Class Review

Get Certified For S.C.U.B.A. Diving With Dive World
by Amy Bauer

I have always been a fan of the water. As a kid I was the first one in the pool and the last one out. After mastering the underwater handstand and perfecting the cannonball, I knew I had found a second home in the water.

As an adult, however, I have discovered that if I want to keep my residency in the water, I had better step up my skills. S.C.U.B.A. (Self-Contained, Underwater Breathing Apparatus) seemed like a great way to achieve a higher water education.

Dive World offers S.C.U.B.A. certification classes year round. The retail store, located at 12129 Ranch Road 620 North, Ste. 440, is filled to the brim with S.C.U.B.A. trinkets and gadgets galore — from wet and dry suits to compasses, multicolored fins, specialized timepieces, hand-held dive computers and more. Everything you could ever need for underwater exploration is all here under one small roof.

I didn’t have a clue where to begin. That’s when my instructor came into the picture. Mark Rosseisen, a S.C.U.B.A. diver of seven years and an instructor of six months, taught me and my two classmates, Bob and Nancy Dietrich, the many basics.

On day one of our week-long class, we covered topics such as how diving affects our senses. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and even common sense undergo change when S.C.U.B.A. diving. For example, we learned that sound travels four times faster and that your body actually loses heat 25 times faster under the water.

“Water conducts heat better than the air does, so heat gets taken away from the body faster underwater,” explains Rosseisen.

On day two we were introduced to our diving equipment. There are many necessary items you need in order to successfully and safely do a dive. The necessary gear includes a mask, booties, fins, BC (buoyancy compensator), weight belt, regulator and tank. The buoyancy compensator is a vest that aids in ascending and descending. As experienced snorklers, Bob and Nancy were familiar with the basic equipment, but the rest of the equipment was a bit overwhelming to us all. Rosseisen took careful time and effort to make sure that we understood the importance of each piece of gear, its functions and how to assemble it correctly. It’s possible to rent the equipment, but Mike Moore, the owner of Dive World, prefers that his students purchase their own.

“We do rent, but when someone is training, it is important to have your own mask, fins, snorkel and booties. It’s important to have equipment that fits properly — it makes the class much more safe and enjoyable,” Moore explains.

On the days that followed, we learned the dangers associated with S.C.U.B.A. diving. It was stressed to us that although S.C.U.B.A. can be a very fun experience, there are definite dangers and warnings to heed. I assumed that the biggest S.C.U.B.A. problems would likely be if I ran into some dangerous coral, encountered a shark or simply ran out of air. Turns out, all of these problems are rare and the more common danger lies in our own bodies’ reactions to being underwater for an extended amount of time. For instance, decompression sickness, more commonly known as “the bends,” occurs when a diver comes up to the surface too fast or stays underwater for too long. According to our S.C.U.B.A. manual, nitrogen bubbles form in tissues after exposure increases gas pressures and decompression. This ailment can lead to impaired vision, skin rashes and even unconsciousness.

Rosseisen taught us the importance of having a dive plan in order to avoid ailments such as these. There are dive tables that every diver must refer to before a dive. After doing the math (a part of the course that was least appealing to me), students should be able to calculate how long he or she can safely remain underwater and at what depth.

Each day of class was split into two portions: first was the classroom instruction and second the underwater experience. Dive World has a pool in the back of the shop that makes it easy and convenient for the class to practice.

“The pool is designed exclusively for S.C.U.B.A. training,” says Moore. “There’s a shallow end and a deep end with no in between. Doing the training on site makes the training more pleasant and professional.
While in the pool, we practiced many maneuvers intended to prepare us for unexpected and dangerous situations when diving. We practiced clearing our masks and regulators in case of water build-up, recovering our regulators in case they float away and also emergency out-of-air ascension. Equalization was the most difficult part of diving for me. We’ve all experienced the feeling of pressure in our ears and sinuses, whether it resulted from diving down too far in the deep end of a pool or feeling the change of pressure when heading sky bound on an airplane. To get rid of this feeling while S.C.U.B.A. diving, you have to equalize pressure by descending very slowly, pinching your nose and gently blowing out in order to “pop” your ears. This can be difficult for even the most experienced divers.

On the final days of class we took an 80-question exam and did four open dives in the freezing waters of Lake Travis. Needless to say, these dives were completely different than being in the safety of Dive World’s heated, chlorinated pool. The four of us, each loaded down with 30-pound tanks, 25-pound weight belts and wet suits, slowly made our way into the murky, catfish-laden 66-degree water. Despite the freezing temperatures, we all passed and received our hard-earned certifications. Bob and Nancy’s certification was to be used for their upcoming diving trip with friends.

“We’ve gone snorkeling quite a few times and seen great things like sea turtles,” Bob says. “We wanted to try something that would let us get a closer look.” I am personally looking forward to many other diving experiences. This class is an excellent choice if you are looking to add some adventure to your aquatics resumes.

Dive World also offers Professional Diving Instructor Corporation classes year round, starting every Monday in peak season (early spring through summer) and every third Monday in off-season (fall and winter). Classes are $150 per student. Class members also receive a discount on their snorkel gear. Visit www.diveworldaustin.com or call (512) 219-1220.