Is a Swimthrough an overhead?

[jamiep3]

I think I see a new PADI class here. The swim through adventure dive.

 

[Goose75]

In another recent thread about cave diving without certification, narcosis and a foggy mask were mentioned as turning an "innocent" penetration into a possible deadly experience. In that I thread I mentioned that it brought out a good point that otherwise simple issues can become serious in an overhead without proper training. I would find myself tempted on many swim throughs, but I need to remember something as simple as fogging my mask, hitting the overhead while trying to clear and entangling could change everything from "innocent" to deadly. With the proper gear, buddy and training the danger is reduced. So I guess the point is, you are taking unnessesary risk. The longer and narrower it is, the more that risk increases.

I swam through a 6' long 4'ft diameter hole in a rock under a river once. Nothing but swim trunks. It does funny things to your head when you know you can't surface. from that experience, I don't think I'll swim through anything more than an archway without the training.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I think I see a new PADI class here. The swim through adventure dive.

Make it a specialty with 4 required checkout dives and you can charge more...

 

[ScubaFreak]

ya, I would consider it an overhead environment. Fair enough- maybe an overead environment with minimal risk, but overhead none the less.
The overheads PADI are talking about are the likes of small gate like rock features as opposed to the one snowbear mentioned in his original post.

SF

 

[doole]

The overheads PADI are talking about are the likes of small gate like rock features as opposed to the one snowbear mentioned in his original post.

You mean the one where you could only get out by increasing your depth??

 

[crpntr133]

I would have to agree that it is an overhead environment but not a cave. For 20', I think I would feel safe enough to do it.

Kinda like diving at Bonne Terre Mine in IL. Technically it is not a cave, it is an underwater lake. I am pretty sure that they offer SSI training at the mine, cavern traing I think is what they call it.

 

[bluewatertoy]

This ain't Coz!
This is the North Pacific.
Water temps in summer are usually high 40's to low 50's at depth....

Well I'm Sooooorry I didn't see in your original post where a location specific overhead mattered. You asked the question,you got a reply.

 

[sharpenu]

Swim thru isn't a big deal until something goes wrong:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t65825-mask-incident.html

 

[Snowbear]

Well I'm Sooooorry I didn't see in your original post where a location specific overhead mattered.

I know - that's why I clarified it later. The small, clear, warm-water swim-throughs in Coz may be OK to take inexperienced divers through. My question had to do with a larger one, in colder, murkier water....

You asked the question,you got a reply.

Yep - And I'm getting lots more good discussion as well

 

[Kim]

Well - I look at it like this - if it's over my head - it's an overhead!