Is it possible for me to dive even though I don't know how to swim?

[DivingPrincessE]

Remember to read his question(s) carefully.......he did NOT ask about getting certified, he only asked "to dive".........I guess anyone can get 50 #'s overweighted & "walk on the bottom" and be pulled up by a rope of some sorts.......

EDIT: excuse the edit, no reason for one.....

I sincerely hope he is asking if he can get certified to dive. Someone that can't swim and isn't certified to dive deciding to go scuba diving is someone just asking to be a candidate for the Darwin Awards...

 

[vixtor]

I heard a tale from a friend who is an instructor. He had a student who didn't know how to swim and was even convinced that he could never learn swimming, but still was curious about scuba. After some pool sessions in which he became confident under water, learned about buoyancy and so on, he managed to learn to swim on the surface, enough to complete his certification.

So my opinion is that you might be able to learn to dive before learning to swim (but only in confined water), and this might help you to learn to swim easily. But you should learn to swim before diving in open waters.

Of course, if you don't know to swim because you are really afraid of water or something, it might be harder.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I remember my instructor, to illustrate a point, telling the class that knowing how to swim was not an absolute requirement for learning how to scuba dive (this was in 1976). What he meant is that very weak simmers and even non-swimmers could be successfully taught to dive.... and in the very next breath he went on to explain in detail why this was not a good idea. It was a large class, and a couple prospective divers did not meet his swimming requirements and did not proceed to scuba training. Today I think they would have passed, and I think that is a mistake.

You don't need to be a champion swimmer to dive. But you do need to be able to self-rescue in the conditions in which you will be diving, which could mean treading water and swimming on the surface in rough water for quite awhile. The better your swimming ability, the more comfortable and safe you'll be.

Safe Diving!

 

[Gary D.]

Over the years I have met and known many divers who were either poor or non swimmers. It sure didn’t interfer with their diving.

Should you be able to swim? Sure you should but it isn’t necessary. If you can learn some basic stay on the surface techniques without dive gear on do it. If you can’t, don’t lose your fins, BC or other gear.

Not everyone has to be an Olympic swimmer of self proclaimed SEAL to be a diver. The training agency may require it but that can be dealt with on a case by case basis with the shop and instructor.

I know by now I have some of you fuming at what I have just posted. But if you think about it how many HSA divers can't walk, crawl, see, talk, use their arms or swim? Many of them turn out to be good divers.

30 years ago I would have said no way. But today’s gear has become so reliable and user friendly it is a benefit to the non or poor swimmer.

Gary D.

 

[Thalassamania]

In order to learn to dive you should be comfortable in the water. I've never met a non-swimmer who is comfortable in the water.

 

[Damselfish]

Being a non swimmer may not interfere with someone's diving, it's the non-diving times that can be an issue. I don't think HSA divers are a comparable example. Many of those divers are certified only to dive with 2 other divers or have other limitations, and that's not what we're talking about here. And while gear may be very reliable, it's not everything.

I agree that you don't have to be a great swimmer, but a non-swimmer is not likely to be comfortable in the water especially when the stuff hits the fan. I think every typical diver should take Rescue and a non-swimmer couldn't make it through Rescue. Would you want a dive buddy that couldn't swim, or was incapable of taking Rescue (aside from if they've done it yet.)

 

[fisherdvm]

I honestly think that there are non-swimming, and very poor swimmers who have scuba certification. I was certified eventhough I was able to only swim on my back, did about 4 strokes with the crawl, and can not breath well with any strokes (except the back and side stroke). Now, many shops routinely only test the swim skill with mask, snorkel, and fins. Even naui require only demonstrating like only 17 strokes with forward progress, I understand, as the minimum.

Since then, I've learned to swim well. I am more comfortable in the water, even in rough sea, high waves, and current. I think you'll feel alot safer as a scuba diver if you mastered rhythmic breathing with either the crawl or the breast strokes. It prepares you for an out of air situation where you can't count on your snorkel or regulater, and being pounded by waves. It will keep you from having a panic attack or anxiety attack on the surface if your BC is not inflating, or for other emergencies.

If you love scuba diving enough, I am sure you can pass the snorkel/fin challenge, and the treading water ... without really being comfortable at swimming. But I would encourage taking classes, or working on your own, at mastering rhythmic breathing with either the crawl or the breast stroke.

 

[ONESPEED]

Over the years I have met and known many divers who were either poor or non swimmers. It sure didn’t interfere with their diving.

Should you be able to swim? Sure you should but it isn’t necessary. If you can learn some basic stay on the surface techniques without dive gear on do it. If you can’t, don’t lose your fins, BC or other gear.

Not everyone has to be an Olympic swimmer of self proclaimed SEAL to be a diver. The training agency may require it but that can be dealt with on a case by case basis with the shop and instructor.

I know by now I have some of you fuming at what I have just posted. But if you think about it how many HSA divers can't walk, crawl, see, talk, use their arms or swim? Many of them turn out to be good divers.

30 years ago I would have said no way. But today’s gear has become so reliable and user friendly it is a benefit to the non or poor swimmer.

Gary D.

And you're a moderator? You have got to be kidding.

 

[ClayJar]

Even NAUI require only demonstrating like only 17 strokes with forward progress, I understand, as the minimum.

Pulling from my NAUI materials...

• Demonstrate novice level swim stroke proficiency[...] Classic stroke combinations are not necessary[...] as long as forward progress is achieved[...] Students shall complete at least 15 continuous [stroke] cycles while being evaluated by an instructor. [...]
• Survival swim for 10 minutes.
• Underwater, swim 50 ft (15m) on one breath with no push-off or dive. [...]

Of course, NAUI's standards are *minimums*, and instructors are encouraged to add to them at the instructor's discretion, provided the requirements are documented and explained before the course. You can't do a Columbo and say, "Ah, one more thing...", but you could require a 1-mile freestyle swim, as long as it's there in the pre-sign-up materials so the prospective students know about it.

 

[ONESPEED]

Seriously folks, crap happens, I don't care how good your gear is there is always a chance for failure, boats aren't always there when you surface, currents can pick up, the list goes on. I may not be popular for this view but I could care less, SCUBA is no sport for those who can't swim, learn to swim, THEN learn to dive. Diving without swimming ability is a recipe for disaster.