whew

[LadyIce]

Hi All,
Just to kind of let you know how things have gone. I just finished the training ( pool and classroom ) Last night. I was able to do all the pool exercises that were required, even the ones I didn't think I could do. The equalizing is getting alot easier as well. I guess all the advice really helped...Thanks everyone. All thats left now is the written exam and the OW. The OW is scheduled for middle of July. Exam is when ever I'm ready to go write it. I'm having a bit of problems with the dive tables though. I guess with practice I should be able to get that down pat as well, but if anyone has any tricks or hints to ( second dive cal.) work them out any help would be great. I'm kind of relieved its over but going to miss it ( was alot of fun ), and so much more one can learn. BTW this board is great....lots of great people on here.

 

[greg somers]

The dive tables will be a snap for you after the pool evaluations....Once you have the idea they will get easier.
The key to remembering the multiple dive equations is to remember about RNT or residual nitrogen in your body from the first dive.If you can imagine it in your head,it's like your a container.When you do the first dive then you have some residual nitrogen in your system.If you wait 12 hours then it will be gone.But if you dive within the 12 hour period then you need to calculate the amount of nitrogen in your body so you can work out when you can dive again and at what depth so that you,the container doesn't overflow,so to speak.The easy way is to plan 2 dives.Places where you would like to go and make the first one the deepest and the longest.If you want to go to a dive to 18metres for 40mins
and then a second dive to 12 metres for 35 mins then you can use the SIT (surface interval time) to work out how long you need to be on the surface off-gassing excess nitrogen so you can come safely under the nitrogen levels.
The 3rd section is to work out your RNT with your ADT (actual dive time) to find out your TNT (total dive time.)
This adds the 2nd dive time with the RNT time to work out your next dive.It may seem complicated but as I tell my students...visualise it first.If you understand the concept then the figures work out easier.Hope this helps.
Chow

 

[scubakat]

I keep reading about OW students on the board that are completing their classroom & pool work, then they have to wait a month or two before completing the OW checkout. I understand that sometimes schedules dictate that, but wouldn't it be better to do the checkout asap after the class & pool work?

And congrats to you LadyIce! You'll soon be just as crazy as the rest of us!

-kate

 

[Mario S Caner]

LadyIce, I always use a credit card analogy: Think of your dives like a shopping spree at the mall. When you first enter the mall you don't have a balance on your card. But as you walk around you begin to charge things to it, just like nitrogen during a dive. Say for instance you have a credit limit of $1000 you cannot exceed. Let's say your first trip through the mall cost you $300. Now as you leave the mall, you stop spending (surface interval), you go home pay off some of your balance on the card (let's say $100)and go right back to the mall to pick up some stuff you forgot. Now because you have some unpaid balance on your card (residual nitrogen) you don't have the same amount of money to spend as your first trip. You only have $800 on the card that you can spend. Does this make sence to you?

When working out multiple dive equations, just remember to add your previous nitrogen loading minus surface interval time to your present dive profile, and it becomes a snap!

No worries though, your instructor is no doubt an expert on teaching the tables, and will spend the necessary time with you to make sure you can do them in your sleep.



Kate, Absolutely. It's much better to get the O/W dives in while the training is fresh.