Last wednesday we took an advanced class in SCUBA.  For me it was learning to use a drysuit.  We started by setting up our gear and then learning how to ‘don the suit’.  Once the suit is on, that sucker is really tight.  My question was “What happens if you get an air bubble at your feet? do you float to the surface upside down?”  Dave, our instructor said “Sometimes that happens”.  I knew he was holding something back.

When we finally got in the water, Ben was teaching us the drysuit skills.  This is typically how our lessons go.  We know nothing before we get there, and just jump in the deep end and start our lesson.

Dave hasn’t lost any gear yet, so I guess his teaching works.

The first skill was a forward somersault, and it was easy.  Then Ben told us he was going to have us hold on to a handle at the bottom of the pool while he filled our drysuit up with air.  Then when he gave us the ok, we would let go and try our forward somersault while trying to remove the air from the suit.  This is a skill I did not master on the first try.  I almost made the full somersault, but ended up floating at the surface with my drysuit mostly inflated - looking like the Michelin man.

Take 2 was more successful.