Lesson 46

Lesson Seven: Swimming at the Surface

Course Complete

In this lesson your will learn about swimming on the surface with scuba gear

1. Why is it a good habit to keep my mask on and a snorkel or regulator in my mouth while at the surface in water too deep in which to stand?

2. What are three reasons why I may swim on the surface while scuba diving?

3. What are two methods for surface swimming while scuba diving?

4. How do I maintain the buddy system while swimming at the surface?

Swimming at the Surface

You commonly spend time at the surface with your BCD partially inflated at the start of a dive before you descend, and at the end after you ascend. You may do this waiting for your buddies to enter, or when getting out, while waiting your turn to exit. Sometimes you descend and ascend some distance from where you enter and exit the water..

It is a good habit to keep your mask on and a mouthpiece (snorkel or regulator) in place whenever you’re in water too deep in which to stand. This is because under stress, you tend to do what you do by habit. When in difficulty, you may need to see and breathe effectively with your face in the water. If your mask is off and/or you have no mouthpiece in, you respond more slowly if you must put them back on to deal with a problem. Therefore, the habit that helps reduce and handle problems is having your mask on and a mouthpiece in your mouth, even when it might seem unnecessary. If in an emergency it is better to have your mask off and/or mouthpiece out, you can remove either or both much more quickly than you can put them on.

Keeping your mask on and your mouthpiece in place has other benefits. It protects your vision and airway from unexpected splashes or waves. You’re less likely to lose a mask that is on your face. If you need to talk, do so – then replace your mouthpiece.

If you will be at the surface for more than a few minutes, use your snorkel to conserve your air supply. At the end of a dive with your cylinder nearly empty, you need a snorkel to breathe with your face in the water or in choppy conditions.

There are three common reasons why you may swim on the surface while scuba diving.

To save air when you must enter the water some distance from where you want to descend and/or ascend. You do this so you don’t waste air on the surface swimming to and from your descent/ascent point.

To save air while looking for where you want to descend. Especially in clear water, you do this so you don’t waste air looking for a particular spot you want to visit on the bottom. You look for the spot from the surface on snorkel, then descend directly to it on scuba.
Because you may surface away from your exit point and must swim to it on the surface. If you’re low on air, for example, you would use your snorkel to make the swim easier

Surface Swimming Methods

There are two methods you use for surface swimming. The obvious one is to swim face down breathing through your snorkel. This is good when you want to see the bottom.

For longer swims, though, you can swim on your back with your head out of the water. This can be less tiring. The only down side is it’s a little harder to watch where you’re going – but it’s not that difficult. Even though your face is out of the water, breathe through your snorkel. Adjust it slightly if the tip is in the water when you’re on your back.

On the surface, the buddy system still applies. Stay close enough to help each other quickly, just as you do underwater. Use the same methods for staying together at the surface that you use underwater. Generally, it works well to swim side by side.

Quick quiz