Scuba diving rocks
September 20, 2004I’m taking a scuba-diving class at the YMCA, and yesterday was our first day in actual scuba gear. Last week’s class was just some swimming tests, and intro to the basic equipment (fins, snorkel, mask). Yesterday’s class was the medical class–we learned all about the ways you can die when diving. Turns out there’s problems both on the descent and the ascent. But nobody ran screaming from the class, so then we went to the pool and started practicing.
The first hour or so in the pool was with the basic equipment–learning how to clear the mask underwater, clearing water out of the snorkel, how to use the fins. Then we got into the real scuba stuff–learned how to strap the bouyancy compensator (essentially an inflatable vest) onto the air tank, how to connect the regulator (your actual breathing apparatus) onto the tank, and then how to slip the whole thing onto your back.
It was incredible fun–swimming around the pool completely underwater, it was amazing. Definitely worth the money so far.
It was however also very tiring. The correct stroke of your legs takes a lot of effort, as you’re having to keep your feet pointed and the fin is an enormous drag as you kick up and down. I cramped up a couple times and it’s clearly gonna take me a while to build up to where I can do serious swimming with these fins.
The class runs for another three weeks. We’re gonna have to practice stuff like adjusting your internal pressure as you dive deeper (basically involves holding your nose and blowing gently, to inflact your sinuses and ear canals). And I bet we’ll have to do some rescue stuff, like how to use the buddy breather that comes attached to the regulators.
TrackBack URI