SCUBA Progress, Session 3

For those wondering how my SCUBA lessons are going...

Tonight I had class session 3, which is really pool session 2. We spent a lot of time learning two skills (this is the PADI program):

• Switching from snorkel to regulator, and the rest of what's involved there (clearing the snorkel, etc).
• Removing your mask, breathing without it, and then replacing/clearing it.

I was actually pretty nervous about this session, for reasons I can't pin down. But it ended up being more fun than the first one! Even though I probably swallowed more pool water than I'd like to admit. Halfway through; 3 more classes to go and then the 4 certification dives.

I've had an insight into why people need to take lessons. Pat Kim jokingly said, "You don't need scuba lessons! How hard is it to just breathe?" Not hard, true. We've spent a lot of time reviewing how to use the equipment, but you could probably do just fine with a 5 minute overview and guessing (if you're an intelligent person). What's really valuable, however, is they also teach you what to do when something goes wrong.

Seems like for every system that fails, there're 2 or 3 ways to compensate. And they make you drill each one. So I would say the PADI program is more about emergency management than anything else.

Comments

What prompted Steve to take up SCUBA diving? You have plans for a trip?

Mike & I are talking. We'll let other people know when we've got something definite.