At least, SSI also encourages to the instructor and SSI Training Facility to add skills and drills that are not contrary to the SSI philisophy. The SSI Dive school where I took all my courses (and I'm in the beginning of my Instructor career there), still teachs this skill.
trouble recovering bc from pool bottom
- Thread starter ladyfishdvr
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At least, SSI also encourages to the instructor and SSI Training Facility to add skills and drills that are not contrary to the SSI philisophy. The SSI Dive school where I took all my courses (and I'm in the beginning of my Instructor career there), still teachs this skill.
One of the big purposes of this drill is precisely what you discovered . . . it tests the person's comfort in the water, and ability to deal with stress. It is not abnormal to have some difficulty with this kind of thing, and that's what you are supposed to find out. As you saw, the second attempt went much better, because you knew what kind of issues you might have, and you were prepared for them. A lot of more advanced dive training is based on stressing students and seeing how they cope with it, because out in the open water, you will sometimes run into situations that are stressful, and it's good to have worked on keeping your composure (dealing with a bit of water in your throat) and doing what's necessary, before you get into a scenario where you HAVE to.
Nobody can see underwater. Your eyes are calibrated for light going through air. We are all blurry-visioned underwater because of the physics -- which is why we wear masks for diving. If you can't stand the chlorine (as I can't) and CLOSE your eyes, it's even harder, because then you can't see your target at all. When I do exercises akin to what you did, I open my eyes and cope with the sting.
Nobody can see underwater. Your eyes are calibrated for light going through air. We are all blurry-visioned underwater because of the physics -- which is why we wear masks for diving. If you can't stand the chlorine (as I can't) and CLOSE your eyes, it's even harder, because then you can't see your target at all. When I do exercises akin to what you did, I open my eyes and cope with the sting.
Ladyfishfelt - don't feel too bad about this. I have had eight weeks away from diving so spent some time in the pool last week going through drills just like that. No surprise that I felt exactly the same way you did. perfectly happy to go down to collect kit and put it on IF I had my mask on, but mask off I was very uncomfortable because like you I wear glasses and use a prescription mask. Too late I also remembered I was in a wetsuit, but using integrated weights which were in my BC so I made it unnecessarily difficult for myself to control my buoyancy whilst I put the BC back on.
So don't worry it is not in many of the official syllabuses anymore, it is a good skill to practice, and to keep coming back to and practicing time and again, especially when you have got a little rusty or been out of the water for while. OK maybe not a real world situation, but very good for task loading and making you work through your skills whilst keeping calm and controlled.
Have fun and enjoy, - P
So don't worry it is not in many of the official syllabuses anymore, it is a good skill to practice, and to keep coming back to and practicing time and again, especially when you have got a little rusty or been out of the water for while. OK maybe not a real world situation, but very good for task loading and making you work through your skills whilst keeping calm and controlled.
Have fun and enjoy, - P
Ladyfishfelt,
We did a similar skill in my (NAUI) open water course in 1986; my instructor is still teaching and still requires this similar skill. Our skill, called the "Thimble Test," is as follows: Place your mask, fins, snorkel, and weight belt in the deep end of the pool. Then dive down from the surface, put everything on correctly, clear your mask, then surface. A Teaching Assistant, poolside with an eyedropper and thimble (literally!), removes your mask, sucks up the residual water remaining in your mask, and squirts it in the thimble. If the thimble overflows, you get to do the skill again.
The skill is supposed to teach control and comfort, I think. You have to execute a "perfect" surface dive, and a "perfect" ascent and a specific surface drill (before your mask is removed). You cannot have any twisted straps. You learn quite a bit, including just how incredibly long you can go without breathing.
Keep trying. You don't need to clearly see your gear. Relax, position yourself directly over your gear, gently treading water. Relax, then do a clean surface dive down to your gear. You'll eventually succeed. Once you do it, you'll wonder what the big deal is. (This old man can still do this skill!)
Safe Diving,
rx7diver
You guys really wouldn't like what I've added to my Open Water classes
I did a very similar skill during a YMCA OW 2 class. I think there is a lot a value to doing drill like these. It will develop your in the water confidence.
As has already been mentioned, many agencies have done away with this skill, along with other aspects of dive training. No doubt that it takes more effort and time for your instructor and you to accomplish this skill before moving on to the rest of the work.
Good on your instructor for taking the time to work with you on it, there is value in achieving this.
You have a great attitude about it, which says a lot. You approach is "How do I work toward accomplishing this?"
Good for you!
Keep practicing and attempting it, you will get more comfortable and relaxed. Then you will start to have an easier time with it. It will actually become a fun drill.
Try throwing something in the pool, and swimming down to retrieve it with no mask on. Tread water above it, instead of diving head first from the pool edge. Ascend slowly, rather than pushing hard off of the bottome of the pool. This will help you start to calm down underwater. Move slowly and deliberately....just be calm, and it will get easier.
The confidence you gain will transfer to you other water skills.
You have a cool attitude. Enjoy the block of instruction........Let the games begin!! haha!
We do similar drills here among some of our diving buddies with other fun hazing aspects thrown in....it becomes a lot of fun.
Cheers,
Mitch
---------- Post added March 13th, 2013 at 02:44 PM ----------
^ THIS!.......Good for you! You will have it in no time.
Cheers,
Mitch
As has already been mentioned, many agencies have done away with this skill, along with other aspects of dive training. No doubt that it takes more effort and time for your instructor and you to accomplish this skill before moving on to the rest of the work.
Good on your instructor for taking the time to work with you on it, there is value in achieving this.
You have a great attitude about it, which says a lot. You approach is "How do I work toward accomplishing this?"
Good for you!
Keep practicing and attempting it, you will get more comfortable and relaxed. Then you will start to have an easier time with it. It will actually become a fun drill.
Try throwing something in the pool, and swimming down to retrieve it with no mask on. Tread water above it, instead of diving head first from the pool edge. Ascend slowly, rather than pushing hard off of the bottome of the pool. This will help you start to calm down underwater. Move slowly and deliberately....just be calm, and it will get easier.
The confidence you gain will transfer to you other water skills.
You have a cool attitude. Enjoy the block of instruction........Let the games begin!! haha!
We do similar drills here among some of our diving buddies with other fun hazing aspects thrown in....it becomes a lot of fun.
Cheers,
Mitch
---------- Post added March 13th, 2013 at 02:44 PM ----------
^ THIS!.......Good for you! You will have it in no time.
Cheers,
Mitch
Kilili
Contributor
You will likely never need to do this again. If it actually happens, let your buddy get the gear.
I ditched mask lenses and switched to soft contact lenses, which will stay put if you squint, but they will absorb water and the ocean is hardly sterile. Best to avoid this situation. If someone asks you to do mask removal, tell them you have contact lenses and am concerned about eye infection, a legitimate issue.
Being somewhat paranoid, I had laser surgery done on one eye. Otherwise, If I lost my mask and lenses, I wouldn't be able to see anything on the surface, except maybe a shark 3 ft away.
Wear your hood over your mask strap, and the mask will stay put even if kicked in the head. It can happen when oblivious divers are in the water.
The only time I've actually had my mask off in the water is when I removed it to rinse off lens fogging.
If you REALLY want to do this, go for the bc, find the reg and insert. If there's a weight belt involved, get it in the crook of your arm or some such so you can easily stay down.
Then Get your BC squared away. Go for either your mask or fins. The mask will let you see better, but the fins will give you greater mobility. Decide which works best for you. Then, get the other.
If you happen to encounter the mask in the process, loop it over your arm until you are ready for it. Don't bother putting it on. Touch is good enough.
Even better, have a loop on your mask strap, and clip it to your BC after removing.
My fins would drift to the surface, so I could actually put them on before going down for the gear, not that I have any interest in doing such.
I ditched mask lenses and switched to soft contact lenses, which will stay put if you squint, but they will absorb water and the ocean is hardly sterile. Best to avoid this situation. If someone asks you to do mask removal, tell them you have contact lenses and am concerned about eye infection, a legitimate issue.
Being somewhat paranoid, I had laser surgery done on one eye. Otherwise, If I lost my mask and lenses, I wouldn't be able to see anything on the surface, except maybe a shark 3 ft away.
Wear your hood over your mask strap, and the mask will stay put even if kicked in the head. It can happen when oblivious divers are in the water.
The only time I've actually had my mask off in the water is when I removed it to rinse off lens fogging.
If you REALLY want to do this, go for the bc, find the reg and insert. If there's a weight belt involved, get it in the crook of your arm or some such so you can easily stay down.
Then Get your BC squared away. Go for either your mask or fins. The mask will let you see better, but the fins will give you greater mobility. Decide which works best for you. Then, get the other.
If you happen to encounter the mask in the process, loop it over your arm until you are ready for it. Don't bother putting it on. Touch is good enough.
Even better, have a loop on your mask strap, and clip it to your BC after removing.
My fins would drift to the surface, so I could actually put them on before going down for the gear, not that I have any interest in doing such.
OP
ladyfishdvr
Contributor
Lots of good advice. Thanks. I think I need to work on my surface dive and get comfortable going down to get my mask. I need to master that first. Once I stop beating myself up for my panic. I intend to master this test and any others he gives me. He is a good instructor. Although in a real world situation I would probably get my mask first then go back down for the rest.
In a real world scenario, somebody with their gear would go down and get yours . . . this is purely a drill.
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