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I wanted to place this in the Intructor Forum but I do not have permission. How do you get permission anyway.
Anyway, my question is for scuba instructors. How many of you teach snorkeling drills as part of your scuba classes? If you do, why? If you do not, why?
Anyway, my question is for scuba instructors. How many of you teach snorkeling drills as part of your scuba classes? If you do, why? If you do not, why?
In general, you'll find skin diving skills taught in YMCA and NAUI classes. PADI instructors, generally, do not teach them. I don't know enough about other agencies to know what they teach. It has to do with the philosophy behind dive instruction. I personally believe a good foundation of skin diving skills are essential to becoming a good diver. Others disagree.
I have my students do the snorkel swim instead of the free swim. I show them the skin diving techniques that PADI has listed on the confined water slates. I agree with Walter, good skin diving skills will lead to go diving skills. Skin diving can be really fun. I always enjoy snorkeling with my non-diving wife.
Well, we're not entirely in agreement. Good swimming skills are necessary for both skin diving and SCUBA diving. The thought of substituting snorkeling for swimming makes me cringe.
SSI calls for demonstrating basic snorkeling skills as part of the pool training, and for one snorkel dive with skills demonstration in open water.
Rick
"You can have peace, or you can have Freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once." (Heinlein)
"... they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep." (Ps107:24)
I am a NAUI, SSI and TDI instructor. I have all my students run through the swim requirements and I do not let them off just because they barely pass. I want to make sure they feel comfortable in the water and with multi tasking.
Having said that, I rarely teach snorkeling drills. The drills I was teaching included surface dives and different kicks. I still teach the kicks in the pool but not at the lake and I do not teach the surface dives.
L
Something else - I have never liked the idea of counting the snorkeling activities as a dive. Most agenices (Don't know about PADI) have a page in the log book that says snorkeling but it is counted as a dive and I have heard many instructors say, "This is the only time a snorkeling dive will be counted as a real dive." Well guess what, it is not a dive so why count it?
On a large pile of smokin' A'a, the most isolated population center on the face of the earth. 2,175 miles to Alaska, 2,390 miles to California; 3,850 miles to Japan; 4,900 miles to China; 5,280 miles to the Philippines.
Something else - I have never liked the idea of counting the snorkeling activities as a dive. Most agenices (Don't know about PADI) have a page in the log book that says snorkeling but it is counted as a dive and I have heard many instructors say, "This is the only time a snorkeling dive will be counted as a real dive." Well guess what, it is not a dive so why count it?
"You can have peace, or you can have Freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once." (Heinlein)
"... they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep." (Ps107:24)
I guess I am an exception to those PADI instructors that Walter refers to. I certainly believe that sound freediving/skin-diving skills will make the transition into ow scuba a smooth one. I do mini freediving clinics as a precursor to my courses. As the participant advances their training with me, we advance the freediving skills learned.
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Originally Posted by LVX
