Posted by Ben Mazin on June 25, 2001 at 15:19:35:
In Reply to: Strokery continued . . . posted by Kevin on June 25, 2001 at 09:54:33:
What I don't understand is how people who can barely swim get scuba certified. I think a lot of the problems with poorly trained divers are that they are uncomfortable in the water. How do you teach someone about trim and streamlining when they normally swim through the pool at a 45 degree angle? Impossible. At Catalina last weekend I saw a diver who was screaming "I can't breathe" and panicking as she tried to get onto the steps at Casino Point. Her instructor hauled her up onto the steps. The greatest instructor in the world could have helped her - by telling her to take some swim lessons before she thought about putting her life on the line. Disasters waiting to happen.
My dive training (through Caltech) required a 200 yard pool swim in less than 3:00 to get into the class. Then it was 10 weeks, 4 hours a week of classwork, swim technique, rescues, and 4 beach skin dives. The next quarter was 10 weeks, 4 hours of scuba in the pool and classwork, and 6 beach/boat dives. By the end everyone was extremely comfortable in the water, able to use a compass, buddy breathe, night dive, etc. I guess I got lucky in that I had an extremely good NAUI instructor, but I think that swim test was the key to making it a safe group.
Ben Mazin