On 14Nov , 2008, at 16:00 , Darin wrote:
>
> WayneS wrote:
>>
>> The dive master I was with was actually pretty good. I took my first
>> scuba lessons back in college, with the old dual hose with regulator
>> on the tank. My instructor always seem to make sure the hoses were
>> leaky. He was an ex-seal and the training was intense. I did not
>> quite
>> make it all the way, in part because I developed a cold, it was
>> winter
>> and the chlorine was a problem.
>>
>> I re-certified a number of years ago, with a very through trainer,
>> doing
>> my
>> certification dive in 52 F degree fresh water. Out of 11 people,
>> only 3
>> certified. With my New England blood, I would dive in the 77
>> degree water
>> without a wet suit, as I find it makes buoyancy easier.
>>
>> There is nothing like knowing what you are doing when diving, and
>> knowing what your limits are and how to handle situations. Underwater
>> is another world.
>>
> This question is for any experienced divers. What do you think a
> persons
> minimum swimming ability should be before considering diving
> lessons? I'm a
> bit embarrassed to admitt this, but I really can't swim much at
> all. Maybe,
> if I were lucky, just enough to be able to save my hide if I had to.
>
Minimum training standards for a basic "Level-1 / Open Water"
certification for one very popular certifying agency (and I think it
is typical for across the board?) states "200 meter continuous
surface swim" as well as a 10 min swim/float without any flotation aids.
If I was to take you diving, Darin, I'd want to be sure that you
could get "back to the boat" or "back to the beach" even if I should
get a heart-attack -- and so, this diver essentially thinks that a
divers "minimum swimming ability" should be "at least, that of
getting back from the farthest point of the dive and to the boat/
beach -- and with a comfortable margin, taking into account currents".
Once underwater, you really don't want to swim that much, but rather
move slowly and look around. That's the easy -- and fun -- part
--
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