16 replies to this topic

[Trimix2dive]

Remember the first certifying Saturday and Sunday. Recall the story so we can all learn, grow, or have a laugh. And if you were the class problem child, tell us your story so others won't have to hide their stories.

[Mishelle]

So Andrew, my instructor says:

"Rule one in SCUBA today boys & girls NEVER put your mask on your forehead when you surface...it is a sign of distress. Each infraction will cost you a 6 pack of beer.

Rule two in SCUBA, never leave your tank unattended while it is standing. If it falls and breaks the nozzle, it can become an unguided missle that can break through concrete. Each infraction will cost you a 6 pack of beer."

Did you know that two cases of beer costs $25?

Edited by Mishelle, 20 August 2005 - 01:48 PM.

[ScubaDadMiami]

My open water check out, in 1979, was in a lake, in Central New York State, in December, in the snow. It was probably about 20 degrees out that day. The only reason that the lake was not frozen was because it was too big and moving too much to freeze.

I was wearing a 3/4 inch wetsuit, a hood, and three fingered mitts for gloves. Remember, I am the guy that dives dry in Miami in the Summer! Man, that first suit flood was cold! Maybe that's why I finally went to the other extreme.

Of course, I got paired up with the weakest diver of the class. He ran out of air on the dive, and I air shared (for real) even before I was certified.

BTW, there was no power inflator on the BCs. That was yet to be invented. You could only inflate orally.

Doesn't this sound like fun?

Edited by ScubaDadMiami, 20 August 2005 - 04:51 PM.

[HAWKEYE1251]

Well, you asked for it! I WAS the class problem child, because I was the only student. I had shown up to the dive shop on time and packed all my gear into the store. I then got rushed into the changing area to try on wetsuits, "here grab this, oh and I need a check for......o.k. here's your suit, no don't put that there, all right are you ready yet?" Now, well flustered after having to leave the office in a rush in the middle of the afternoon I asked what vehicle to put my gear in in. My instructor told me we were taking our own vehicles to the dive site.

Damn, now I gotta pack all my crap back to the truck! So I did...mostly. Drove 20 miles to Canyon Lake. We got geared up with wetsuit, tank, b.c., mask, snorkel and walked down to the waters edge (all in mid July) and damn, no fins!!! Really made him happy!!!

2nd attempt went fine, except I learned that day that the key i had for my truck door did not work! Lock rod linkage in the door had come loose, so I had to sit out in the park till close to 10:00p.m. in nothing but bathing suit, no cigarettes etc. waiting for a locksmith to show up. Cost me $100.00 bucks! I was almost ready to quit diving before I got the c-card......

[Trimix2dive]

back when I did it, we rode our horse draw carriage to the like. We had to walk a mile up hill both ways to the lake where after we chopped throught the Ice we tied a life line to the surface. It was a rope that we had spun from the loom at our home on the plains on the other side of the valley.

that was a long day.

[Dennis]

Putting your mask on your forehead is NOT a sign of distress. Putting your mask on your forehead or removing it all together while screaming like a little kid being chased by a large animal. That's a sign of distress.

I don't know where in the heck people got the idea that a mask on the forehead is really bad, except that a wave can knock it off and you may lose it.

[drdiver]

back when I did it, we rode our horse draw carriage to the like. We had to walk a mile up hill both ways to the lake where after we chopped throught the Ice we tied a life line to the surface. It was a rope that we had spun from the loom at our home on the plains on the other side of the valley.

that was a long day.

That's nothing. Back when I did open water--oxygen hadn't evolved yet, so we had to make our own air. We made our own regulators out of string, tin cans and garden hoses and our masks out of coke bottles.

[HAWKEYE1251]

Putting your mask on your forehead is NOT a sign of distress.  Putting your mask on your forehead or removing it all together while screaming like a little kid being chased by a large animal.  That's a sign of distress. 

I don't know where in the heck people got the idea that a mask on the forehead is really bad, except that a wave can knock it off and you may lose it.

Although I agree with your point, the reason for belief that it is a sign of distress, is because that's what they are teaching in class. I just recently got certified and it was a definate point made in the teaching. Didn't make sense to me either. I was also recently called down for it while diving in a public park area by the dive cooridinator on a boat. Oh well, mine is not to question why...............

[Walter]

the reason for belief that it is a sign of distress, is because that's what they are teaching in class. I just recently got certified and it was a definate point made in the teaching. Didn't make sense to me either.

People should stop teaching silliness.

I was also recently called down for it while diving in a public park area by the dive cooridinator on a boat.

Tell him to mind his own business.

Oh well, mine is not to question why...............

Question everything.

[HAWKEYE1251]

I thought this was just standard procedure in diving. It is taught as one of those things you just don't do. Tell me then, is this just a new diver thing? I take it you veterans don't adhere to this rule

[HAWKEYE1251]

I was also recently called down for it while diving in a public park area by the dive cooridinator on a boat.

Tell him to mind his own business.

Yeah, I guess I would except she is the one who allows or disallows you to dive there (Aquarena Springs).

[drdiver]

I thought this was just standard procedure in diving. It is taught as one of those things you just don't do. Tell me then, is this just a new diver thing? I take it you veterans don't adhere to this rule

my understanding--probably gravely flawed--is that it was taught for awhile by PADI, but they have since dropped it. I always thought it was silly. If you are distressed, you should be able to signal with your hands. If you can't signal--you've got real distress and need to be gotten out--no matter where your mask is.

[HAWKEYE1251]

my understanding--probably gravely flawed--is that it was taught for awhile by PADI, but they have since dropped it.  I always thought it was silly.  If you are distressed, you should be able to signal with your hands.  If you can't signal--you've got real distress and need to be gotten out--no matter where your mask is.

FYI- I got mine through NAUI......I can see the point about loosing your mask from a wave but distress didn't make sense to me. No mask, now that would be distress....

[Brinybay]

Remember the first certifying Saturday and Sunday. Recall the story so we can all learn, grow, or have a laugh. And if you were the class problem child, tell us your story so others won't have to hide their stories.

I freaked. During the surface swim out, aquaphobia got the best of me and I turned over and said I couldn't do it. The instructor told me to relax and towed me out the rest of the way to the descent buoy. He left me there with a DM while he went down with the rest of the students. The DM just kinda chit-chatted and joked with me, which helped a great deal to get me relaxed. After a while, the instructor came back up and asked if I was ready to descend and do the drills. The thought of descending into the abyss still freaked me, but I did it. Once I got down, I was fine, it was even fun. I did the drills and then went on a quick tour. Since then, it's been more like this:

[HAWKEYE1251]

my understanding--probably gravely flawed--is that it was taught for awhile by PADI, but they have since dropped it.  I always thought it was silly.  If you are distressed, you should be able to signal with your hands.  If you can't signal--you've got real distress and need to be gotten out--no matter where your mask is.

FYI- I got mine through NAUI......I can see the point about loosing your mask from a wave but distress didn't make sense to me. No mask, now that would be distress....