Overview
The training program is governed by the Irish Underwater Council. There is a defined training programme to be followed and before any bottle training commences, the initial Pool training requirements for general fitness must be fulfilled and then a medical is required and insurance fees to be submitted. Scuba diving is a dangerous sport and is therefore strictly regulated and controlled so that accidents may be avoided. Any medical concerns will be highlighted in the Indoor Pool training program overseen by the Club's very capable and experienced Diving Officers.
The new training season begin in November in the Longford Swimming Pool. Training times for next season will be published at a later date. The initial training focuses on evaluating your swimming skills and general fitness. The training will help improve your confidence in the water and steadily improve your overall fitness. The course is conducted by experienced training officers and mentored by experienced Divers and diving officers. The Club facilitates the younger generation and Longford Scuba divers have a Junior snorkellors program to cater for their training needs. The equipment required for the initial training is a set of Fins, Snorkel and Mask, but these items can be supplied temporarily while setting up. See the following link or web page to get details of local and other equipment suppliers in the region. Scuba diving is a very enjoyable leisure activity, initial start up costs may be tough, but the sights to be seen are absolutely worth it.
The initial phase of training, starts by teaching the trainee how to snorkel, fin and just generally get used to the basic equipment. Then activities like removing the mask, putting it back on and clearing it are practiced. Each Pool session is followed by a technical lecture generally given in "Andy's Bar", where lost fluids may be replaced!!! The Pool training continues with emphasis on Bottle training in the new year, with the trainees getting used to setting up the equipment, Bottles, Regulators and various Buoyancy aids. The first task is to get used to breathing under water, a common problem is to remove the Regulator if any breathing difficulties arise, so getting comfortable and confident with a bottle and Reg is essential.... Then Buoyancy is the next challenge to overcome, because as a new trainee, one tends to leave too much air in the lungs when diving. With training and general confidence one learns to deal with the air intake ratio. Bottle training element also cover removing and putting the equipment back on and then most importantly to Buddy Breath and fin while buddy breathing with your partner. (Very Important techniques)
Then moving on to training with the Buoyancy aids like ABLJ and Stab jackets. Buoyancy control is very important to try and get right before the diving season begins but it is difficult to master in a shallow dept. swimming Pool. Then it is just practice, practice until open water training. Also note, that some training activities are also done with no mask or a blackened mask to replicate poor visibility scenarios.
Open Water
The initial phase will be just to try snorkeling in open water, just to initially get a trainee used to the outdoor scene. This is done a number of times and then the trainee is let loose with his designated buddy with a complete diving Kit.
Points to note when going for your first dive:
The first thing to do is to release SOME of the air from your Stab jacket. It takes some getting used to, but, it should be just enough to get you below the surface of the water, take the time to do it, there is no need to rush it. If you dump too much initially, you can descend too quick to get a chance to EQUALIZE the air pressure in your ears, and believe me it can be painful if you don't equalize quickly and properly. I find that just pinching the nostrils firmly shut, then forcing the air into the nostril to inflate it will help to quickly equalize the pressure in the ears. Once below the surface you can level out and then just drop your head down and fin to descend. As the dive is in progress you will constantly need to adjust you buoyancy depending on your dept. Check your contents gauge regularly and ensure that you know the hand signals.
Relax and Enjoy the dive and by all means stick with your Buddy.
Ascent then is the task which be influenced by the Dive tables and again the skill at which you control your Buoyancy is very useful. Don't forget your Stops and when you break the surface it is a good idea to keep equalizing for a while. Under CFT guidelines, the diving depths are strictly controlled and planned. The trainee diver must follow a specific roadmap of dives leading to the Club Diver Qualification.
So Happy Diving folks!!!!