Posted by CalDiver on July 29, 2002 at 12:56:55:
In Reply to: I owe an apology. I saw bad things in a class at the Avalon Dive park. posted by Wayne on July 28, 2002 at 00:27:34:
I was out there Sunday too, and it's not the first time I've seen the no-mask-no-reg entry. I have taken classes down as the third or fourth group of divers and actually had people tell me I was the first instructor that day to bring students in with the reg in and mask on. What I would like to know is, what is a legitimate reason NOT to do it that way? This is a serious question. Those instructors likely have more experience than I do, and have to have a reason.
An LA County ADP instructor once told me, when I was an ADP student, that LA County teaches snorkel entries only, for fear that the student could embolize on a beach where the surge carries one up and down. Several years down the line from that -- and with a year's actual teaching experience, and it not my full-time job, I'm by FAR not a "seasoned" instructor, so I would like to hear the other side from those who are -- I choose not to follow that line of reasoning, because I think the pracical risk of embolism is low when compared with the very salient risk of them choking on water without a reg. Also, I don't put OW students into heavy surge where they will be thrown up and down, though I do understand the possibility of even a few feet causing trouble.
Thoughts? Looking for actual experience & reasoning, not cyber-sniping from :) or whomever, please.