Need help

[LadyIce]

Hi Everyone
I'm new to scuba and am taking a ACUC scuba course. This is my 5th week of a 7 week course. Things seem to be going okay so far with just a few problems ( which I hope someone can help me with). Its with equalizing- the first time that we used scuba gear(3rd week) I had to cut my down time short as I was having trouble with equalizing. I didn't get any kind of pain just a full feeling in my head. What I realized on the way home that night. I was doing the nose pinching okay and all but what I didn't do was to close off my throat. ( I was just breathing through my reg.normaly DUH). Last week when I did this the right way things went really well. When I practice doing this outside of the water I have a hard time to equalize (plug) my ears while holding my mouth open. Any suggestions on a good way to practice this? Another thing that has me a little worried is I was told that we have to swim a distance of 50-60 ft. under water with no gear etc. in order to pass. From talking to other agencies, it seems no one else has to do this. Some of the other things I found no else has to do is putting your mask and fins on under water in the shallow end as well as the deep end, having to swim 10 lengths of an olympic size pool (non stop-no gear etc.) diving to 10 feet to pick up a weight belt, treading water 5 min. each- hands only, feet only and then both. In your opion do you think this course is over kill?

 

[BetterLateThannever]

LadyIce,

I don't know if it's overkill or not. I too am new to diving, but one thing for sure, there's no way I would pass that course.

You will get a wide variety of opinions on this board concerning different agencies, some more heated than others, but bottom line, you have to do what you believe in.

I am taking the PADI course, which does not seem to be nearly as rigorous as the one you are taking. Myself, I simply intend to dive within my own limits, stretching my personal envelope as I gain experience, knowledge and conditioning.

Good luck whatever you decide to do. Like many people on this board have stated "It's supposed to be fun".

Jimbo

 

[seaangel]

Hi, and welcome to the boards, I just completed my OW certification June 20th. We had seven weeks of more or less what you are experiencing. We did have to take off all our gear in shallow and in the deep water as well as for the final OW cert dives at 15 feet. We did not have to perform as much swimming skills as you seem to. But, in my humble opinion it won't hurt it can only make you stronger. As everyone kept reminding me relax and have fun, this is supposed to be for fun. I have had a time with an inner ear infection since my dives, but can't wait to get back in the water. Hopefully will this coming Sunday. Good luck, have fun, make a splash and get wet.

 

[joewr]

LadyIce,

I was certified in the US Virgin Islands with PADI--one week intensive course-both classroom and water--and I was required to do all the activities you are and more! Swimming skills are important--as is physical fitness. Someday you will find yourself farther away from where you want to be due to current and will need to draw on those skills! Also, taking your gear off and putting it back on in the water is something you need to eventually get very comfortable with!

Although it does not happen instantaneously, you will discover that you can manipulate all sorts of things in the water and underwater. There is probably not an experienced scuba diver out there who has not lost a fin, had a mouthpiece knocked out of his/her mouth, had a tank come loose, had to clear his/her mask or adjust it, etc. underwater. At first, these things seem scary, but you will soon learn that there is lots of air in your lungs and that you can do nearly everything underwater that you can do aboard the boat. Your class is just starting you on that path.

Hang in there--the fun is just around the corner!

Joewr

 

[scubakat]

No, I don't think so. All agencies & even instructors have different opinions on the skillsets you need to dive safely. I know that doing all of the skills that you listed added tremendously to my comfort level in the water. You will do them, no problem!

-kate

 

[MichaelG]

I just completed my OW not too long ago myself. While what you say you must do does sound a bit too much, it's really not that difficult. In my class, I had to swim around the edges of an olympic size pool 10 times, non-stop. I also got stuck treading water for 15 minutes with booties on. That was like trying to stay afloat with bricks on your feet . What does sound odd is the underwater swim of 50-60ft. Did not have to do that. Everything else you speak of, I had to do as well.

Here is the real big odd part, I'm overweight and a long time smoker. I never excercise. If I can complete the class, you surely should not have any problems. Just take your time and don't over do it.

--Michael

 

[WetDane]

Hey LadyIce...

As much as I can understand the desire to get into this with as little effort as possible - you also have to realize that I as well as a lot of other divers have a list of peopel I will NEVER dive with again... The members of this list are peopel whom I consider to be dangerous to themselves and therefore - potentially to me.

The list is not driven by agency, I give everybody a chance, but I have had people freak out at 65 fsw for no reason that they would not have known before we got in the water and I'm very careful about talking to people about their comfort level before we get in - If you choose to skip stuff, because this is not the single easiest way to learn - it may come back to haunt you later - and don't forget, PADI, is not allowed to each scuba in France, they don't meet the French standards, so even if it is easier, you may be playing with your life...
(For the record - I have plenty of dive buddies who are PADI and great divers).

Just don't get overwhelmed by it - and if you think they are a little harder where you are taking your classes - consider it a good thing - I will likely dive with you again...

Keep going and have fun with it -
Terkel

 

[Starfish]

My husband is forever telling me that his NAUI certification class was harder then mine, but when we actually compare what we had to do, the only difference is that I didn't have to take off all my equipment at the same time and then replace it. I am PADI certified and had to learn to manipulate/take off all my equipement at one time or another, under water at the shallow end and later the deep end, and put it back on. You will have time to practice it all, so try not to worry.

I am incredibly bouyant and I can not swim 50-60ft underwater without a weight belt on, but for my class, I did so with all my equipement on, without breathing in air and exhaling while making the classic "o" sound. This is done to simulate an emergency ascent. You will do this in your OW section when you ascending from depth to simulate when an emergency occures and air has run out.

So the semi-abbreviated answer, is that all of the areas you mentioned are to simulate emergencies, bad planning, or miscalculated distances from the dive boat when you actually dive. And, yes, I had to tread water too, for 30 minutes, while my instructor floated around in his dive suit bouyant as a raft. My husband, who is lean, struggled for 30 minutes to float (he did the pool sessions as a refresher), when all I had to do was fold my hands across by chest and I naturally bobbed on the surface without having to move a limb! --Starfish P.S. I wear a woman's XXL

 

[Warhammer]

Originally posted by LadyIce
When I practice doing this outside of the water I have a hard time to equalize (plug) my ears while holding my mouth open. Any suggestions on a good way to practice this?

Close your mouth, squeeze your nostrils shut, and gently force air into your ears. Rodale's has a complete guide to the ear and equalization at http://www.scubadiving.com/training/medicine/stopearpain/.

Another thing that has me a little worried is I was told that we have to swim a distance of 50-60 ft. under water with no gear etc. in order to pass.

Are your sure this isn't a 50ft underwater swim without a mask, but with the rest of the scuba gear? That's a required skill, and quiet easy after you get comfortable without the mask.

Some of the other things I found no else has to do is putting your mask and fins on under water in the shallow end as well as the deep end,

PADI requires you to remove your mask underwater, breath from your regulator for a minute or so without the mask, then replace and clear it. They also require an underwater swim without the mask, as I discribed above. That's probably one of the hardest skills for most people, but it is essentail and comes with ease after you relax and practice. The fin removal should be no big deal, but I can't remember having to do that.

having to swim 10 lengths of an olympic size pool (non stop-no gear etc.)

That seems a bit far to me. PADI requires a non-stop 200 meter swim. An olympic size pool is 50 meters long(best I can remember), so that would be 4 lengths vs 10.

diving to 10 feet to pick up a weight belt,

Depends on how heavy the belt is. I assume you mean freedive for the belt? Your instructor should teach you freediving techniques and it is pretty easy to get to the bottom of pool fast with fins. You shouldn't have any problems.

treading water 5 min. each- hands only, feet only and then both.

Sounds kinda like DM requirements to me, at least in the PADI program. OW students have to simply tread water for 10 minutes, any way they can. DM students must tread water for 15 minutes, doing the last 5 without the use of their hands.

In your opion do you think this course is over kill?

No, even though some of it does sound a bit much, I applaud an instructor that does more than simply go through the motions. And you will too once you complete his class. Hang in there.

 

[Frog]

Hang in there as Warhammer said. I took PADI classes and found that my training was rediculously easy. Whether this was the instructors way of doing things or just PADI's way of doing things i dont know. But it depends what you want out of diving i suppose. Maybe the PADI course i took would be satisfactory to most "recreational holiday divers" but i am aiming at cave diving, its just somehting that i have to do. So i suppose i really expected a bit more from the course. I never had to swim underwater without scuba for any length of time and we were never told to breath from a reg without our masks on. I know now that i was sold short , however i practise all manner of skills all the time including breath holding and freediving in open water. I like to push my limits because i know that one day a situation WILL occur were i will need all the mental and physical strength i can muster.