Best thing you learned in OW

[DiveDiva_Ashley]

It's not just new divers that are fascinated by "strange things" as you put it. Some people are just more interested in the nature and environment than others are. I am not a new diver, but there is nothing more interesting to me than watching the sealife just living their unaltered life on the reef. I've spent entire dives watching a single jawfish come in and our of its hole and just observing its movements. There's something fascinating about their behaviors to me- maybe it is strange but I am just fascinated with it. I think the ocean and ocean life is just so beautiful and amazing- it's a whole different world under there that isn't ruled by the same crazy values we operate with on the topside. Just mother nature at it's finest.

 

[DiveDiva_Ashley]

Not to hold my breath was not my most useful learning in OW. In fact, that kind of seemed obvious to me- of course I'm not going to hold my breath! But I always grew up around water and was very comfortable with diving from the beginning.
The most important lessons I learnt about OW were taught to me months after my OW class when I took my first specialty with a much better instructor than the one I had for OW. I started to see all of the things that were "passed over" during my OW that really were important. Even requirements of the certification weren't covered like they should have been because they were eager to push as many of us through as quickly as possible. But through this experience, I learned that we are never done learning. Each dive teaches us something new, whether we realize it or not. Never close your mind and think you know it all because if you do, you will seriously miss out. Diving is an amazing sport, but one that you can never know too much about.

 

[KC5UX]

My most important lesson in OW was that I now know enough to know that I need to continue learning, it's a never ending process.

Also, in the middle of my 4th pool session, my bouyancy just "clicked" now once i achieve neutrality, I can control my bouyancy by controlling my breathing and position in the water column, head up if i want to rise, head down if i want to descend, etc

Jim Fish
Albuquerque, NM
SSI OW

 

[costi]

I didn't actually learn this in OW class per say, but shortly after!
You and you alone are in charge of your air management. Do not hold off signalling that you have hit your turn pressure because you are ashamed or embarrassed about being the first to hit it. Getting a good sac rate takes time and practice......learn proper trim, technique, relax.
Bob

 

[Cheerpig1]

Be responsible for your own gear (rented or owned) it's your life on the line, and leaving your mask on your forhead will cost you a can of Diet Coke (instructors got me 3x).

My instructor said something about not putting your mask on your head too....why is that?

 

[MaconBubbles]

My instructor said something about not putting your mask on your head too....why is that?

I've been busted a couple of times doing this also. It's a no-no because panicked divers will typically do this, so they want to make sure you're ok by turning your mask around.

 

[bikinibottom]

Hmmmmm.....best thing I learned in my OW class is that an experienced diver isn't necessarily a GOOD diver.

This was evidenced by watching other divers nearby with TONS of diving under their weight belts silt up the bottom, descend ontop of other divers huh: "Ummmm, hello? There's only like 10 divers on this platform - how on earth did you not see us?? And by the way...get'cher tank off'a my head and your feet outta my face!!"), failing to do safety stops and suffering from runaway ascents.

 

[gtalum]

I'm only through my pool sessions, but I can already tell that picking up on bouyancy was the best tool I have learned. After two days in the pool, I can follow a horizontal line around the deep end while swimming nearly perfectly horizontally, ascending to just above the line when I inhale and descending to just below the line when I exhale. I have a really good instructor and there were only two of us for the pool sessions, so he spent a lot of time showing me what to do. And he did not encourage over-weighting. I'm a big guy (250 lbs) and I found that I can descend in a pool with wetsuit and gear with just 6 pounds. I used 9 to help offset the bouyancy of the tank near the end of the dive. I guess I'll need 12-14 for the OW checkout dives, though.

From Scubaboard, I knew to pester him about bouyancy as it seems to be the one thing everyone has trouble with. He made sure to spend a lot of time working with me on it.

 

[Helpmespock]

Most problems occur at the surface, be sure to inflate your BCD first if hanging on the surface awhile(makes things so much easier...)

 

[Brettg]

Never panic and what to do if you are seperated from your buddy. I have had to deal with both of those and I am happy I listened during the class sessions.