How far can you swim?

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DavidHickey

Contributor
Messages
196
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Location
Kingsman, Ohio. Near Wilmington and Waynesville
# of dives
50 - 99
Just curious, I was reading another post regarding the diving death in Catalina and read were a few people said that they think it should be required that you get recertified every once in awhile and that you should be able to swim a minimum of 400 yards and a few said that 400 yard is a very simple swim that anyone should be able to do. Let me start by saying that I have snorkeled for YEARS and have been to Cayman more times than I can count, Aruba, Hawaii, St Thomas, and so on. I can literally swim all day long in the ocean with Mask, Snorkel and fins and never break a sweat and could probably go miles if needed. BUT our first day in class the instructor said "as silly as it sounds the first thing we need to do is to make sure that all of you can swim." To do this you all need to swim 200 yards which is 16 lengths of the pool and you need to do it with out fins, mask and snorkel. We were told we could swim using any style other than swimming underwater. Well being the world class snorkeler I thought I was I got a smug smile on my face and hopped right in thinking I'll show them!!!! Well it only took a couple of lengths when I realized 2 things, first of all when snorkeling its basically like swimming underwater the whole time and my top swimming with no equipment was not very pretty. 2nd there is a BIG difference in swimming in fresh water with no fins mask or snorkel and in swimming in salt water with all of the snorkeling equipment. Well half way thru I was wondering if I was even going to make it, I was already tired and had 8 lengths to go. I quit doing the fancy underwater turn arounds after only 2 laps!! Well with about 2 lengths to go I looked over and noticed that almost all of the others had switched and were swimming on their backs. Which was a style I hadn't even thought about. So I turned over and finished the last couple lengths swimming on my back. BUT my point is 200 yards about whupped me!!!! And looking around at the others in class there was not a person out there that looked like they had just taken a walk thru the park. I guess I realized that all though I thought I was a swimmer there is a big difference in a swimmer and a snorkeler. And thinking about it I could not remember the last time I had just hopped in a pool and tried to swim. 99% of my time in the water was spent with snorkeling equipment or was swimming under the water. So are you guys saying that you can swim 400 yards in a fresh water pool with no equipment and not break a sweat? If so I guess I better start practicing alot more and get in better shape!!!!
 
Most agencies require a 200 yd swim, NAUI has a minimum number of stroke cycles, PADI lets you substitute a 300 yd snorkel (which as you pointed out is not really swimming) eliminating a swimming requirement, YMCA requires 300 yds.

It's an important skill. It was my biggest weakness when I started diving and the 300 yd swim nearly killed me. I worked on that skill and when I went through my instructor institute, I passed the required 500 yd swim, but not to my personal satisfaction. I continued to work on my swimming skills. At this point, I'm confident in my ability to swim all day. It was the hardest skill for me to master, but I've noticed as I've gotten older and put on weight, it's gotten easier. When I started diving, I was negatively buoyant; it's easier not having to fight that obstacle.
 
I completed my 400 for the DM class a few weeks ago. It whooped my *****. I knew going into it that it was going to be rough but not as rough as it turned out. Being a timed event made it even harder considering i burned out after the first 100 and all i could keep thinking was "i cant do this". I then changed my attitude to i will complete this and did, although i did think i was going to vomit shortly after completing it. :wink:
 
I'd say water temperature and exposure protection is the biggest threat to anyone who spends a long time in the water.

400 yards in a pool is hard for some and easy for others. The more comfortable you are in the water, the easier it is. Like you said, a swim is different than snorkeling. I can swim all day long as long as there's no time limits involved. I just do my laps nice and easy. On the other hand, if you tell me to do so many laps in so many minutes, I'll come out of it like a whupped dog. My wife, on the other hand, is in excellent shape, hikes mountains every summer, and has a hard time swimming a few laps. She's just not that comfortable in the water.

If you really want to get comfortable with swimming, you've got to swim. Not snorkel, not dive, but just swim.

PS I'm assuming this was an OW certification test based on your profile (or lack of one), so I apologize if that's not the case and I misread your post.
 
is a critical component for diving IMO. Altho they're two different activities, they go hand in glove with each other. Swimming imparts conditioning and increases one's comfort level in the water.

As far as distance, I regularly swim 2000 yards. Longest swim to date is a 5K event (3.1 miles).
 
How far I can swim depends upon what is chasing me!

Seriously, though, when I did my DM, I was swimming about nine miles a week in practice, and breezed through the DM swims. But, that was then. Now I struggle through an 1800 yard workout about 3 times a week.
 
The question isn't as simple as one might think at first blush.
How far? You mean how far through the water... or how far in relation to some fixed object (like the nearest island, or an anchored boat)?? In the ocean "how far" must always be tempered with "in which direction?" simply because there is nearly always at least some current; if it's toward an unanchored boat then the wind plays a role, too. On most days most folks can't swim any appreciable distance up-current in the ocean in full scuba gear, no matter how far they can swim in a pool.
Most of us can "swim" in salt water until something other than sinking gets us. If trying to make land then exhaustion might - if just trying to stay afloat then dehydration might...
But the big bubba, especially around Catalina, is hypothermia, and a much better question might be "how long can you stay afloat where you are, in the anti-exposure suit you're wearing?" Most folks grossly underestimate how much exposure protection is required for an extended stay in the ocean. Even when it's "bathtub warm" hypothermia is likely to get you before anything else if you're underdressed. (I have a friend who spent 13 hours in 84 F water once - he said he damn near froze to death before he was picked up.)
Plan accordingly.
Rick
 
The tests shouldnt be that hard to complete, i think i can do 16 lengths in about 8 mins in my worst shape and not doing any pushoffs. Snorkeling with fins is really quick and i have no idea why they put a similar time limit on the snorkel equivalent as you can do that one in no time as well. As far as how far, i dont think i have done more than 2k, most times i just swam a mile during half of my lunch break (ie 25-30 mins) occasionally taking longer. However i havent been swimming in quite some time and really should get back into it as my fitness has dropped some since a year ago or so.

Although you can fin kick all day, you will get tired eventually, particularly against current on the surface whilst trying to head into shore. Swimming helps with stamina just like any other CV activity, it also helps with watermanship and comfort in the water which arent bad things for a diver :wink:
 
scottyroz:
I completed my 400 for the DM class a few weeks ago. It whooped my *****.

This gives you a whole new respect for Olympic athletes who rocket through an 400 meter swim like it's a day in the park doesn't it?
 
Our instructor omits the 200yd swim from OW certification. He told us stories of people in wheel chairs or no movement from the waist down, diving no problem. It would be unfair to ask them to complete a swim since they don't really swim while diving anyway. I believe a long swim should be required as it promotes health and comfort in a watery environment. My lifeguard exam requires a 500yd swim. Lifeguards, DM's , instructors etc... are responsible for people. If you got a cramp or became exhausted Ill bet you hope your buddy can swim little. Perhaps the size pool had something to do with your early feelings of fatigue. Im used to an olympic sized pool where 200yds is down and back 4 times.
 
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