First let me say I hope this is the best place to post this. I am new SB member but a long time lurker so forgive my stupidity if this isn't the best place.
I am taking my OW class beginning 30 November. I am taking the first class in Huntington Beach at Beach Cities Scuba where I will have two exams that night. The following weekend will be more classroom work combined with pool work at Beach Cities Scuba Laguna Sea Sports.
I will use this to discuss the things I have learned, what I feel may have been lacking (not that I would know other than from what I have read here) what I was comfortable with and what I struggle with during the skills practice. I am very excited to get started but I will admit that as it gets closer I am getting more nervous. That could be due to the fact that diving is essentially a dangerous past time but it could just be because I have wanted to do this since I was a child and the fact that it is finally happening can cause a nervous reaction.
Regardless I am going into the course with a few key things I want to be sure to practice and become as efficient as possible at so that when I do get to dive with fellow SB members I am not flailing around and being totally inept.
Proper weighting, trim, buoyancy control and the emergency essentials such as sharing air.
I have even made a checklist of things I want to be comfortable with prior to my OW dives:
1. Can I clear my mask without panicking
2. Can I hover and still maintain horizontal trim without ever moving my legs or arms?
3. Can I achieve neutral buoyancy without touching the bottom? ( this is a big issue for me as I see many people posting about instructors making them kneel, stand or sit on the bottom. I do not ever want to do any of the three as I feel it would be developing a very bad habit right from the start. Please chime in if you think I am wrong but this really has me worried. If the instructor asks me to do that how can I tell that person I would prefer to try the skill while hovering rather than touching the bottom without offending them? Being a veteran I know good skills start with training, as do the bad habits we pick up)
4.Can I retrieve my regulator underwater without panic and also share air with my dive buddy?
This is my basic checklist for the skills portion. Please feel free to comment as you see fit. I look forward to your advice, suggestions and tips and am going to enjoy sharing my OW certification class with all of you here.
Until the next post- Fair Winds and Following Seas.
I am taking my OW class beginning 30 November. I am taking the first class in Huntington Beach at Beach Cities Scuba where I will have two exams that night. The following weekend will be more classroom work combined with pool work at Beach Cities Scuba Laguna Sea Sports.
I will use this to discuss the things I have learned, what I feel may have been lacking (not that I would know other than from what I have read here) what I was comfortable with and what I struggle with during the skills practice. I am very excited to get started but I will admit that as it gets closer I am getting more nervous. That could be due to the fact that diving is essentially a dangerous past time but it could just be because I have wanted to do this since I was a child and the fact that it is finally happening can cause a nervous reaction.
Regardless I am going into the course with a few key things I want to be sure to practice and become as efficient as possible at so that when I do get to dive with fellow SB members I am not flailing around and being totally inept.
Proper weighting, trim, buoyancy control and the emergency essentials such as sharing air.
I have even made a checklist of things I want to be comfortable with prior to my OW dives:
1. Can I clear my mask without panicking
2. Can I hover and still maintain horizontal trim without ever moving my legs or arms?
3. Can I achieve neutral buoyancy without touching the bottom? ( this is a big issue for me as I see many people posting about instructors making them kneel, stand or sit on the bottom. I do not ever want to do any of the three as I feel it would be developing a very bad habit right from the start. Please chime in if you think I am wrong but this really has me worried. If the instructor asks me to do that how can I tell that person I would prefer to try the skill while hovering rather than touching the bottom without offending them? Being a veteran I know good skills start with training, as do the bad habits we pick up)
4.Can I retrieve my regulator underwater without panic and also share air with my dive buddy?
This is my basic checklist for the skills portion. Please feel free to comment as you see fit. I look forward to your advice, suggestions and tips and am going to enjoy sharing my OW certification class with all of you here.
Until the next post- Fair Winds and Following Seas.