Surface swim during ow cert.

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miketc

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I just completed my PADI OW cert. in Cancun, Mexico. As all of you know that one must demonstrate surface swimming of 200 meters but my instructor requested me to do a 200M+ swim from one pier to another and back. The total is well over 400 meters if not 500M. I though he was joking at first but it turned out he wasn't. Since these two piers are off the beach and the instructor is sitting on his pier, I felt that it posed a danger situation for a less experience swimmer. I'm in good shape but still have a hard time completing this swim.

Questions to some of the instructors here:

1. Is this normally done?
2. What would happen if I refuse?
3. Should I let the dive shop owner know about this?

I though this was way out of line and dangerous for a less experience swimmer. The instructor appears to be nice guy and I really don't want to get them in trouble.
 
You are entitled to safe conditions. If you had refused, you should be required to swim 200 yds or snorkel 300 yds before qualifying to be certified. It is my understanding that a PADI instructor can not add requirements to a course. OTOH, which students know which are PADI's requirements and which are the instructors. BTW, some other agencies do allow their instructors to add requirements.
 
I have no clue how much 1 yard is but we require our students to swim 50m ifor each of the following four styles(front, back, side, dolphin) then 25m buddy tow. Then we require a feet firts dive and a head first dive. This is a bit over our agency standards (PDIC) (we are allowed to add to minimum standards) but requires our students to get used to surface swims in a 7m wet and realise how hard and tiring surface swims are in a full 7mm wet (we dive in Quebec).
Our thought is if they can get through this they can redo it anytime and if they ever dive down south well it'l be a bit eeasier.

Happy diving
 
miketc once bubbled...
I just completed my PADI OW cert. in Cancun, Mexico. As all of you know that one must demonstrate surface swimming of 200 meters but my instructor requested me to do a 200M+ swim from one pier to another and back. The total is well over 400 meters if not 500M. I though he was joking at first but it turned out he wasn't. Since these two piers are off the beach and the instructor is sitting on his pier, I felt that it posed a danger situation for a less experience swimmer. I'm in good shape but still have a hard time completing this swim.


I find this hard to believe since I have only heard of corners being cut in Mexico , not exceeded.

Yes 200yr/meter surface swim.

Make sure you indicate this when PADI sends you the the course evaluation.

Ron
 
The surface swim requirements for PADI OW are to be done in confined water.

What you describe doesn't sound like confined water...unless the instructor has applied to PADI for a variance.

Nevertheless, the student must have a safe environment to perform this requirement and it doesn't sound like that was your situation. If you didn't feel safe, then it probably wasn't.

Talk to the shop owner. Write to PADI.

SA
 
we require our students to swim 50m ifor each of the following four styles(front, back, side, dolphin)

By dolphin, I'm assuming you mean the butterfly stroke? Hell, I'd fail that test, I've never been able to master that stroke. But I can do the breast stroke or side stroke forever.

My instructor told us to use whatever stroke we were comfortable with. IMHO - it's about survival in the water, not what stroke you can or can't do.
 
Butch103 once bubbled...


...............Where is the humour in this statement????

there was disblief that someone would not know how far a yard was. Even Americans no how far a meter is and we are supposedly the most self-centered..
 
BigJetDriver69 once bubbled...
jroy017 once bubbled...
I have no clue how much 1 yard is...

:D Very good! ROFL!:D

then u will understand.While Montreal is a wonderfull city, they don't have to put signs in both French and English (unlike the provinces outside of Quebec) so they probably have banned teaching the imperial system as well.
 
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