Posted by CalDiver on November 15, 2000 at 18:25:22:
In Reply to: Ditch and don question posted by AADIVER on November 15, 2000 at 16:19:47:
We did lots of ditch and don exercises in LA County Advanced as of two years ago; not sure if they do it in basic. PADI does NOT now teach ditch and don to Open Water (the basic cert. level) students in the same format you described, but does teach students to remove and replace both weight belt and BCD at the surface, and in water too deep to stand. However, the student does not surface between underwater removal and replacement. PADI does teach an emergency swimming ascent for OOA situations, but the student retains all gear during the ascent.
I actually found the skill harder to perform in a controlled manner in the PADI program -- i.e., in a one-knee-down position, to take off gear and bring around to front of body, then replace, all without losing balance off the knee -- than it was to dump it all, then swim back down to wriggle back into it. That might just be me, though.
Do you really think the agencies dropped the requirement because students couldn't perform it? I would like to hear more, provided, of course, it's based on some kind of fact and not just assumption. Not throwing stones at you, AA-D, just trying to keep the discussion above the bashing-without-backup format. Good Q!