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Scuba Forum / General / February 2004I'm not a strong swimmer
I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good swimmer in order to dive? (Please don't flame me. It's a sincere question.) B --- Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music. http://babbswebshop.com >From: "summer rain" callmecrazy@SPAMMERSSUCKwapda.com >Date: 2/8/04 9:30 PM Eastern Standard Time [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >(Please don't flame me. It's a sincere question.) No. But it's a good idea to practice, if just for general water safety. Popeye Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to? > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > B You don't need to be a powerful swimmer, just a reasonable one. Make sure that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. You should be comfortable swimming with your head submerged. Also, practice swimming with fins on. If you cannot do any of the above, take some extra lessons at your local Y. > You don't need to be a powerful swimmer, just a reasonable one. Make sure > that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. You > should be comfortable swimming with your head submerged. Also, practice > swimming with fins on. If you cannot do any of the above, take some extra > lessons at your local Y. Strange, I don't remember being taught to swim with my arms while diving. Anyone else here do the butterfly or backstroke while diving? > > You don't need to be a powerful swimmer, just a reasonable one. Make sure > > that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. You [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Strange, I don't remember being taught to swim with my arms while diving. > Anyone else here do the butterfly or backstroke while diving? I think I saw a PADI diver doing the butterfly underwater last time at the quarry.... ;) >>You don't need to be a powerful swimmer, just a reasonable one. Make sure >>that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. You [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Strange, I don't remember being taught to swim with my arms while diving. > Anyone else here do the butterfly or backstroke while diving? Never the butterfly, I have used partial backstroke, breaststroke, and crawl, but you are right - you use your legs more often. summer rain wrote: > > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > > B I won't flame you because it's a good question. Don't worry about your swimming skills. Work on your snorkelling. If you're comfortable with that then go for it. However this response is for the idiot below... oceancurrent wrote: > You don't need to be a powerful swimmer, just a reasonable one. Make sure > that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. You > should be comfortable swimming with your head submerged. Also, practice > swimming with fins on. If you cannot do any of the above, take some extra > lessons at your local Y. Give me a huge f.cking break. You are an idiot. Nobody needs to know how to do all that sh.t to scuba. Hell one doesn't even need to be able to swim. That's why we wear tanks. The ability to swim is to scuba as is the ability to snowshoe is to skiing. Brian Edmonton, Alberta > The ability to swim is to scuba as is > the ability to snowshoe is to skiing. Not quite... I think it would be more accurate to say "the ability to swim is to scuba as the ability to fall is to skiing"... In other words, you need to be comfortable with it... <grin> > > The ability to swim is to scuba as is > > the ability to snowshoe is to skiing. > > Not quite... I think it would be more accurate to say "the ability to swim > is to scuba as the ability to fall is to skiing"... In other words, you need > to be comfortable with it... <grin> I thought you were going to say skydiving :-). -Eric > > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a > good > > swimmer in order to dive? > > > > (Please don't flame me. It's a sincere question.) Its a reasonable question. When I started my swimming skills weren't good either. I was able to pass the swim test. When I went for SLAM (Scuba Lifesaving and Accident Management) I'd heard the swim test was rough, so I decided to take lessons. First day of class the shop owner (swimming as well as scuba was taught there) asks to see my crawl stroke. I show him. He then says "Ok, this is how you do a crawl stroke". You just have to be comfortable in the water. Being able to swim well is indicative of that. How's your endurance? (how many laps can you do?) You'll find that with the gear, you'll move through the water differently than you do with swimming You just use the fins. Very little arm movement. > > B > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > swimming with fins on. If you cannot do any of the above, take some extra > lessons at your local Y. Being able to do a good crawl stroke makes it easier to pass the swim test - especially if timed. Being able to tread water would be a good thing too, ex: they fell off the boat/dock without gear. :-) You don't need to know bow to do the butterfly. Dennis > Being able to do a good crawl stroke makes it easier to pass the swim test - > especially if timed. > Being able to tread water would be a good thing too, ex: they fell off the > boat/dock without gear. :-) > You don't need to know bow to do the butterfly. I find a modified butterfly useful in doing the kelp crawl. This weekend I had to drag my Draeger through a nasty thick kelp bed. You get your arms over your shoulders like a butterfly stroke, but instead of pushing them straight down, you push off to the sides like a breast stroke. Great way to warm up your absorbent since you work up quite a sweat when it's 80 degrees on the surface and you're in a drysuit with a thick undergarment. Did my four dives and finally got certified in the damn thing, but I can't wait to take it to warm water where it will actually be fun to dive. (It actually wasn't too unpleasant once I finally got underwater, but it sure is a lot of hassle topside) > > Being able to do a good crawl stroke makes it easier to pass the swim > test - [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > wasn't too unpleasant once I finally got underwater, but it sure is a lot of > hassle topside) I swam butterfly in high school. I don't recall ever pushing down. My stroke always resembled a modified breaststroke pull. That's the way I was taught to do it... The biggest difference is the recovery. >>I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. >>Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > swimming with fins on. If you cannot do any of the above, take some extra > lessons at your local Y. The butterfly? I don't see where you would ever use the butterfly. Tanks on the back, weights and fins on your feet! You might be able to do two successful thrusts. Now the breaststroke is something that I use quite often, unfortunatley it is in the water. You should have a good handle on treading water and be comfotable in the water - especially with your gear on. > Make sure that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as threading. Are you serious about this or just razzing the original poster? I have *never* needed to do the bufferfly or backstroke... Treading water is probably a more used technique... > > Make sure that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as > threading. > > Are you serious about this or just razzing the original poster? I have > *never* needed to do the bufferfly or backstroke... Treading water is > probably a more used technique... All I wanted to encourage this guy was consider upgrading his swimming skills. His question implies that he can barely swim (hope I am wrong). No matter what some people say, healthy swimming skills increase considerably in water comfort and safety. Case-in-point, I recently assisted a class. A muscular guy was asked to do the swimming test. He went straight to the bottom of the pool. I had to pull him out. Pity - what would he do if I weren't around?! Unfortunately we had to certify him, after he took the test with floating aids. The instructor said he wasn't happy about it, but had no choice on the matter. I can't help but feel sorry for those folks who are afraid of water getting into their mask, or inhaling water through their nose when their mask is flooded. Regardless of what you do, somebody will kick your mask off sooner or later... Also, what would a non-swimmer do if a wave pushes him off a boat's ledge after he hands his fins to the divemaster? etc... etc... Truth be told, one can go diving while being a poor swimmer - nobody's going to stop you. But ... it may one day become the difference between life and death! If one is willing to compromise on such a fundamental and easy to learn skill as swimming, so be it! Cheers! "oceancurrent" <nospam@tufts.edu> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Case-in-point, I recently assisted a class. A muscular guy was asked to do :the swimming test. He went straight to the bottom of the pool. I had to pull :him out. Pity - what would he do if I weren't around?! Unfortunately we had :to certify him, after he took the test with floating aids. The instructor :said he wasn't happy about it, but had no choice on the matter. Please elaborate on this lack of choice thing. Dan Bracuk If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure. The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/ > "oceancurrent" <nospam@tufts.edu> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure. > The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/ I guess, this instructor didn't want to deal with the possible follow-ups on failing a student, who seemed like the type of person who would choose the route of creating trouble rather than listen to the instructor. The guy could for instance: * Sue the instructor for discrimination and what not. * Go to a different divestore and find somebody who could care less about his total lack of swimming skills, and then foulmouth the instructor and the divestore. * etc etc Personally, I wouldn't agree with any of these arguments, but hey, I wasn't under the spotlight. In any case, I know another instructor who once failed a student after he gave up on teaching the student how to clear his mask. The situation was complicated by the fact that the failed student's girlfriend was in the class and did all the skills brilliantly (I wonder why didn't she help his b-friend). This instructor was of the more authoritative/risky type. Kudos to him! > Also, what would a non-swimmer do if a wave pushes him off a > boat's ledge after he hands his fins to the divemaster? Sink? Grace (my S.O.) has a friend who owns a somewhat large boat, goes out on it a lot, and doesn't know how to swim... For some reason, that just seems kind of strange to me... > > Also, what would a non-swimmer do if a wave pushes him off a > > boat's ledge after he hands his fins to the divemaster? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > a lot, and doesn't know how to swim... For some reason, that just seems kind > of strange to me... Dennis Conner doesn't know how to swim, and sinks like a rock when he hits the water. In spite of this, he still races Etchells and smaller boats, in addition to his AC campaigns (and I've never seen him wear a PFD). Alan > Dennis Conner doesn't know how to swim, and sinks like a rock when he > hits the water. In spite of this, he still races Etchells and smaller > boats, in addition to his AC campaigns (and I've never seen him wear a > PFD). > > Alan I thought it was in the racing rules to have to wear some sort of personal floatation? > > Also, what would a non-swimmer do if a wave pushes him off a > > boat's ledge after he hands his fins to the divemaster? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > a lot, and doesn't know how to swim... For some reason, that just seems kind > of strange to me... He might not sink, but if he can't propel himself without fins, he will have to depend on somebody else to rescue him. Indeed, on most diveboats there will be somebody to save the day, but it is not always the case. I know, it is strange. I am sure that the folks here can pull dozens of examples of people who do water-related activities without knowing how to swim. But for all these examples, you only need one case of a guy who lost his life due to inability to swim. And I have seen a lot of cases throughout the years. The most recent one was last summer in my own backyard (a nearby lake), unfortunately. Did I mention, that years ago I had a buddy, who couldn't swim. She was a disaster waiting to happen - had to rescue her on multiple occasions. I was one of the few people who could stand her in the water... In any case, I don't want to turn this into a huge argument. The fact is that the folks who can't swim are a small minority in the diving community - very opinionated though (see other posts). There is a good reason why swimming is prereq to scuba. It is not essential to be a strong or stylish swimmer, but a reasonable one! Thank you! > All I wanted to encourage this guy was consider upgrading his swimming > skills. His question implies that he can barely swim (hope I am wrong). [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Cheers! And here we present a typical case of a full-of-sh.t and obviously newbie DM trying to impress everyone. Anyone wanna play "Guess the age"? I'm in for 17. Brian Edmonton, Alberta > > > Make sure that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as > > threading. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Cheers! tell the guy to knock off the steriods... muscle is heavy.. you need a bit of fat to provide bouyancy :) rhys > > > > Make sure that you can do crawl, buterfly, backstroke, as well as > > > threading. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > rhys Right, right! :-) > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music. > http://babbswebshop.com There's absolutely no reason to have to know how to swim well in order to dive. If you can keep yourself from dying if stranded in the water for a few minutes, and you can swim 50 feet or so, you'll be fine. There's no reason whatsoever to have better swimming ability than that. You're never, ever going to find yourself in the water without any fins, snorkel, etc unless you fall out a boat.. and that's a boating accident, not a SCUBA accident. Wear a lifejacket or something. The important thing is for you to be comfortable in an aquatic environment, and swimming ability is generally quite conducive to that. If you're not comfortable swimming around in a pool underwater, I'd suggest finding a pool and *getting* comfortable before taking a SCUBA class. Jon > There's absolutely no reason to have to know how to swim well in order to dive. If you can keep yourself from dying if stranded in the water for a > few minutes, and you can swim 50 feet or so, you'll be fine. There's no reason whatsoever to have better swimming ability than that. I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer does not mean you'll be a good diver, the more comfortable you are in the water, the more you'll enjoy the course. I was a good swimmer before I took up diving, and the one suited the other quite nicely. >You're never, ever going to find yourself in the water without any fins, snorkel, etc unless you fall out a boat.. I guess you've haven't done any boat diving? Never say "never".......... >and that's a boating accident, not a SCUBA accident. Wear a lifejacket or something. Always be prepared for the unexpected. > The important thing is for you to be comfortable in an aquatic environment, and swimming ability is generally quite conducive to that. If you're not > comfortable swimming around in a pool underwater, I'd suggest finding a pool and *getting* comfortable before taking a SCUBA class. This I agree with. Ian > I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer does not > mean you'll be a good diver, the more comfortable you are in the water, the > more you'll enjoy the course. Which is better served by being a good freediver/snorkeller. > I was a good swimmer before I took up diving, > and the one suited the other quite nicely. I was a good snorkeller but a non-swimmer before I took up scuba. Making the transition to diving was no problem. > >You're never, ever going to find yourself in the water without any fins, > snorkel, etc unless you fall out a boat.. > > I guess you've haven't done any boat diving? Never say "never".......... This would then pertain to boating readiness, not diving. > >and that's a boating accident, not a SCUBA accident. Wear a lifejacket or > something. > > Always be prepared for the unexpected. Again, boating not scuba. Don't confuse the 2 issues. Brian Edmonton, Alberta >I was a good snorkeller but a non-swimmer before I took up scuba. You really should put up a coke alert before you post something like that. > I was a good snorkeller but a non-swimmer before I took up scuba. Making > the transition to diving was no problem. Ditto > > I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer does not mean you'll be a good diver, the more comfortable you are in the water, the > > more you'll enjoy the course. > > Which is better served by being a good freediver/snorkeller. This is your opinion. I don't share it. > > I was a good swimmer before I took up diving, > > and the one suited the other quite nicely. > > I was a good snorkeller but a non-swimmer before I took up scuba. Making > the transition to diving was no problem. > > >You're never, ever going to find yourself in the water without any fins, > > snorkel, etc unless you fall out a boat.. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Again, boating not scuba. Don't confuse the 2 issues. I'm not confused. You don't see my point, and I have no interest in explaining it to you. >>>I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer does > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > I'm not confused. You don't see my point, and I have no interest in > explaining it to you. then don't > >>>I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer does > > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > > then don't Nice addition to the thread, Joe. Think that up all by yourself? Or did you have some coaching....... >>>>>I disagree, but this is your opinion. Whereas being a good swimmer > [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > Nice addition to the thread, Joe. Think that up all by yourself? Or did > you have some coaching....... eye has sum halpe, cuz eye duzent spiel are iz mai gremer vary good. eye fergets two ad the emoteethin }:-) > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good > swimmer in order to dive? The honorable Giovanni Marola, President of the "Unable to Swim Divers", said here in rec.scuba that underwater is "a world in which swimming has the same relevance and usefulness like dancing or playing golf". He rose to (local) fame by claiming "I can't swim and I haven't had any problem in about 30 years of diving activity". Google "Unable to Swim Divers" for more info, and let us know whether do you swim badly enough to claim membership to U.S.D. ;-) Cheers, Froggy >I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. >Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good >swimmer in order to dive? > >(Please don't flame me. It's a sincere question.) If you're not a swimmer, then you're not really interested. If scuba diving held any promise for you, the water and the ocean in particular would have drawn you to swim long ago. Save your money. > >I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > >Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Save your money. What absolute bullshit. You're a f.cking moron, and an idiot to boot. Your statement makes absolutely no sense and has no business in any conversation. Ever. >> If you're not a swimmer, then you're not really interested. >> If scuba diving held any promise for you, the water and [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >You're a f.cking moron, and an idiot to boot. <Yawn> another rec.scuba POWER-POSTER. Lucky us! >Your statement makes absolutely no sense and has no business in any >conversation. I'm not surprised it went right over your head, but I am surprised you didn't notice. What's kind of funny is how loudly you needed to shout that you're not a swimmer. We already knew. You didn't have to shout. good luck jony, bullshark > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good > swimmer in order to dive? You don't need to be a *strong* swimmer, but you need to be comfortable in the water... > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good > swimmer in order to dive? It is better to have skills you may not need than to be in a situation where your life, or a loved one's, may need the kind of skills you do not have. http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/aquatics/lifegard.html Go for it. Little children have completed that course. (I was 14 yrs old at the time) > (Please don't flame me. It's a sincere question.) I am unaware of this type of unproductive activity, ever having occured, here on rec.scuba. -- SJM Look for a local shop that teaches PADI. As long as you can pay the course fee, nothing else matters. > > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > -- > SJM The most important thing is to be comfortable in the water and be able to keep a cool head so you can think your way out of a problem. Of course, having confidence in your swimming ability should add to your comfort level. Take a swim class and improve your skills. > I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. > Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music. > http://babbswebshop.com >I think scuba diving looks wonderful, and I would love to try it. >Unfortunately, my swimming skills aren't that great. Do I need to be a good >swimmer in order to dive? > >(Please don't flame me. It's a Not an unreasonable question.... but lets expand on this a bit..... are you actually afraid of the water? if so how much? Or is it you just dont feel like a strong swimmer.... If its that you dont feel like your a strong swimmer thats not big deal....because no matter HOW strong a swimmer you are.....the ocean can dish out weather and currents NOBODY can swim against.....the first trick is not GET yourself in such situations in the first place....the second is to not PANIC when it DOES happen to you ....and the third is have ALREADY planned for such a thing happening in the first place and what to do when it does happen.....and I am sure the folks here could expand on those three points quite well..... Now, if being in the water just scares you a bit....it probably a fear of drowning....but thats not a big deal either.....just wear a wetsuit when you dive (and in most places you NEED one to keep warm anyway)....if you are wearing a wetsuit when you scuba dive....once you ditch your weightbelt and perhaps ALL your other scuba gear you'll float like a cork and probably couldnt drown even if you tried....thats one reason I almost always wear a wetsuit.....I have almost NO body fat and the only way I can float worth a darn otherwise is to work hard at "treading" water..... take care Blll |
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