how is the class? I heard the guy is a navy seal and you swim a lot. Is this true?

4/11/2006 9:12:49 PM

i dont know anything about it

but i am signed up to take it in the fall

4/11/2006 9:27:03 PM

Im worried if it is a lot of swimming. I am an alright swimmer, but not a member of no swim team and I am kinda out of shape

4/11/2006 9:28:10 PM

I've heard that its rediculously hard... one thing you have to do is a ditch-n-don without a surface breath... drop your gear come up flick the water but don't break it and then dive back down and put your gear on...

I think that you get rescue certified but thats it, you don't get deep and wreck (required to dive on NC coast)

Quote :

"After all first aid and rescue skills including training in CPR, AED, Oxygen Administration, and open water rescue diver skills are completed, students will gain a basic understanding of selective types of diving specialties as time permits. "

4/11/2006 11:02:19 PM

One of my friends took this class last semester. He died attempting the final exam.

I would recommend taking it credit only.

4/11/2006 11:25:35 PM

PM sent

4/11/2006 11:57:35 PM

like, for real died?

4/12/2006 12:28:04 AM

Quote :

"deep and wreck (required to dive on NC coast) "

Bullshit!

4/12/2006 1:25:39 AM

Yeah, I think only about 40% of students who choose to take the final exam make it through alive.

4/12/2006 1:27:28 AM

Quote :

"I heard the guy is a navy seal and you swim a lot."

The instructor that teaches Scuba II is Larry Brown, diretor of Aquatics. The former navy dude is Matt Rever. Brown is known to be a bit tougher than Rever or Carrol in instruction, but you really learn your stuff. Contact EhSteve if you want some more info on the course, as I know he took it ... probably can also tell you what certifications he got.

As far as if you "swim a lot" ... I know Carrol for 226 required for a half mile swim in 16 minutes. If you can't do a mile in the pool, I seriously doubt you are going to have the strength/breathing ability to tow somebody 2x or more your weight. Take PE104 with Pollard if you think you'll need assistance in this area.

4/12/2006 5:40:45 AM

i took it a couple of semesters ago, it was a great class. But yes it was a lot of work...but you also became a great scuba diver. You practice all sorts of different scenarios and its really cool. But the 2 days you go up to the quarry are intense, like 15 hour days full of diving, i came home sick and barely thought i would make it to the second day. But stick to it, everyone made it throug and no one failed, except for one or two who quit early in the semester. As far as the swimming goes i was a horrible swimmer, but just go slow and you can make it through
good luck

4/12/2006 7:34:39 AM

are you for scuba?

4/12/2006 12:52:24 PM

I'm currently in the class and I'll say that it's probably one of the best classes that I've taken at NCSU.
We don't do a huge amount of swimming, but you should probably be in decent shape while taking it. Swimming isn't a big deal, just get off your lazy ass and do it. It's kinda pathetic that you're worried about swimming for a class that is in the WATER.

Coach Brown is former Navy; Coach Carroll was a former Navy Master Diver, and I think Matt was in NROTC in college but I'm not sure about anything after that. All three will make you a great diver, but I will say that Coach Brown has the most 'militaristic' style of teaching. Do what he says, when he says to do it. Coach Brown is harder as an instructor but when y ou're done you'll feel quite a sense of accomplishment.


To the "ridiculously hard" comment--if I can do it, I'm fairly certain you can too. Most of the class is really an exercise in mental toughness.
Note that if you haven't actually TAKEN the class, why did you post in the thread? If you haven't taken it and you've only heard about it from other people then that's classified as "hearsay" and holds no merit whatsoever. I wouldn't personally listen to anything someone says who hasn't taken the class.

As to certifications--we will receive NAUI Advanced Scuba Rescue Diver and probably IANTD Advanced Nitrox. Neither deep, nor wreck, are required to dive off of the NC coast, although some dive charters will request that you have Advanced certification, which I beleive is part of "Advanced Rescue." We are also trained in DAN CPR, AED, Oxygen Administration, and basic life-saving skills.


PS--if you're signed up to take it but you haven't taken 226--scuba 1 here at NCSU, I would highly advise doing that before signing up for scuba 2.

4/12/2006 4:48:09 PM

CharlesHF nailed it.

It's challenging, but you really do learn the skills, and for way cheaper than you would anywhere else.

4/12/2006 7:24:29 PM

Quote :

"PS--if you're signed up to take it but you haven't taken 226--scuba 1 here at NCSU, I would highly advise doing that before signing up for scuba 2."

I concur. If you got your open water certification from an outside course (no matter how good), you will probably want to tkae 226 before scuba 2. There is no way you can learn/retain as much in a 3-4 week course as you can in a full semester. You will be a little lost if you jump right into scuba 2 if you haven't had a lot of recent experience (ex. you got certified at AquaWorld in Cancun 4 years ago and now you want to take scuba 2).

4/14/2006 9:02:31 AM

I've only seen one person in my class who didn't take 226 do decently in 227, and that can be linked to his Cavern/Intro to Cave courses. Our class is taught similarly to a Cavern/Intro to Cave course--donate from the mouth, obsessive about trim and buoyancy, always always buddy teams, etc.

4/15/2006 1:04:10 AM

im in 226 right now
and i reccomend that course before you take any advanced courses
there is a MASSIVE amount of information you need to know for the final
its not hard
read the book and its easy
but its still a lot of information!
i dont see any need for advanced courses personally unless i wanted to do a specialty dive.
getting NAUI cert in basic diving and nitrox is good for me!

4/16/2006 1:11:38 AM