Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

This forum is provided for the further edification of our club members seeking to improve their knowledge and diving skills. (recreational diving only)
Post Reply
User avatar
kr2y5
Avid Diver
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:46 pm

Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by kr2y5 »

Do you know any diver-friendly swimming pool, or do you have any ideas for where one can go to practice things like valve drills, propulsion techniques, etc.? This is not stuff that would be convenient to practice during a regular dive (hard to get lots of back-kicks and helicopter turns done when buddy might want to go forward and see octopus). I am looking for some place where I could stay in one place in shallow water and do all the mundane drills for an hour... or does anyone want to buddy up, and practice the drills in Alki 2 together sometime?
User avatar
CaptnJack
I've Got Gills
Posts: 7776
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:29 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by CaptnJack »

I'll go with you. I will warn you, I have a whole bunch of foreign looking crap on TOP of a full sidemount rig! And my back kick in sidemount with a rebreather on top is terrible.

Evergreen has a diver friendly pool, and there are a few others around, but none are as convenient as Cove 1/2/3. And pools tend to be too warm for drysuits plus even in a drysuit with thin undies the weighting is drastically different. Lake Washington at Madison Park (just south of the swimming beach) is also a good spot.
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
User avatar
kr2y5
Avid Diver
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:46 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by kr2y5 »

Oh, wonderful, thanks very much! Replying to the PM... looking forward to it!
User avatar
nwbobber
Extreme Diving Machine
Posts: 455
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:34 am

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by nwbobber »

Richard are you talking about the pool in Olympia? How does one arrange to use that pool. We are making our first warm water trip this spring, and I wanted to play with bouyancy stuff before we go. I'm not going to try my 2.5 mil wetsuit at Sund rock, I won't do it!
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu
User avatar
CaptnJack
I've Got Gills
Posts: 7776
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:29 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by CaptnJack »

nwbobber wrote:Richard are you talking about the pool in Olympia? How does one arrange to use that pool. We are making our first warm water trip this spring, and I wanted to play with bouyancy stuff before we go. I'm not going to try my 2.5 mil wetsuit at Sund rock, I won't do it!
http://www.evergreen.edu/reccenter/directions.htm

Try calling them, I only used it for my CCR MOD1 class and wasn't responsible for reserving it. Its 12ft deep. $2? for parking plus $6 for entry I think.

They have various high school and college swim events so you need to work around those. Make sure they understand you are a scuba diver not practicing diving (not jumping off a diving board).

Personally I would just wing it weight-wise for a 3mm suit, 12lbs is close enough. Add of subtract 1 or 2lbs after the first dive which is never that deep anyway.
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
PlayingInJeans
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:10 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by PlayingInJeans »

Tukwila pool. Don't call. Just show up and say you are practicing skills, otherwise someone who doesn't know wassup is just going to say no.
User avatar
Norris
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 4695
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 2:31 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by Norris »

Ill work on skills with ya if you want to schedule an early morning dive on Sat or Sun at the Muk or near there. Probably should do it in all your gear anyhow as valve drills and what not are much different donning PNW gear. Just send me a PM.
**Pinch it, don't stick your finger through. You're just pinching a bigger hole.
CAPTNJACK - 2012**
User avatar
kr2y5
Avid Diver
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:46 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by kr2y5 »

Thank you, Norris. I cannot make it this week, but would love to buddy up some other time... I am still new, so my enthusiasm for local diving is unlimited, and I am not discouraged by bad weather. Sent you a PM.
Jcraig
Hi, I'm New To NWDC!
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:37 pm

Re: Where does everyone else practice simple skills?

Post by Jcraig »

I'm 58 yrs old . Ive been diving for a year, I have less than 10 dives under my belt. I'm land locked in Spokane and I need a dive buddy to practice and sharpen skills with.
I do own quite a bit of my own gear. but still have to rent a wetsuit and tank.

I would love to hook up with some local divers and plan a bunch of spring summer and fall dives in the greater Spokane area. Pooling funds can make an expensive trip, not hurt so much, and a big bonus is I have family on the coast near the sound.

JC
Post Reply