What happens during the 4 cert checkout dives?

[gargoyle999]

Thinking about getting my open water scuba cert this summer. We have done a couple discover sessions, one in a pool and a two tank dive when we were on our cruise to Hawaii in April.

 

Just curious what the 4 checkout dives are like? Are you shown something and need to demonstrate or are you supposed to know what you need to know after the pool sessions and they tell you to do something and you need to do it.

 

If someone could share what the checkout dives are like I would appreciate it. Mostly I'm worried I may fail something and not get my cert. In particular taking my mask off underwater is going to be an issue for me I think.

[scubagirrl]

Thinking about getting my open water scuba cert this summer. We have done a couple discover sessions, one in a pool and a two tank dive when we were on our cruise to Hawaii in April.

 

Just curious what the 4 checkout dives are like? Are you shown something and need to demonstrate or are you supposed to know what you need to know after the pool sessions and they tell you to do something and you need to do it.

 

If someone could share what the checkout dives are like I would appreciate it. Mostly I'm worried I may fail something and not get my cert. In particular taking my mask off underwater is going to be an issue for me I think.

 

you first have to do several classroom sessions and pass a written test.

Checkouts include mask removal, buoyancy, donning your bcd, cramp removal, emergency issues and other lessons that you should have learned in your pool lessons. You will be given signals to do certain tasks while under water.

 

The quick pool lesson that you take for discover or resort course is a very simple version. It doesn't teach you anything about the sport which should include Safety, compression and other issues.

Go to the library or purchase the OPEN WATER Dive course book.

[gargoyle999]

we'll be doing the classroom and pool with the same dive shop we do our checkout dives with so I'm not trying to take shortcuts. :)

 

mostly just curious what you do since you have to do 4 dives. Do you do the same thing each time, different tasks each dive, etc.

[Bellfree Bat]

If someone could share what the checkout dives are like I would appreciate it. Mostly I'm worried I may fail something and not get my cert. In particular taking my mask off underwater is going to be an issue for me I think.

You will need to take off your mask under water as well as remove your regulator. These are important skills as well as flooding and clearing your mask. If you are ever on a dive and lose your mask, would you not want to be able to recover it and replace it? You will practice this in pool sessions and I suggest you become comfortable before your Open Water dives. Diving is a great fun sport but also dangerous and you need to become versed in all the skills to be safe.

[Capt_BJ]

In my experience the specific skills you will be asked to demonstrate varies a wee bit by the agency doing the certifying

 

but, no skill will be asked that has not been first practiced in the pool, and b4 each checkout dive, what you will be doing will be talked about b4 the dive. On the first dive it is common to form the group into a circle and go around the group demonstrating the same skills you did for a 'discovery dive'. PADI will even count a discovery dive as the first checkout with documentation in the past 12 months (dau just did a disc and got a card documenting for this purpose, but it would also be up to the course instructor as to if they'd honor this)

 

Each checkout tends to involve a few skills then a little paddling around under supervision like a discovery with each time allowing a wee bit more freedom until the 4th where after the skills test you pretty much are allowed to go your own way - - or at least that's how it worked for me and I've done the basic more than once as I repeated with the spouse and dau so they had moral support as they went thru. They did PADI altho my first time around was NAUI (a LONG time ago)

[Friscorays]

.....In particular taking my mask off underwater is going to be an issue for me I think.

 

This was the hardest skill for me because I was not expecting the sensation that getting some water up your nose while underwater can elicit. From what I recall (hard to believe I could forget as I dreaded it), the skill was required for all four open water dives.

 

In the end, I found it simple to practice in a pool with mask and snorkel to increase my confidence after I had been certified. Some also recomend starting slow in your bathtub or sink. I wish the instructors had warned that this might be a problem in advance as practicing without scuba gear really helped and several others in my class had the same problem.

 

Even today, I still make sure to keep a good distance between my mask and the fins of my nearby companions even though I am now much more comfortable with the skill!:eek:

[gargoyle999]

Ok thanks everyone. Mask off will be a hard one for me. Guess I'll just have to give it a try and see how it goes.

 

We did take our regulator out and let float off to the side and retrieve it and fill out masks and clear them, although only about 1/4 full of water. I'm sure the actual cert training will be more involved but at least I have experienced it to some degree.

 

We didn't get into sharing regulators or anything like that.

 

All I can do is try and hope I can deal with that skill test. :)

[topspot]

We (DH,DD and I) got certified last summer. Took the classes, the dives are just as described as above. Your instructors want you to pass and be safe. They will work with you until both you and they feel you are comfortable with the skills and capable of doing them.

DH and DD had no problems with the test. I had problems with bouyancy on the first dive, and chickened out. The dive shop instructors had me go back to the class for just some "pool time" and after three or four extra pool sessions I was ready and passed the test.(no extra cost for the extra pool time)

BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF, and practice, practice practice. It is well worth it:)

[kittenkboo]

I you would like more information on what to expect, learn and accomplish during your check-out dives, go to scubaboard.com. There are a few forums just for new divers or those considering dive sport.

 

Good luck!

[gargoyle999]

I you would like more information on what to expect, learn and accomplish during your check-out dives, go to scubaboard.com. There are a few forums just for new divers or those considering dive sport.

 

Well, I've just stayed up waaaay past my bedtime checking out posts over there. That is a very good site. Thank you for mentioning it.

 

Think I'll spend some time on the tub as a first step. At least I'm not the only one with mask removal issues. :)

[kittenkboo]

Gargoyle999-

 

You for sure are not the only person with mask removal/clearing issues. I had the same, only wish I knew about scubaboard.com prior to certification. Most divemasters anticipate difficulties with this skill. I found that if I made it clearly known to my DM and needed extra time to regroup myself, it was appreciated and no pressure from DM or other students.

 

One of the scubaboard posters, I think an ex-Navy diver, suggested to practice breathing in through the mouth and out the nose while doing your everyday tasks, like driving, at work, etc. I think is handy.

 

Good luck, be patient with yourself, don't feel rushed while doing the skill underwater. You spent good money to learn an awesome sport.

[gargoyle999]

Good luck, be patient with yourself, don't feel rushed while doing the skill underwater. You spent good money to learn an awesome sport.

 

Thanks! We signed up today for a course/dives in Aug. Now we have a lot of reading and homework to do beforehand! :)

[Ottawa_cruise_man]

I recently got my open water certification through a PADI shop in Ottawa, Ontario.

 

Since we were diving in cold water, we had full gear on, including a hood and gloves. Now the hood's opening is smaller than the mask's seal (part of mask that makes the seal on your face). This is a tricky thing to figure out, but there are tricks!

When I didn't have the hood and gloves on, it was an easy task - just think it out, and do it. Remember to tip your head correctly, and press at the top, and exhale through your nose. Just keep repeating this over and over again until you get it right, and you can do it without thinking about it.

When you have a hood and gloves on, it's a much more difficult task, since you not only have to clear the water out, but you have to ensure that your hood is over the mask's edge, and not under it. My problem was compounded by the fact that I have a moustache, so it was hard to make a seal to begin with.

BTW, the trick is to pinch the hood just above the mask, pull out, stick thumb from other hand under hood's edge, pull hood away, release the pinch, slip other thumb under the hood (both thumbs should be under hood now, then slide both thumbs under hood until you get to the middle of your mask where the straps are.

Repeat this for the hood's edge under the mask, and you have cleared the hood from the mask.

Now, I was only shown this trick on my second of 4 open water dives!!! It was not a good feeling to be diving at 40 feet with water in your mask.

 

So learn these skills until you are good at it.

And don't worry about failing the course: the instructors want you to pass. Just identify what you are week at, and make sure the instructor zones in on those weaknesses and and get your money's worth out of them. It's not about passing the course - it's about staying alive and diving safe.

[Capt_BJ]

among the many reasons I do not dive in water colder than 85 degrees.

 

tried it once and decided WHY !

[Ottawa_cruise_man]

among the many reasons I do not dive in water colder than 85 degrees.

 

tried it once and decided WHY !

 

Some of the die-hard divers here do something insane (my opinion) in the Winter: they cut a hole in the ice, dive underwater and then play soccer upside down under the ice!!!:eek:

[gargoyle999]

Well, we did the class and pool work a couple weekends ago and have our open water dives this weekend! Mask removal and clear was OK. Swimming around w/o the mask underwater was very unpleasant but I did it! DW said I looked terrified which was probably true. Should have shut my eyes while DW was leading me around instead of having them wide open since I couldn't really see anything anyways.

 

I'm mostly worried now about doing the budda position floating since I had trouble with that in the pool. I can't really just sit there without tipping over!

 

And clearing my ears will be the other challenge. Are vented ear plugs allowed by PADI during the checkout dives?

[KJHorton]

I'm mostly worried now about doing the budda position floating since I had trouble with that in the pool. I can't really just sit there without tipping over!

 

And clearing my ears will be the other challenge. Are vented ear plugs allowed by PADI during the checkout dives?

 

It doesn't matter if you hover in the "budda position" or otherwise, as long as you are motionless. If you tip to the side, upside down, etc., as long as you don't fin your arms or move about, you pass this PADI certification skill.

 

If you are worried about clearing your ears, why would you wear vented ear plugs? That would only complicate things.

[gargoyle999]

If you are worried about clearing your ears, why would you wear vented ear plugs? That would only complicate things.

 

From the scuba site mentioned previously it seems like there are others out there who use them due to equalization issues. Supposed to make the pressure change right after descent less abrupt (which the hard part for me).

[Capt_BJ]

descend slower ....

 

as an old school diver I find the concept of ANY ear plug + diving a non-starter

 

almost like anything over the top of the tube on my snorkel

 

++++

 

OK "bad advice" here BUT

 

30 minutes b4 first dive of the day I take 2 Sudafed .... it opens the sinus passages which also eases your eustation tubes .... the path for 'equalization'.

 

And if there is ANY doubt about being clear, two snorts of a nasal spray decongestant as I gear up. Now THAT opens things up. I breath normally on the way down and seldom have an equalization problem. I don't usually need to 'equalize' in the sense of grab my nose .... a little jaw wiggle and I feel it happening.

 

If it DOESN'T equalize, I stop my descent....rise a little...let things settle down then try again more slowly......

 

Now WHERE did I hear this b4????

[KJHorton]

From the scuba site mentioned previously it seems like there are others out there who use them due to equalization issues. Supposed to make the pressure change right after descent less abrupt (which the hard part for me).

 

But at some point, the pressure has to equalize. It makes more sense to keep up with it and descend slowly.

 

Have you tried clearing your ears just before you begin your descent? This helps some people.

 

I agree with Capn BJ, except I go for the 12 hour Sudafed.

[KJHorton]

DAN article on the use of earplugs

 

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=33

[gargoyle999]

Well, first two dives are done. I used a couple squirts of Afrin since I have used that in the past for colds and know it works on me. It seemed to help.

 

I did have to go slow and go up about a foot a couple times but was able to get down 20 foot to the platform we used without much struggle.

 

Mask flooding still SUCKS though! :cool:

[scubadiver888]

From the scuba site mentioned previously it seems like there are others out there who use them due to equalization issues. Supposed to make the pressure change right after descent less abrupt (which the hard part for me).

 

First thing I'd like to say is that everyone is entitled to an opinion and the Internet lets us voice our opinion. Doesn't mean we are right. I have read a few things on the previously mentioned scuba board that I do not agree with.

 

That said, I have a more than difficult time clearing my ears. I've been doing it for 10 years and I still have to go slower than most the people I dive with. This is just the way I'm built. I just take my time. I doubt a set of ear plugs are going to help. Knowing what I know about physiology and diving, I'd expect it to have the potential of making things worse.

 

The important things to remember (a) if you can feel the pressure on your ears, it is too late to equalize properly and (b) the first few feet are the hardest.

 

(a) I will go down slowly and equalize my ears often. Swallowing, wiggling my jaw, thrusting out my lower jaw, squeezing my nose and blowing SOFTLY. If I feel the pressure on my ears, I'll kick up a little to stop my descent then equalize. The more I felt the pressure the harder I'll kick up

 

(b) From the surface to 33 feet the pressure will be 2 times. If the pressure was increasing evenly, it would be 4 times at 66 feet but it is actually only 3 times. In other words, If I go from 5 feet to 10 feet I might need to clear my ears 3 times but if I go from 60 to 65 feet I don't need to clear my ears at all.

 

At the surface you should be doing: clear, clear, clear.

 

Once you get down to 20 feet it might be: clear, one thousand one, one thousand two, clear, one thousand one, one thousand two, clear.

[scubadiver888]

Well, first two dives are done. I used a couple squirts of Afrin since I have used that in the past for colds and know it works on me. It seemed to help.

 

I did have to go slow and go up about a foot a couple times but was able to get down 20 foot to the platform we used without much struggle.

 

Mask flooding still SUCKS though! :cool:

 

I would HIGHLY recommend against using Afrin. Afrin and other Oxymetazoline Hydrochlorides (Sudafed *****, Dristan, Vicks Sinex, etc.) have a condition called rhinitis medicamentosa (rebound congestion). If you were to go on a dive trip and rely on Afrin for the trip, near the end of it you might suffer from rebound congestion. If it happens underwater you will have what is called a reverse squeeze. Essentially what happens is you go down fine but at the end of the dive, as you go up, the air in you inner ear and sinus cannot escape. Even on a dive as shallow as 33 feet, when you come to the surface the air will double in size. You will cause irrepairable damage to your hearing and possible go deaf. The pain will also be horrible.

 

I have been told other drugs like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, original not PE or *****) don't suffer from this effect but I have no medical evidence to back this up. You know you have the original Sudafed because it is kept behind the counter. Pseudoephedrine is used in the manufacture of illegal drugs. If you attempt to purchase large quantities of it the pharmacist will call the police. Therefore you have to ask the pharmacist for it even though it is an over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

[gargoyle999]

Well, I now know all about the 4 checkout dives. DW and I are now certified open water scuba divers! :)

 

We'll now be diving in Cozumel and Grand Turk in Nov while doing back to back cruises. :D