Ever since my trip to the Dry Tortugas in July I've been thinking about how to keep up my diving skills. If you only take a trip or two a year...and that is the only time you dive...what do you do to practice your skills?
Keeping Your Skills Up
Started by
uwfan
, Sep 24 2008 08:31 AM
12 replies to this topic
#1
uwfan
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 08:31 AM
#2
Latitude Adjustment
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 08:58 AM
Local diving, it may not be pretty but it keeps the gills wet!
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By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
#3
Dive_Girl
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 10:08 AM
What a GREAT topic uwfan!! As an instructor I get the pleasure of practicing my skills weekly in both confined and open water. Then, there are some of my buddies who put me to surprise tests as well! I believe it a confidence booster when divers add some critcal skills such as air sharing and mask skills to their dive plan.
It's Winter time - you know you're a diver when you're scraping ice off your windshield INSIDE your vehicle...!
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
#4
Mitch0129
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 10:15 AM
I would agree, just do a lot of local diving even if it is at some quarry. If you know someone who is a dive instructor, see if they will let you tag along when they have the open water session of their classes.
-Mitch-
#5
peterbj7
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 10:25 AM
And when you are on one of your diving vacations, practice key skills when there's nothing else going on. A good one is to measure your gas consumption - gets you thinking. Swim very close to a sandy bottom and make sure you're not kicking it up. And try turning your gas off and back on again while you're swimming. At a basic level, every now and again stop alongside a visual reference and ensure you stay exactly where you stopped without sculling or finning. I'm sure there are others.....
Edited by peterbj7, 24 September 2008 - 10:25 AM.
#6
georoc01
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 11:15 AM
When local diving really isn't an option, the other thing I do is a review in a pool prior to the trip. I think A1 Scuba here in Denver charges $25 to use their pool which includes the tank & weights if needed. You also get free pool time if you book your trip through them or if you have any equipment maintained by them. So if you are only doing 1 trip a year, and get your equipment serviced prior to the trip, the pool time is free.
#7
Guest_TexasStarfish_*
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 11:23 AM
Local diving is the only way to go. What keeps me current is the fact that I teach every other weekend. I always see people at the lake just to get wet. It's the only way to survive in between the wonderful dive trips. You could also sign up to take some more advanced classes or specialties, though I understand that is more money out of the pocket.
#8
NJBerserker
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 11:24 AM
I'd also agree with the local diving as well. That or at least some pool time is a must. Diver stress is the top of that downhill slide we call the panic cycle. Knowing your skills are good to go eases that immensly. To add my 2psi, drills such as mask clearing and reg. recovery etc. can be done during a safety stop. Some people find it a great way to kill the dead time just hanging there. Basic skills do not take long to perform so you can pretty much work them in wherever. You may want to designate some skills you maybe haven't used for the first dive of a trip. Bust them out real quick once you've leveled off and dive in confidence.
Edited by NJBerserker, 24 September 2008 - 11:27 AM.
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#9
pir8
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 02:59 PM
For insurance reasons I can not let stragglers come on OpenH2O Cert dives but on most other dives I let most people trail along as long as they are not interfering in training.I would agree, just do a lot of local diving even if it is at some quarry. If you know someone who is a dive instructor, see if they will let you tag along when they have the open water session of their classes.
Never say Never! Its almost as long a time as always!
#10
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 03:24 PM
pir8 is right. It's fine teaching a class with already certified divers. But with open water, non-certified students, instructors have a huge liability risk. Our attention is focused on the divers and we 
that we have a divemaster to help us out. 
to all the wonderful DM's out there. We couldn't do it without you.
I think I consume more air when I'm teaching open water at 20 feet, than on any other dive. The students make me nervous some times.
that we have a divemaster to help us out. to all the wonderful DM's out there. We couldn't do it without you. I think I consume more air when I'm teaching open water at 20 feet, than on any other dive. The students make me nervous some times.
#11
georoc01
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 04:08 PM
It sounds great do to local diving, ufortunately in places like Colorado, our diving options from October-April are limited to the local aquarium, a 6 hour drive to New Mexico and dive in the snow, ice diving, or an 8 hour drive to dive the hot springs in Utah.
I know what I do is try to get a couple of dives in when I visit my parents in South Florida over the holidays, and use the pool whenever possible. I did notice that my LDS is running a 4 day trip to Cozy in January. Unfortunately the price is $300pp higher than the Thanksgiving trip this year.
I know what I do is try to get a couple of dives in when I visit my parents in South Florida over the holidays, and use the pool whenever possible. I did notice that my LDS is running a 4 day trip to Cozy in January. Unfortunately the price is $300pp higher than the Thanksgiving trip this year.
#12
peterbj7
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 06:09 PM
For insurance reasons I can not let stragglers come on OpenH2O Cert dives but on most other dives I let most people trail along as long as they are not interfering in training
That's the problem with living/working in the US. I can easily allow it here and in the UK. I'm not concerned with financial liability but with actual risk management (in the UK a written risk assessment is a legal requirement that is enforced at inland training centers). Regardless of who might have to pay I don't want an accident on my watch!
#13
ScubaSis
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Posted 24 September 2008 - 06:29 PM
I am not getting enough dive time at all. Before my trip in May I went to my instructors pool for a refresher. I can do this without charge and I was really glad I went. He went over my drills and reminded me of a few things I had forgotten as well.
Handle every stresssful situation like a dog.
If you can't eat it or play with it,
Just pee on it and walk away.
If you can't eat it or play with it,
Just pee on it and walk away.
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