New to diving, and the board... just learned to swim lol

[BobbyMRDZ]

Hey guys, I'm new to diving and wanted to say hello. I'm almost 30 and have just completed the Total Immersion course for learning to swim (changed my life) and I'm now exploring resources for learning how to scuba dive.

My understanding so far is that you have to be pretty much an expert swimmer before you really start diving, is that true? In any case i don't think it's ever too early to start talking to people and doing a little homework

Anyway that's it for now, hi guys! Feel free to say hello, i'll just be reading around for the time being

 

[flyboy08]

Not true for your Open Water....you’ll have to tread water in one of your open water completion dives, but it’s relatively an easy exercise.
Enjoy the journey.

 

[nolatom]

Well, you have to know how to swim to pass the basic Open Water course, it's a few lengths of the pool, I forget the numbers. Good on ya for having taken the course and learned swimming. With good goggles (lingo tip: It's swim "goggles", but scuba "mask", just trust us on this ;-) , swimming is a joy in itself, and a wonderful non-weight bearing exercise to last you a lifetime and keep you healthy.

But, with buoyant wetsuit and a buoyancy compensator jacket device ("BCD"), you'll find your scuba "swimming" is mostly finning with your feet and fins, with no swimming-type movements by our arms for the most part. So no, you don't really have to be a perfect or expert or even very good swimmer, in order to be a pretty good scuba diver. But it's too late for you anyway, you're already a trained swimmer ;-) And yes, you're taking on these new skills in the correct order. Welcome to the pool!!

And ocean.

 

[TMHeimer]

No, you don't have to be an expert swimmer to easily pass the swim test. But good job in doing that, as my philosophy is swimming is a life skill necessary for anyone doing anything in water too deep to stand in. You will probably never do anything while diving without fins on and a BCD that will float you. The 10 minute "float" test is a matter of how buoyant your body is and what you must do to stay afloat--varies a lot with each person.
Good luck with the Open Water course.
Actually, I find that swimming, though probably the best exercise you can do, is extremely boring. Unless you do it competitively like my brothers. You're only looking at the bottoms and sides of a pool! I'd rather go for a walk or watch TV on my stationary bike. And I was on the HS swim team 40+ years ago.
I was always puzzled as to why someone who really couldn't swim would take a scuba course. Happened a lot.

 

[James79]

You really don't have to be a very good swimmer to pass the swim test to start open water, but it is wise to get very comfortable in the water before starting scuba. Frequently skill in swimming correlates to comfort in the water, but they are not always connected. The importance of that comfort level comes into play on things like mask clearing and regulator recovery. One of my criteria to let my kids learn to dive is; are you composed enough in the water that if there is a problem you can keep calm and work the issue.

 

[Swamp_monster]

Not sure what agency you are looking at but for PADI you need to swim 200 yards and tread water for 10 mins. It is not that hard, the swim will not be timed and you can do whatever stroke you want. The tread will feel like forever but it is also not hard. This is to get certified. To be a good diver I would argue that finning is much different than "swimming" and maintaining good trim and buoyancy has nothing to do with swimming. As long you can complete what I said above you are a good enough swimmer to be an open water diver.

 

[TMHeimer]

I always recommend being able to swim with a proper stroke, though the PADI test says any stroke (don't think it specifies any PROPER stroke, so I guess dog paddle could count). I agree with the rest of the previous post except maybe the last sentence.
Snorkeling before taking diving can also be a huge asset in the OW course. "Mask skill" problems may come easier after you've snorkeled some.

 

[Marie13]

Hey guys, I'm new to diving and wanted to say hello. I'm almost 30 and have just completed the Total Immersion course for learning to swim (changed my life) and I'm now exploring resources for learning how to scuba dive.

My understanding so far is that you have to be pretty much an expert swimmer before you really start diving, is that true? In any case i don't think it's ever too early to start talking to people and doing a little homework

Anyway that's it for now, hi guys! Feel free to say hello, i'll just be reading around for the time being

You’re local to me! Do you actually live in the city or are you a suburbanite?

I can recommend a very nice dive shop with great instructors.

No, you don’t have to be a fab swimmer. I kinda sucked and still got through it.

 

[Pat85]

Welcome, from a fellow not yet certified diver to be

 

[Sam Miller III]

The mantra of the modern diver
"We don't dive in water we cant wade in..."
From a easy chair to a diver -- 0ne big step

Suggest that you contact @Marie13 ASAP set up a meeting and begin working out with her at her swimming pool
~~~~~~~ BUT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You better have a car !

sdm