Posted by Wayne on July 17, 2001 at 15:33:10:
In Reply to: Re: Descent Lines; was Scuba Classes posted by Dalia on July 17, 2001 at 14:59:53:
When students are learning in those initial dives, they have a visual reference that helps them to develop a feel for pressure changes and equalization requirements as they descend.
And the CESA (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent) is done with a line for the ease and conveniance of the instructor to instantly stop an ascent if the student stops exhaling.
I think that some who are not regularly involved with teaching fail to understand the use of the tool. MHK said that the students were told to swim over and pull themselves down. I have my doubts that he correctly interpreted what he saw. I suspect the students went to the line and used it to slow their descent rather than to pull themselves down.
I think we all have funny memories about how good we were when we first certified. We were better then, our training was more thorough, our requirements were tougher, and we were more macho! Mostly I think this is a bunch of crap. We learned enough to start diving. As we dive, we develop mastery of the skills that we learned in class. To pretend that we gain mastery in a basic open water class is wrong.
Wayne