PADI Open Water Chapter 2

Chapter Two is divided into five sections:

1. Adapting to the Underwater World.
2. Respiration
3. Dive equipment
4. Buddy System: Communication and Procedures
5. Confined Water Dive Preview

Here are Summary Points from Chapter Two on Respiration:
* For MAXIMUM efficiency, breathe SLOWLY and DEEPLY.
* Overexertion symptoms include fatigue, labored breathing, a feeling of suffocation, weakness, anxiety, headache, muscle cramping and a tendency to panic.
* Prevent overexertion by staying RELAXED and KNOWING YOUR LIMITS.
* If overexertion occurs, STOP all activity & REST.
* Airway control lets you breathe past small amounts of water.

Here are Summary Points from Chapter Two on Dive Equipment:
* Wet and dry suits insulate you, but differ in that you get wet in a wet suit and stay dry in a dry suit.
* Avoid wearing an excessively tight hood asa tight hood will constrict the blood vessels in your neck.
* Wear gloves for thermal protection and to avoid cuts, scrapes and stings.
* Remember the environment is NOT protected from you so use care to avoid damaging aquatic life.
* Be cautious not to overheat in exposure suit.
* The MOST important feature in a weight system is the QUICK RELEASE.
* Locate alternate air source (octo) in the triangle formed by your chin and corners of your rib cage.
* Look for a dive knife with both SMOOTH and SERRATED  edges and a sheath.
* Need dive instruments that tell DEPTH, DIRECTION, TEMPERATURE, TIME, and AIR SUPPLY.

Confined Water Dive Two Skill Requirements:

1. Perform 5 step predive safety check
2. Demonstrate appropriate deep-water entry(s).
3. Clear snorkel of water by using blast method and resume breathing through it without lifting face from water.
4. Exchange snorkel for regulator and regulator for snorkel repeatedly while at the surface without lifting face from water.
5. Swim a distance of at least 50metres/yards at the surface, while wearing scuba and breathing           through snorkel.
6. Demonstrate a descent using appropriate five step method.
7. Completely remove, replace and clear mask of water while underwater.
8. Breathe, using the regulator, underwater for NOT less than one minute while NOT wearing a mask.
9. Demonstrate the response to a leaking low pressure inflator by disconnecting the low pressure hose from the inflator mechanism.
10. At the surface in water too deep to stand in, orally inflate a BCD to at least 1/2 full & then fully deflate it.
11. Adjust for proper weighting, which is defined as floating at eye level at the surface with an empty BCD and holding a normal breath.
12. React to air depletion by giving the out-of-air hand signal in water too deep to stand up in.
13. Demonstrate an ascent using the appropriate five step method.
14. Remove weights at the surface with minimal assistance using the weight system's quick release mechanism.
15. In water too deep to stand up in, remove the weights, scuba unit and fins (if necessary), then exit using the most appropriate means. (Buddy assistance may be provided.)

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i worry that with my cognitive abilities impaired at times that i will screw up and forget things. Katryna assures me that it is easy and will come with practice and time. We will take as long as i need and go as slow as i need to successfully accomplish ALL these goals! i am REALLY excited and looking forward to getting into the pool to start working on these skills! i trained for and ran two marathons, so i know i can do this! Three more chapters to go!