-- never mind
Is Solo Pool Practice OK?
- Thread starter htatton
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Stoo
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Of course it's safe... as safe as anything in the water is anyway. Just don't do something stupid... like hold your breath and ascend. But that's a bit like telling the kid on the diving board to dive off the end over the water, not the deck.
As to the comments about lifeguards not knowing what to do, that's poppycock. Anything that's possibly going to happen isn't likely specific to diving (the heart attack for example), and if it's not, having your brain matter shooting out your nose and filling your mask because you managed to give yourself an embolism is likely to get them doing the 911 thing pretty fast anyway.
So live life on the edge. But don't hold your breath.
---------- Post added April 22nd, 2015 at 07:26 PM ----------
I think I read someplace that one of the leading causes of death in older men is cerebral aneurism, related to "straining" while sitting on the pooper.
I guess I'll need to start encouraging Mrs. Stoo to accompany me on my morning routine before too long. I'll encourage her to sling a 40...
As to the comments about lifeguards not knowing what to do, that's poppycock. Anything that's possibly going to happen isn't likely specific to diving (the heart attack for example), and if it's not, having your brain matter shooting out your nose and filling your mask because you managed to give yourself an embolism is likely to get them doing the 911 thing pretty fast anyway.
So live life on the edge. But don't hold your breath.
---------- Post added April 22nd, 2015 at 07:26 PM ----------
I think I read someplace that one of the leading causes of death in older men is cerebral aneurism, related to "straining" while sitting on the pooper.
I guess I'll need to start encouraging Mrs. Stoo to accompany me on my morning routine before too long. I'll encourage her to sling a 40...
going2aussie
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Just find someone else locally who wants to practice. Done.
OP
htatton
Contributor
First, thanks for all the recommendations: Here is what I have done.
1- I found the schedule of classes for the local dive shop and use that time to hang out on the fringes and practice (with instructor permission)
2- Found a friend who wanted to practice also and drag her along.
3- Enrolled my non-diving wife in an water aerobics class that ends when I can start diving. We travel together. She attends class while I kit up and then keeps an eye on me while I practice hovering, frog kicking, etc.
4- Occasional practice alone but I have talked to the pool attendants about what to watch for and I always start my practice in the shallow end and check, check, check before venturing where I can't stand up.
5- I have scheduled a private session with an instructor to review my buoyancy and propulsion skills. I need someone to watch what I'm doing.
I am amazed at what several hours of pool practice has done for my confidence and my skills. I was a real air hog getting only 50 minutes on an aluminum 80 in the pool. I am now able to get two 45 minute practice sessions on one tank. I will keep practicing and looking forward to getting back in the ocean in October. Scubaboard rocks, I've learned so much, and have so much more to learn. Thanks to everyone
1- I found the schedule of classes for the local dive shop and use that time to hang out on the fringes and practice (with instructor permission)
2- Found a friend who wanted to practice also and drag her along.
3- Enrolled my non-diving wife in an water aerobics class that ends when I can start diving. We travel together. She attends class while I kit up and then keeps an eye on me while I practice hovering, frog kicking, etc.
4- Occasional practice alone but I have talked to the pool attendants about what to watch for and I always start my practice in the shallow end and check, check, check before venturing where I can't stand up.
5- I have scheduled a private session with an instructor to review my buoyancy and propulsion skills. I need someone to watch what I'm doing.
I am amazed at what several hours of pool practice has done for my confidence and my skills. I was a real air hog getting only 50 minutes on an aluminum 80 in the pool. I am now able to get two 45 minute practice sessions on one tank. I will keep practicing and looking forward to getting back in the ocean in October. Scubaboard rocks, I've learned so much, and have so much more to learn. Thanks to everyone
I see nothing wrong with solo diving in a pool as long as you are already somewhat familiar with your equipment setup and there is a lifeguard on duty.
I am a college student with approximately 20 logged "real" dives and I work a part time job maintaining the three pools here at the aquatics center. I spend 3 or more hours a day "solo-diving" on the job.
This job has been a boon for my diving skills, and I have very good bouyancy control for a diver with so few logged dives and my comfort level has increased dramatically. My air consumption has also decreased dramatically, my SAC rate while working (constant finning, scrubbing, pushing things around underwater) has dropped from 0.8 to about 0.6.
I am a college student with approximately 20 logged "real" dives and I work a part time job maintaining the three pools here at the aquatics center. I spend 3 or more hours a day "solo-diving" on the job.
This job has been a boon for my diving skills, and I have very good bouyancy control for a diver with so few logged dives and my comfort level has increased dramatically. My air consumption has also decreased dramatically, my SAC rate while working (constant finning, scrubbing, pushing things around underwater) has dropped from 0.8 to about 0.6.
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I wouldn't recommend it. Even instructors have died in little accidents in a pool. You really need a lifeguard on duty. Or, at least, a water-experienced observer.
Johnbone
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So let's say one does choose to gear up and get in the deep end of their backyard pool, would it be logged as a dive or no?
Johnbone, I've not logged any of my 20 or so pool dives. I do track them but don't count them. Typically a "logged" dive is supposed to be in some sort of open water but it's your log, treat it however you want. Don't expect an instructor to count those dives toward your count if/when you need a minimum dive count for some class though.
As said earlier, it's your log, but typically folks would only log "open water" dives, and pool dives are considered "confined water" dives. There are nuances as to what folks would even consider a logable open water dive (min depth, min time, etc), but ultimately it's your log.
The real big concern for the solo pool diving is the CESA and/or lost reg skill practice where you surface while (mistakenly) holding your breath. Just avoid doing that and don't accidently swim into the wall and knock yourself out.
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