Scuba Diving

I’m off to Thailand in a couple of weeks and our first stop is Koh Tao where we plan to complete the open water course.

I was already aware of the requirements like treading water for 10 minutes, swimming 200m, No problem with that at all BUT I recently saw a video of somebody doing a try dive in a pool and they had to take off their mask and keep breathing without holding there nose.

I snorkel a lot and am very comfortable in the water but the thought of having to breath without a mask covering my nose (or without being able to hold my nose to stop the water going up it) terrifies me! I’ve since read that you have to be able to breath without you mask for 1 minute and it’s really worrying me. Can you hold your nose?

Per the PADI Instructor Manual, you have to…

"Breathe underwater for not less than one minute while not wearing a mask."

That is the required part of the skill. In the "suggested techniques section" it says to tell the students not to pinch their noses.

Here is how I normally approach it in my classes:

1. There are situations in class and potentially in real diving situations that you might have your mask off your face. Remember the class is trying to give you the background and training to handle a bunch of what if scenarios.

2. Before ever reaching the no mask breathing skill, the students will have already done a few partial mask floods, a couple of full mask floods, and a couple remove/replace/clear the mask. You will be somewhat used to having water against your nose while underwater through these skills. To help visualize it, if you can do the mask remove, replace, and clear skill, then the no mask breathing is just a longer period of time between the remove and replace steps.

3. To pass the skill, the student only needs to breathe without the mask on, I make the skill a little more "realistic". First everyone kneels down, the student will take off their mask, the student breathes for at least a minute, and the student puts their mask on and clears it at the end of the minute. I can’t fail the person for the "added" steps as long as they breathe for the full minute.

4. With the putting the mask on, it would be difficult to hold your nose during that step. At some point during the mask clearing portion, you have to let go of your nose.

Tips:

–While sitting at your computer reading this, breathe in through your mouth, and out through your nose. In through the mouth, pause, out through the nose, pause, in through the mouth, pause, out through the nose, pause, etc. Use the pause to mentally swtich between mouth breathing and nose breathing. Any time my mask is off my face, I exhale through my nose.

–With just your snorkle, go stand in the shower. With the water hitting/running down your face (and not going in the top of the snorkle), breathe in through the snorkle and out through your nose.

–Water does not magially go up your nose. It only goes up if you inhale through your nose. Work on making the mental swtich.

–I actually tell my stundets not to pinch their noses. If they can’t complete the skill, then I give them some tips and work with them. Even to the point of just doing the breathing part without the mask skills in there. As a second to last try, I let them pinch their nose in the beginning, but they need to let go of it after a couple of breaths. As a last try, I let them pinch their nose.

–You will only do no mask breathing twice in the class. Once while kneeling on the bottom, and once while swimming around the pool. The swimming one is actually easier. You do not have to do this ever again, but it is a good skill to practice for the just in case scenarios.

I’m off to Thailand in a couple of weeks and our first stop is Koh Tao where we plan to complete the open water course.

I was already aware of the requirements like treading water for 10 minutes, swimming 200m, No problem with that at all BUT I recently saw a video of somebody doing a try dive in a pool and they had to take off their mask and keep breathing without holding there nose.

I snorkel a lot and am very comfortable in the water but the thought of having to breath without a mask covering my nose (or without being able to hold my nose to stop the water going up it) terrifies me! I’ve since read that you have to be able to breath without you mask for 1 minute and it’s really worrying me. Can you hold your nose?

Per the PADI Instructor Manual, you have to…

"Breathe underwater for not less than one minute while not wearing a mask."

That is the required part of the skill. In the "suggested techniques section" it says to tell the students not to pinch their noses.

Here is how I normally approach it in my classes:

1. There are situations in class and potentially in real diving situations that you might have your mask off your face. Remember the class is trying to give you the background and training to handle a bunch of what if scenarios.

2. Before ever reaching the no mask breathing skill, the students will have already done a few partial mask floods, a couple of full mask floods, and a couple remove/replace/clear the mask. You will be somewhat used to having water against your nose while underwater through these skills. To help visualize it, if you can do the mask remove, replace, and clear skill, then the no mask breathing is just a longer period of time between the remove and replace steps.

3. To pass the skill, the student only needs to breathe without the mask on, I make the skill a little more "realistic". First everyone kneels down, the student will take off their mask, the student breathes for at least a minute, and the student puts their mask on and clears it at the end of the minute. I can’t fail the person for the "added" steps as long as they breathe for the full minute.

4. With the putting the mask on, it would be difficult to hold your nose during that step. At some point during the mask clearing portion, you have to let go of your nose.

Tips:

–While sitting at your computer reading this, breathe in through your mouth, and out through your nose. In through the mouth, pause, out through the nose, pause, in through the mouth, pause, out through the nose, pause, etc. Use the pause to mentally swtich between mouth breathing and nose breathing. Any time my mask is off my face, I exhale through my nose.

–With just your snorkle, go stand in the shower. With the water hitting/running down your face (and not going in the top of the snorkle), breathe in through the snorkle and out through your nose.

–Water does not magially go up your nose. It only goes up if you inhale through your nose. Work on making the mental swtich.

–I actually tell my stundets not to pinch their noses. If they can’t complete the skill, then I give them some tips and work with them. Even to the point of just doing the breathing part without the mask skills in there. As a second to last try, I let them pinch their nose in the beginning, but they need to let go of it after a couple of breaths. As a last try, I let them pinch their nose.

–You will only do no mask breathing twice in the class. Once while kneeling on the bottom, and once while swimming around the pool. The swimming one is actually easier. You do not have to do this ever again, but it is a good skill to practice for the just in case scenarios.

Both agencies training is about the same. What it’s going to come down to is how you personally feel ( safety wise and value for your buck) about the Instructor and individual dive shop that you train with.

Both agencies training is about the same. What it’s going to come down to is how you personally feel ( safety wise and value for your buck) about the Instructor and individual dive shop that you train with.

im starting a padi open water diving course, then would like to do the padi advanced open water. but i one day would like to move to australia.. what level of course would allow me entry in to oz or nz?

If you’re looking to work in diving you would have to be at least Divemaster level – that means open water, advanced open water, rescue and emergency first response and then of course divemaster. You need about 60 logged dives to complete the divemaster.
Then you could work as one and then further your career as an instructor.

I just passed the PADI Open Water Dive course, I sent the certification form to Bristol headquarter last week, when will I get the certification card?

In the spring and summer, it can take 6 to 8 weeks to have the card processed.

Upon completing the course, you should have received a temporary card. That card is good for 90 days (about 12 weeks). If you haven’t seen your card after about 60 days (8 weeks), I’d call PADI at 1-800-SAY-PADI.

and what will he do there? i am a 11 year old kid who wants to learn scuba diving but at this young age, am i suitable? What will i expect to learn?
yes and my mother allows me to learn to scuba dive in december!

That all depends on the person.
Even though there are age restrictions, how the course runs doesn’t really depend on age, but how smart and mature the student is.

You may be 11 years old but if you are mature enough to pay attention in class, and follow directions well, then you will have no problem getting certified.

The certification classes are not designed to trick you or fail you so that the dive shops can make money. They are designed to teach you the basics and the safety requirements so that when you go in the open water, you don’t run in to trouble and if you do run in to problems, you won’t panic and surface with minimal injuries. If you have questions about anything, don’t be afraid to raise your hand and ask. Remember, dive masters and instructors do not want to fail you or not teach you properly so that if you get in to trouble, they don’t want it coming back to them. They are there to teach you and go over everything over and over again until you understand everything.

They will teach you how to put on and use the gear (BCD, Regulator, octopus, gauge console, mask/snorkel, weight belt, fins), what it will be like under water, how to clear your mask if it gets full of water, managing depth and what to expect under water pressure, managing bouyancy. hand signals, how to surface, how to equalize.. and other things that you will need to know when going under water. It may sound like a lot but it really isn’t.
You will be in class for book reading and videos to watch. Then they will take you to a pool to go over exercises, and skills.
Then there will be a checkout dives, in a quarry or actually in the ocean (usually no deeper than 25 to 30 feet) and you will be certified.

Swimming isn’t important in diving. Yes you will have to swim laps in the pool and tread water for 10 to 15 minuts to show your swimming ability but once you are under water, your swimming skill is not used.

It’s fun, I have Advanced Open Water certification and I don’t dive as often as I would like to (only about 3 times a year) but still it is an awesome sport and cool skill to brag to your friends about

Good luck.

HI i am Tony.. i am a PADI open water scuba instructor from the north manchester area

im offering 2 people the chance to do the padi open water diver course at a low price of £270 each **

if you would like any info please contact me tony7266@hotmail.com

** other costs apply

Cheap advertising on yahoo eh? You should scribble it on a toilet wall as well.

HI i am Tony.. i am a PADI open water scuba instructor from the north manchester area

im offering 2 people the chance to do the padi open water diver course at a low price of £270 each **

if you would like any info please contact me tony7266@hotmail.com

** other costs apply

Cheap advertising on yahoo eh? You should scribble it on a toilet wall as well.

At my local community pool, they are offering a Scuba Diving, PADI Certification, there is no age limit to this. I’m a 14yr old male, and this looks like fun since I love being around water. I’m a pretty strong swimmer, but not the best at distance swimming, Does anyone know what kind of stuff they put you through with this, and how difficult it would be for someone like me? thanks!!!

PADI requirements for the Open Water certification are a 200 yard swim, untimed, and a 10 minute tread/float.

After that, it’s classroom work for your knowledge reviews.

At 14, your not eligible for the full OW course, though. You can take the Junior level open water class, however. You need to be 15 for the full OW class.