SCUBA Theory: Surface Dives and Water Entry
SCUBA Theory is following the wet sessions of a unique, semester(three month) long university level Advanced Open Water SCUBA class. Last week we got the fins out. Today we're getting into basic skin diving and SCUBA skills with surface dives and water entry techniques. Most open water courses don't teach all of these entries, so it's a good series to read up on if you are already certified.There are four surface dives and three water entry techniques that we teach in the wet sessions. pike, tuck, kelp and spread eagle dive. (Yes, I said spread eagle dive, not entry.) I'll go through each one - today you even get whiteboard action to help you visualize what's happening.
The pike dive is the first surface dive we teach. As you're swimming forward, you use your arms to pull your torso under water. Keep your legs straight and raise them above you. The weight of your legs out of the water will provide the downward force for the dive.
The tuck dive is similar to the pike. Again moving forward, use your arms to pull your torso under. The difference is that you tuck your legs up then stick them straight up in the air. Once more the weight of your legs out of the water will drive you down.
To perform the kelp dive, assume a water treading position and put your hands down - you can grab your shorts to make sure you keep them against your body. Use your feet to kick you up out of the water. At the peak, stop kicking and straighten your body. The weight of your torso out of the water will drive you down under. The point of this dive is to get under the water without tangling your arms in a kelp bed.
The spread eagle dive is like the kelp dive, but we use our hands to get up and go below the water. We press our hands down with the kick and once submerged raise them up to assist with the dive.
The first water entry we teach is the forward roll. The dive steps up to the edge of the platform/boat. Place a hand on the mask/over the regulator to keep them in place. The other hand is used to brace the mask holding arm. The diver crouches a bit and rolls forward into the water. No jump is needed, just lean a bit and let gravity do the job.
The backward roll is more challenging with skin gear than SCUBA. First we look over both shoulders to make sure we're clear of obstacles (boats, people, etc). Grab the mask with one hand to keep it in place. Tuck your legs up to you and your body weight will be shifted back enough that you'll fall backwards into the water. In full gear the tank makes this entry very, very easy.
The spread eagle or giant stride entry is very popular. When done properly the divers head should never go below the surface of the water. Again securing the mask/regulator with one hand, bracing that arm with the other. Standing at the edge of the platform/boat, the diver steps forward. All of the energy is used to step out as far as possible, not upward. The feet are apart at water entry, and they are scissored together to slow the descent into the water.
Those are all the skills we covered for the days water session. There are a few normal problems. Most people let their legs come apart during the pike and tuck dives. The backward roll takes some confidence - falling backwards isn't that natural the first few times. On the giant stride most people have to work on their timing to keep the head clear of the water.
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