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Scuba Forum / General / August 2006Beginner Update - As promised
O.K the last thread was getting so long I thought I'd just start a new one and give everyone an update on how class 2 went. Believe it or not they finally let us in the pool to start some of our exercises. A little boring but I'm sure they are all worth the work.. I asked my instructor if he thought throwing on a wetsuit for "in pool" would be a good idea, "NOPE, over kill". I was thinking that it might make more sense to wear a lot of the gear I'll be wearing in open water so that I can get use to it. Long story short the instructor said that it wasn't necessary. So I hoped in the pool and started suiting up only to see the instructor slip into a wetsuit. I guess the pool wasn't heated. After 25 minutes in the pool I was starting to get cold and needed to get out for a bit to warm up. Next week I put on the wetsuit. So How'd the exercise go. During our shallow exercises I missed a few signals but was able to make up for them later on. My friend doing the training with me kept surfacing every time he got flustered so I spent a lot of time sitting in four feet of water by myself. Once we retreated to the deep end of the pool. Fifteen feet, things got crazy. I had my first experience with buoyancy issues and almost went shooting back to the surface while trying to set my buoyancy at the bottom (by myself). My friend spent a lot of time scaring the crap out of me. During his descent he got about 2/3 of the way down and then went shooting for the surface, breathing with our mask off, he went shooting for the surface in total I think he surface six plus times. I really hope he get this under control because this could be a real issue in deeper water. All in all the experience was great and I'm looking forward to next weeks class and then at some point Gilboa. I got to spend a lot of time in the deep end practicing by myself. Once I got my buoyancy set I was able to swim around the deep end and change my depth just by changing the amount of air in my lungs. Really Cool feeling. I also managed to do a headstand with my head 2 two inches of the bottom of the pool and just bob up and down depending on my breaths. I LIKE DIVING ALREADY > O.K the last thread was getting so long I thought I'd just start a new one > and give everyone an update on how class 2 went. Believe it or not they [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > minutes in the pool I was starting to get cold and needed to get out for a > bit to warm up. Next week I put on the wetsuit. Let me get this straight. The instructor said that a wetsuit would be overkill for the pool and then proceeds to put one on? I think I'd have had to call him on that one. "So, if a wetsuit is overkill for the pool, why are are you putting one on?" > So How'd the exercise go. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > the surface in total I think he surface six plus times. I really hope he > get this under control because this could be a real issue in deeper water. Hint: It can be an issue in shallow water too. > All in all the experience was great and I'm looking forward to next weeks > class and then at some point Gilboa. I got to spend a lot of time in the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > head 2 two inches of the bottom of the pool and just bob up and down > depending on my breaths. I LIKE DIVING ALREADY Glad to hear it. Hopefully, your buddy gets things under control. Someone already mentioned that the instructor must have been wearing a shorty wetsuit but he actually put on a thin one piece full body. Still more than my shivering a$$ had on :-) I did call him on it and that's probably why he grilled me under water so hard. He is a nice guy though and I only had a 7mm suit so it probably was "overkill" BUT next week I'm finding some exposure protection. > Someone already mentioned that the instructor must have been wearing a > shorty wetsuit but he actually put on a thin one piece full body. Still more > than my shivering a$$ had on :-) I did call him on it and that's probably > why he grilled me under water so hard. He is a nice guy though and I only > had a 7mm suit so it probably was "overkill" BUT next week I'm finding some > exposure protection. The only time I've ever been diving in anything thicker than a dive skin (spandex suit) was for my checkout dives (3mm). The suit was provided by my instructor. I've been diving many times at the same location (15 or so different occasions) and have never worn anything more than the skin. I've never had a problem. Of course, I live in West Texas and the watering hole in question maintains around 74 degrees F year round. > Next week I put on the wetsuit. Figure 4-5 lbs more lead for a 3mm wetsuit. More for a thicker one. > I really hope he get this under control because this could be a real issue > in deeper water. I hope your instructor has the good sense to flunk him if he doesn't. Glad you enjoyed your class. It gets better. Lee > I hope your instructor has the good sense to flunk him if he doesn't. does anyone really flunk a class? >> I hope your instructor has the good sense to flunk him if he doesn't. > does anyone really flunk a class? If the student is bad enough and the instructor is good enough. Lee >> I hope your instructor has the good sense to flunk him if he doesn't. > >does anyone really flunk a class? I'd give him (sell him) some one-on-one. If he didn't have the skills mastered in an hour, he wouldn't go back into the pool for the second session. And if he started f.cking up any more skills, it's boom time. See Lee, I do learn from my mistakes.  Signaturedillon How much power does it take to run a server farm? A googlewatt. >> I hope your instructor has the good sense to flunk him if he doesn't. > > does anyone really flunk a class? During my PPB (in a river basin with .5 metre viz) I was unable to get my mind calm to get my hovering, and so my bouyancy was not at all right. It wasn't helped by an instructor that did not have a good "teacher" mentality, but I told him to fail me on it. He did not disagree with me. I think its required to flunk someone if they can't get a handle on something important (I would put less importance on identifing fish for example). I have taught rescue swimming for near on 10 years and if someone cannot do something important in a pool practice, they have less chance of doing it in 3-4 metres waves. my 2cents.. bBt >O.K the last thread was getting so long I thought I'd just start a new one >and give everyone an update on how class 2 went. Believe it or not they >finally let us in the pool to start some of our exercises. A little boring >but I'm sure they are all worth the work.. Don't get bored. If you miss something critical, it could come back to bite you. I know how dull it can be to sit in a class room doing rote calculations and hearing material straight out of the book, but learning is a multi pronged process. >I asked my instructor if he thought throwing on a wetsuit for "in pool" >would be a good idea, "NOPE, over kill". I was thinking that it might make [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >minutes in the pool I was starting to get cold and needed to get out for a >bit to warm up. Next week I put on the wetsuit. See below for my comments on this. >So How'd the exercise go. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >the surface in total I think he surface six plus times. I really hope he >get this under control because this could be a real issue in deeper water. If I was the instructor, I'd take him aside for a little "alone time" at $35/hr. If he keeps rocketing to the surface, sooner or later he's going to get hurt. And if you're not careful, so will you. I personally wouldn't let him get to open water in his current state. That's a bit of hind sight experience (see another thread for details). If he can't exhibit basic skills in the pool, he's dead in open water. Both figuratively and possibly literally. >All in all the experience was great and I'm looking forward to next weeks >class and then at some point Gilboa. I got to spend a lot of time in the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >head 2 two inches of the bottom of the pool and just bob up and down >depending on my breaths. I LIKE DIVING ALREADY Comfort underwater is a good thing. Bouyancy control is a good thing. Remember that when you put on a wet suit, everything changes and you'll have to learn new weighting. Also, as you descend, your bouyancy will change as your wetsuit compresses. All little things to keep in mind. But it sounds like you're having fun and hopefully learning things. Signaturedillon How much power does it take to run a server farm? A googlewatt. I guess I can't really say I was "Bored" I took a lot of the time to keep running the drills over and over again. Since I forgot my mask defog at home I spent a lot of time flooding the mask to clear it and then clearing it back out. I also did a lot of regulator recoveries. I figure if m reg, gets caught on something and yanked out of my mouth I want to have the right mindset to stay calm and retrieve it. I just hope that I'm not so relaxed in scuba that I do something stupid.... >I guess I can't really say I was "Bored" I took a lot of the time to keep >running the drills over and over again. Since I forgot my mask defog at home [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >mindset to stay calm and retrieve it. I just hope that I'm not so relaxed in >scuba that I do something stupid.... Screw defog, use spit. It worked long before defog. Staying calm, good. Knowing how to unscrewup something, good. Signaturedillon How much power does it take to run a server farm? A googlewatt. Our third class went a little better, the fact that I was still lacking on sleep after the birth of a new baby on Wensday didn't help though. However I think our instructor thinks his wieghts are made of gold. I had a hard time getting him to let me use 12 lbs of weights with a 1mm wetsuit on. I'm about 230-240 lbs so I didn't think it was unreasonable. Even at 15 feet I had to empty my lungs just to stay on the bottom. But at least I was warm.... I plan on doing my open water dive at Gilboa at the end of Sept so if if anyone from the group is there stop and say HI. at 6'6' I should be easy to spot... P.S. we went through the drill of trying to breather from a free flowing regulator and it was one scary excersise. I had a heck of a time convincing myself to take the first "sip" of air... Just don't seem natural... I may have to practice this one again... > Our third class went a little better, the fact that I was still lacking on > sleep after the birth of a new baby on Wensday didn't help though. However I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > myself to take the first "sip" of air... Just don't seem natural... I may > have to practice this one again... One of those things that just seems wrong, but pretty cool when it works. That's a .5 mm skin btw. JF Regardless it was heck of a lot warmer then the last two weeks. THANKS So here's another question. Once I'm doen my five week course I plan on doing my open water dives at Gilboa at the end of Sept. However I'll be in Brockville for a week or two inbetween, what are the chances of a dive store allowing me to dive in Brockville before I complete my open water at Gilboa? > Regardless it was heck of a lot warmer then the last two weeks. THANKS > > So here's another question. Once I'm doen my five week course I plan on > doing my open water dives at Gilboa at the end of Sept. However I'll be in > Brockville for a week or two inbetween, what are the chances of a dive store > allowing me to dive in Brockville before I complete my open water at Gilboa? Off a boat? Not likely to happen. You'll probably have trouble even renting tanks and regs. Too many liability issues for shops. Besides, despite how comfortable you are in the water with gear, until you've gone through the entire course and been checked out in open water, are you certain you'll be ready for it? Gilboa makes it about as easy as it's possible for OW to be with the entries, guide ropes and the underwater platforms. Then there's the fact that you'll have experienced instructors with you. Going from from a clear shallow pool to dark murky water (with current) can be a bit of a shock. It's a good time for baby steps. Sorry to rain on your parade. Besides, you'll be busy babysitting. 8) JF I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) > I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) C'mon. Take the older boys out and teach 'em to drink beer, smoke cigars and chase women. JF At the ages of 3 and 4 the only think I can get them interested in is MACHINES... the louder the better... Cunstruction sites... drag racing.. Driving the Porsche wa to fast around corners etc... There bos... ANother 14 years till I worry about the beer and girls "I HOPE" >> I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) > > C'mon. Take the older boys out and teach 'em to drink beer, smoke > cigars and chase women. > > JF >> I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) > > C'mon. Take the older boys out and teach 'em to drink beer, smoke > cigars and chase women. Ya hafta take 'em out and *teach* 'em that up there??? LD. > >> I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) > > > > C'mon. Take the older boys out and teach 'em to drink beer, smoke > > cigars and chase women. > > > Ya hafta take 'em out and *teach* 'em that up there??? They're 3 and 4. The women wouldn't take them seriously and they need their dad to lift 'em up to counter height so they can buy the other stuff. JF My kids hate "Pepsi pop" or anything carbonated so I just tell them that I'm having a "Pepsi pop". I think if we were out hunting for women they would have a better bet than me.. My moneys on the boys... >> >> I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) >> > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > JF >> >> I was looking for an excuse not to babysit :-) >> > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > their dad to lift 'em up to counter height so they can buy the other > stuff. ;0) > Our third class went a little better, the fact that I was still lacking on > sleep after the birth of a new baby on Wensday didn't help though. However [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > convincing myself to take the first "sip" of air... Just don't seem > natural... I may have to practice this one again... Congratulations on the new baby boy, and glad to hear you're enjoying the dive training. Cool. LD. Limey, you do need to teach drinking, cigar smoking and chasing women. Remember up here we have cheap cigars and Cuban cigars, we have crap bear and 5.9% beer we also have !@#$ women and niceeee women. Actual I need to teach them to stay away from beer, worked at Molson's for a few years, and drink Gentlemen Jack Daniels on Pepsi instead (lots of ice)... You need to teach them which ones are the best ones. Do it and do it right... Fun story. When my wife and I were way North in Scotland once we toured a whiskey shop, both of use worked in plants at the time so had a good idea of what was going on. At the end of the tour we were offered a chance to sample so single malt 40 year old whiskey. MY wife asked for ice.... The tour guide gave us a fiery look and said. "YOU MUST BE FROM CANADA, CANADIANS want everything on ice" We had a good laugh and my wife got her ice.... Right now I'll stick with showing the boys the MACHINES. It's a great chance for me and the boys to get out on anything that makes noise. They are the only 3 and 4 year olds that can name 50% of my tools. When my oldest son was still two I sent him into the house for the small adjustable wrench "Bike fix" unfortunately it was the wrong tool. It was the large adjustable wrench :-) Now he loves to help get me my power tools and I've even allowed him to pull the trigger on the 3 1/2 air nailer a few times. Boys will be boys. I hope in the future to dive with them and possible a few of the guys on this board.. >> Our third class went a little better, the fact that I was still lacking >> on sleep after the birth of a new baby on Wensday didn't help though. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > LD. > Limey, you do need to teach drinking, cigar smoking and chasing women. > Remember up here we have cheap cigars and Cuban cigars, we have crap bear [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > and I've even allowed him to pull the trigger on the 3 1/2 air nailer a > few times. Boys will be boys. Cool. > I hope in the future to dive with them and possible a few of the guys on > this board.. I'm sure you will. LD. |
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