*
*= we are allowed mask/fins/snorkle, all others we are allowed NO equipment
Don't get me wrong, I don't think any of this is bad. It will make us all better swimmers, and some of them are easier than others...but damn, some of them are tough. How many of you guys could do the screw retrieval or the ditch/don?
Tread water for 20 min (feet and arms tied behind back)
Swim 500y in 10 min (no rescue stroke)
Swim 25y underwater (one breath)
Swim 50 y underwater (three breaths)
Skin diver ditch/don (15ft)*
Push 10lb brick 50y underwater (15ft)*
Clear mask 5+ times underwater on one breath*
Hold breath for 90sec (immediately after 500y swim)
Retrieve four screws placed in each corner of the dive well on one breath (dimensions 25x15x5yards)*
Snorkle 900 yards (forgot the time limit)*
Rescue tow 250y*
*= we are allowed mask/fins/snorkle, all others we are allowed NO equipment
Don't get me wrong, I don't think any of this is bad. It will make us all better swimmers, and some of them are easier than others...but damn, some of them are tough. How many of you guys could do the screw retrieval or the ditch/don?