Higher Thinking Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 In a couple weeks my family is headed to Hawaii for a week and I'm stoked! The first three days there, I'll be getting my open water scuba certification. The course has four open water dives for certification. We'll be diving at the reef so it should be quite the experience! I think my biggest hurdle will be the 200m swim and treading water for ten minutes. I am a terrible swimmer and have no natural buoyancy, so I just sink. I am super involved in competitive sports so I'm not thinking cardio should be an issue...but dang 200 meters is far, haha. I'm going to head to the local swimming pool and test myself several times. Wish me luck! My step dad and mom are certified, but my step dad had decided he no longer wants to dive. So he gave me all this new gear he bought that only has a couple dives worth of use. New computer to gauge depth, rate of descent/ascent, and all kinds of other stuff I don't yet understand, top of the line BCU, snorkel, fins, boots, dive bag, the works! He basically said, "Now you have to be your mom's dive buddy." I assure you, that was fine by me! I've gone scuba diving twice before, but definitely excited for the certification. And because any thread is worthless without pics, here are a couple: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Very cool! I'm envious but probably wouldn't be able to survive the distance swim and water treading these days. Used to be a good swimmer as a teen but that was a loooong time ago now. Good luck man - hope you get to see some cool sea life. Do you have an underwater camera? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Just do the backstroke for the 200m swim. It's the easiest haha. For treading water, there are different kicks and hand motions you can use. Circles, figure 8, sculling etc. You can also use just hands or just feet to give each a break. It's not too bad. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I love scuba diving! You are gonna have a blast and do just fine on the physical stuff. They are pretty relaxed about it all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Very cool! I'm envious but probably wouldn't be able to survive the distance swim and water treading these days. Used to be a good swimmer as a teen but that was a loooong time ago now. Good luck man - hope you get to see some cool sea life. Do you have an underwater camera?Thanks! I don't have an underwater camera personally, but my friend is letting me borrow his Go Pro. Just do the backstroke for the 200m swim. It's the easiest haha. For treading water, there are different kicks and hand motions you can use. Circles, figure 8, sculling etc. You can also use just hands or just feet to give each a break. It's not too bad. Good luck!I love scuba diving! You are gonna have a blast and do just fine on the physical stuff. They are pretty relaxed about it all. [emoji4]Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkWell..I just got back from the community pool. I definitely drank more chlorinated, pee-infested water than I care to admit, but I think I should be good. I managed to swim 225 yards, almost all on my back. I definitely wouldn't call it the backstroke because I never was able to actually rotate my arms up out of the water. It was more of a rowing type motion, if that makes sense. I gave myself a break and tried the treading portion. Failed after 5 minutes...Ugh. My wife was just swimming and treading the whole time, rubbing it in my face [emoji22] Well I took a longer break and talked with this guy swimming laps who clearly knew what he was doing. He had me work some various movements with the little floater board. I practiced for about half an hour or so and then gave it another shot. I kept alternating between being upright and more laying my head back. And I hit ten minutes! Looks like I passed, but dang I struggled with it. I even called over there to ask about the tests and whether I could lean on my back for treading. The guy said I would be fine. When I asked about the swim the guy literally said, "Yeaaahhhhh, I wouldn't be worried about that. You'll be alright." So it appears I may be getting too worked up. I've just been reading stories online where instructors have been pretty brutal with their trainees in regards to their evaluations. Anyway, I'll definitely be uploading some pictures mid July. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesmiles902 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Back in my day, we'd classify people like yourself as a BAMF. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremevans Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I wouldn't worry too much about the swimming. The trip sounds great. I did my certification about 10 years ago in Cozumel and had some fantastic dives. I learned while at 100 feet not to approach turtles that are as big as me. The instructor started clapping and going nuts under water. The ride back in the boat was a lecture about turtles and the risk of getting your airline cut by their jaw at that depth. I would say learn your equipment and safety procedures well. I've gone on to do spearfishing and cold water drives in heavy tides and I'm glad my instructors were so thorough. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Very exciting! I have gone back and forth about diving. I have this issue with trusting equipment but when snorkeling I there are sometimes I wish I could stay down longer. Keep us posted on how it goes. It sounds like you aren't timed for the 200meter swim ? If so just going slow and pacing yourself. Good luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 I wouldn't worry too much about the swimming. The trip sounds great. I did my certification about 10 years ago in Cozumel and had some fantastic dives. I learned while at 100 feet not to approach turtles that are as big as me. The instructor started clapping and going nuts under water. The ride back in the boat was a lecture about turtles and the risk of getting your airline cut by their jaw at that depth. I would say learn your equipment and safety procedures well. I've gone on to do spearfishing and cold water drives in heavy tides and I'm glad my instructors were so thorough. Sent from my SM-G920V using TapatalkVery cool man! Maybe we'll have to plan a cold water trip sometime, seeing as though that's all we got around here. My neighbor takes me boating in some warm (mid 70s) areas of the Willamette and Columbia. Maybe I'll check those out, although the water is pretty murky. Very exciting! I have gone back and forth about diving. I have this issue with trusting equipment but when snorkeling I there are sometimes I wish I could stay down longer. Keep us posted on how it goes. It sounds like you aren't timed for the 200meter swim ? If so just going slow and pacing yourself. Good luck to you!Thanks Kim. Yeah, no time limit on the swim. Slow and steady wins the race, I guess. The two times I've been diving were absolutely amazing. I love it. I just don't think about equipment failures. But then again, that's why you got dive buddies and training 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack-the-reefer Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Scuba is the coolest! We did a night time manta ray drive while we were in Hawaii. It is probably the most amazing thing I've ever done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.