Stupid question - what is skin diving?

[Splash-X]

Man, I'd love to qualify in that agency. The world record is only 3 mins 40. Clearly I'm not pushing my students hard enough!

To my point, there arn't any "time limits" on the swimming tests other than what would be considered "normal" for the students. Todays standards allow the average person to obtain a scuba certification without any "training" for swimming.

I didn't meant to apply that todays classes some with their own "swim coach" to beat you in to shape to swim on the Olympic team

 

[emoreira]

Emoreira,
I have been snorkeling/diving here in Appalachia since the early 1960s and I never once used a wetsuit until one time this past summer. Who says you can only dive without a wetsuit in the Caribbean? There are lots of us who do it all the time. I happen to like the feel of water on my skin and have been diving sans wetsuit many time in water temperatures in the 60s.

One of my favorite dive spots is Summersville Lake and have always dived it without a wetsuit, right down through the thermoclines. I usually snorkel for a while first, to get used to the water, then strap on my tank and go.

Of course there is people that can dive without wetsuit in water temperatures ranging 70 to 80 °F or even colder. I think it's not the rule. Besides if you are going to do repetitive dives, the second dive will be even harder to keep from shivering.
It's my case, even at those water temperatures I must use wetsuit with gloves.
Each one stands water temperature in it's way. There is people is Russia that swims with only swimsuit in icy waters and people that jumps in the water, also naked, in Antartica or the Artic Ocean.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

The early days of scuba training was heavy on free diving skills. Now days you you barely need to know how to swim to pass a scuba course. Free divers are at a great advantage when learning scuba over someone who has never free dived.

1+

Having even just a little free diving experience makes a HUGE difference in comfort level when you first start scuba diving, especially when compared to someone with no such experience.

Best wishes.

 

[Doc]

Skin Diving:

SCUBA Diving:

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you want to read a good historical reference book that has much viable information even by todays standards, pick up a copy of "The New Science of Skin and Scuba Diving", - 1st edition 1957. I have the third edition-1968
It can be found at Abebooks.com or Amazon.com
It is a good standard and timeless reference for how they used to train divers back in the day.
I got a copy to have in my library and also to gleen lost information on the use and mastery of double hose regulators.