SCUBA Adventure Part 3

We passed the pool tests!!! The swim test was actually really easy (8 laps just sounds like a lot, it's really not that bad). I tried for the first lap to do the "real" swimming by using the breaststroke, but man, that takes a LOT of energy! So, about 1/4 of the way into my 2nd lap, I turned over and just backstroked the rest of the way. I probably could have kept going several more laps easily. Then we were able to tread water for 10 minutes (the instructors brought a couple of balls over so it wasn't like we were just floating there with nothing to do!). Then we just did a whole bunch of skills the rest of the time. We learned what to do if our regulators come out of our mouths (lean to the right, sweep your arm around and find the regulator, put it in your mouth and purge by either 1) blowing out if you still have enough air, or 2)push the purge valve on the regulator to clear the water out), how to clear water from our masks, which will come in handy whether we're snorkling or diving (press the top of the mask against your forhead and lift the bottom part of the mask away from your nose and blow until all the water is gone), and how to breathe in the water without the mask on (it's harder than you might imagine!). We did all these skills in the shallow end and then moved to the deep end (about 12 ft). Then today, we practiced more of that, and also added 1)ditching the weight belt, 2)emergency ascents (both swimming and bouyant), and 3)buddy breathing/buddy tow. So, I'm feeling pretty comfortable with everything at this point, but the rest test will be next weekend when we do our open water dives...assuming we actually get to go next weekend. The forcast is calling for snow, and apparently we'll have to reschedule if that actually happens. Anyway, it's all going really well. I got cold about half-way through our time yesterday and went ahead and put my wetsuit on. It helped a TON and today I just started out with it and everything was great. Tyler got cold about half-way through each day, but they didn't give the guys wetsuits for the pool, so he just had to get movin' to get warm :) So, we're half-way done!! Just one more week and we'll be certified!