Question for old timers - NAUI OW class, early 1970s

[Erich S]

In '84 we did ditch and don at the surface and pool bottom. Also swam laps buddy breathing. The final pool session was lights out in the building and the instructor swam around pulling off masks and regs, shutting off air and knocking into us.
We also did a free ascent from around 30' or 40' during one of the check out dives. Not a CESA. Ditched gear on the bottom and headed for the surface yelling the whole time to vent expanding air. I was 13 when I took that course.

The same drills were done during my PADI "Basic Scuba" cert in 1976.

 

[charlier]

Similar experience in LA, 1985-1986. Ditched gear at bottom @Laguna Beach, numerous shore rescues, plus other unspeakable drills and scenarios.

 

[Diver-Drex]

I grew up in NJ and the expectation was that you were diving here. I'm glad that's the way I was trained initially. You planned dives, had contingency plans for entanglements and getting blown off a wreck and you carried redundant air. Now that's called technical diving.