Swimming Ability

DCBC · Oct 26, 2009

What level of swimming ability (unassisted, non-timed) did you possess before taking-up SCUBA diving?

1. Non-swimmer or less than 100 meters (less than 4 lengths)

2. 100 to 200 meters (4 to 8 lengths of a 25 meter pool)

3. 200 to 300 meters (8 to 16 lengths)

4. 300 to 400 meters (16 to 20 lengths)

5. Over 400 meters (over 20 lengths)

*dave* · Oct 26, 2009

I was just a sinker, both before and after certification. Put me in group 1?

jupitermermaid · Oct 26, 2009

I used to swim a mile 3 times a week for exercise, so the swimming requirements for SCUBA was no problem for me. That would make me in the #5 group.

ScubaSam · Oct 26, 2009

I never took any formal swim lessons until last week. I learned by spending summers during my childhood playing in my grandfather's pool. I was always comfortable in water.

Reason I'm taking swimming lessons now is that I want to learn to stroke and breath correctly. I passed the GUE fundies swim test but barely so I want to be a more effective swimmer.

I picked #3 cause I had to swim 300 yards (274 meters) in 14 minutes for the swim test.

elmer fudd · Oct 26, 2009

When I lived in Seattle, I used to swim across Green Lake and back again a couple times a week, (during the summer anyway), so by the standards of this poll I'm a pretty strong swimmer. I still can't do a good crawl stroke though to save my life, so I don't really consider myself a great swimmer. I kind of alternate between a slow side stroke, back stroke and breast stroke and I can keep that up for an hour or more so I eventually get where I want to go.

bs63366 · Oct 26, 2009

I am not the greatest swimmer, but for a while I was doing laps, and I would do 12 laps a day so that would put me at a solid group 3. That is as long as from is not counted. If you are counting form I give up.

scubadada · Oct 26, 2009

I grew up in Southern California and was a competitive swimmer and water polo player before I was certified in high school, strong group 5.

Though perhaps not requisite to dive, strong swimming skills and confidence in the water certainly helps and can be put to good use helping oneself and others.

Good diving, Craig

Kevin Carlisle · Oct 26, 2009

Been swimming since I was 4 thanks to older brothers. Group 5.

TSandM · Oct 26, 2009

Like a prior poster, I passed the GUE Fundies swim test, but that wasn't the limit of how FAR I could swim. I just swim slowly. Sidestroke, I don't have any idea how long I could swim, but it would be a long time. Crawl -- well, I only learned the crawl after my Cave 1 class. I could never get the breathing right. I'm still not very good at it.

Garrobo · Oct 26, 2009

Swam in the Ohio and Scioto Rivers when I was a tadpole (nasty).There were three-eyed fish in the Scioto and fish that glowed in the dark in the Ohio. Really great-tasting catfish steaks though. Since I started diving, about four years ago, I've gotten into the habit of doing laps at the Y in a 25 yard pool three times a week (1000 yards an outing). This keeps my legs and lungs from drying up.

Swimming Ability

Pre-SCUBA Swimming Ability

Non-swimmer or less than 100 meters

100 to 200 meters

200 to 300 meters

300 to 400 meters

Over 400 meters

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DCBC

Banned

dave

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jupitermermaid

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ScubaSam

Sister of Shenanigans

elmer fudd

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bs63366

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scubadada

Diver

Kevin Carlisle

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TSandM

Missed and loved by many.

Garrobo

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