Can people really get scuba certified without knowing how to swim?

[ScubaSteve1962]

Yeah, right. I've heard that one before also. It's amazing how many people find themselves fallen from boats or having their boats sink and all their scuba gear (including fins, which could make swimming meaningful) vanishes before they can get it.....Then there's "What if you have to swim 200 yards out from shore to rescue someone"? You put your fins on. If you are not diving and have no fins it's the victim's own fault for swimming without lifeguards or solo diving beyond his capabilities. I'm calling 911--not swimming out 200 yards without fins--what do I do with a panicked (or unconscious by then) victim when I reach him?--Tow him 200 yards back to shore without fins...?

yea if you're not trained to rescue someone the chances of there being fatalities instead of one are greater whether you can swim are not. Plus hey, somebody's got to tell what happened.

 

[tflaris]

This past year, I came across two certified divers that mentioned they actually do not know how to swim.

Is this actually possible? Isn't this a basic requirement of all agencies?

Am sincerely interested to hear from those that were certified without knowing how to swim and the teaching methods applied.

NAUI requires a swimming test and a treading water exercise.

Tony Flaris
NAUI 44662


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[gcarter]

I had to pass a swim test for both OW and AOW when I did my certification classes. Fortunately I am an ok swimmer. Now for dive master certification the swim test is MUCH more rigorous from what I hear. I am glad that I was tested because in Monterey and Carmel, there are many good dive sites that require a long surface swim and I doubt that I would be able to dive these places if I was a poor swimmer. Swim skills come in useful with beach diving from shore.

What's the test for AOW?

 

[Lirpa246]

I was fairly surprised that the swim test was so easy- you basically just have to get across the pool a few times without touching the walls. That's a pretty low bar considering people are expecting to swim in the ocean.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I was fairly surprised that the swim test was so easy- you basically just have to get across the pool a few times without touching the walls. That's a pretty low bar considering people are expecting to swim in the ocean.

Not really, they are expecting to dive in the ocean.

 

[jmneill]

I have only attended two OW classes, one was mine wich was private, the other was my wife's. In my wife's class I observed one student unable two make the swim (got about half way through it and took refuge on the nearby shorline (had to be picked up by the boat) and while not directly related to this thread my wife had some phobia and was unable to take her mask off underwater and replace. Both students were passed without question. Call me a cynic, but I imagine this is commonplace in the industry.

 

[DukeAMO]

I have only attended two OW classes, one was mine wich was private, the other was my wife's. In my wife's class I observed one student unable two make the swim (got about half way through it and took refuge on the nearby shorline (had to be picked up by the boat) and while not directly related to this thread my wife had some phobia and was unable to take her mask off underwater and replace. Both students were passed without question. Call me a cynic, but I imagine this is commonplace in the industry.

Yikes, not good. What will happen if your wife's mask gets kicked off? It happens a lot. You don't want her to panic and bolt.

I had a really hard time with that skill, but I did eventually get it. It took several tries in class and a lot of practice time in the kitchen sink and pool, breathing with a snorkel and no mask. You should motivate your wife to practice that until she does get it. I've been taking my mask off about once per dive day BECAUSE it makes me nervous. It gets easier and less nerve-wracking every time.

 

[jmneill]

Yikes, not good. What will happen if your wife's mask gets kicked off? It happens a lot. You don't want her to panic and bolt.

I had a really hard time with that skill, but I did eventually get it. It took several tries in class and a lot of practice time in the kitchen sink and pool, breathing with a snorkel and no mask. You should motivate your wife to practice that until she does get it. I've been taking my mask off about once per dive day BECAUSE it makes me nervous. It gets easier and less nerve-wracking every time.

I worked on it with her after her certification until she was proficient. We did no "public" diving until she was confortable with it. First public dive we did was at Ginnie Springs... and guess what, the skill was needed that very day.

 

[SnorkelLA]

What's the test for AOW?

There is none- you show up to class, review academics, go dive 6 times- boom, you're AOW

 

[thebeedeegee]

Don't know what NAUI requires but we had to swim 500 meters in under 15 minutes, tread water for 30 minutes, and swim 25 meters underwater non stop as an initial swim test.

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