JodiBB
Guest
Hi everyone...
First, I experienced my first OW dive (under instruction of course) out at Catalina. I completed 3 of my 4 dives on this one day. It was a boat dive and it was great! As there was only me and my instructor (private lessons), we had the opportunity to knock out the skills in 5 minutes or less and we had 30 minutes or so to just dive and enjoy the kelp forests...it was a great experience!!
Second, for those of you who remember my dilemma, I was having problems with the mask removal. I was getting water up my nose and then I'd choke. The only way I could complete the task was by holding my nose. My instructor wouldn't certify me, however, if I couldn't do it without holding my nose. She called PADI and advised her not to pass me if I had to hold my nose, but another instructor called on my behalf and PADI told him I could pass...but ultimately it's my instructor who's signing off on the skills.....
So last night, she had another pool dive class and invited me to practice in the shallow end. I could easily sit in the shallow end with my respirator and w/o a mask under water. So then I tried it with a partially flooded mask and my respirator. I realized my nose didn't like being confined and would pull the mask off underwater and suddenly, I was breathing just with my respirator underwater without the mask!! Putting it back on was a little more difficult and sometimes I had to clear it twice. This was the only time my instructor allowed me to hold my nose so I could take a second breath to finally clear my mask...I did it!!!!
When the rest of her class did the exercise at 13', she asked me to join them, I swam across the pool without my mask with ease and put my mask back on...I passed this skill!!! It was the only skill that was holding me back as at our beach dive we have to do this and I wasn't prepared to do it without trying it in the pool first. Now I know I can and I'll be able to do it in the ocean with ease!!!
Certification, here I come!! :dazzler1:
First, I experienced my first OW dive (under instruction of course) out at Catalina. I completed 3 of my 4 dives on this one day. It was a boat dive and it was great! As there was only me and my instructor (private lessons), we had the opportunity to knock out the skills in 5 minutes or less and we had 30 minutes or so to just dive and enjoy the kelp forests...it was a great experience!!
Second, for those of you who remember my dilemma, I was having problems with the mask removal. I was getting water up my nose and then I'd choke. The only way I could complete the task was by holding my nose. My instructor wouldn't certify me, however, if I couldn't do it without holding my nose. She called PADI and advised her not to pass me if I had to hold my nose, but another instructor called on my behalf and PADI told him I could pass...but ultimately it's my instructor who's signing off on the skills.....
So last night, she had another pool dive class and invited me to practice in the shallow end. I could easily sit in the shallow end with my respirator and w/o a mask under water. So then I tried it with a partially flooded mask and my respirator. I realized my nose didn't like being confined and would pull the mask off underwater and suddenly, I was breathing just with my respirator underwater without the mask!! Putting it back on was a little more difficult and sometimes I had to clear it twice. This was the only time my instructor allowed me to hold my nose so I could take a second breath to finally clear my mask...I did it!!!!
When the rest of her class did the exercise at 13', she asked me to join them, I swam across the pool without my mask with ease and put my mask back on...I passed this skill!!! It was the only skill that was holding me back as at our beach dive we have to do this and I wasn't prepared to do it without trying it in the pool first. Now I know I can and I'll be able to do it in the ocean with ease!!!
Certification, here I come!! :dazzler1:
