PADI OPEN WATER UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE SHEET
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔How do I measure/define visibility as a diver? - ✔✔The distance you can see
horizontally underwater
✔✔What 4 principles affect visibility? - ✔✔Water movement, weather, plankton, bottom
composition
✔✔When diving in a mild current, in what direction would I normally go? - ✔✔Swim
slowly into the current so that when you turn the dive, the current will push you back to
your exit point
✔✔What do I do if I'm caught in a current and am carried downstream from where I
planned to dive or exit the water? - ✔✔Swim perpendicular to the current
✔✔What two things in the water affect a diver? - ✔✔The waves and current
✔✔What is assessing conditions based on? - ✔✔The weather, season, water motion,
water appearance, reports online and from other divers, and dives made at similar sites
✔✔What should I do if I see a potentially aggressive animal underwater? - ✔✔Remain
still and calm. Swim away if you become uncomfortable
✔✔In what depth water do waves break? - ✔✔In the surf zone, in water only slightly
deeper than their height
✔✔surge - ✔✔A back-and-forth motion caused by waves passing overhead
✔✔undertow - ✔✔The water of waves flowing back to sea under incoming waves
✔✔rip current - ✔✔When waves push water over a long obstruction and the water
underneath funnels back to sea through an available opening
✔✔What should I do if I get caught in a rip current? - ✔✔Establish buoyancy and swim
at a sustainable pace parallel to the shore
✔✔upwelling - ✔✔Usually caused by wind blowing from shore, pushing surface water
away, resulting in cooler, deeper water rising towards the surface to replace it
✔✔What 3 environmental conditions does tide generally affect? - ✔✔The current,
depth, and visibility
✔✔bow - ✔✔The front of the boat
, ✔✔stern - ✔✔The back of the boat
✔✔port - ✔✔The left side of the boat as you face forward
✔✔starboard - ✔✔The right side of the boat as you face forward
✔✔leeward - ✔✔The side away from the wind
✔✔windward - ✔✔The side toward the wind
✔✔The bridge/wheelhouse - ✔✔The portion of the boat where the controls are
✔✔head - ✔✔The boat's toilet facilities
✔✔galley - ✔✔The boat's kitchen area
✔✔swim step - ✔✔A platform on the stern that is close to water level
✔✔What are characteristics of a responsive diver? - ✔✔They are breathing, alert, and
active
✔✔What are the 4 basic steps for assisting a responsive diver at the surface? - ✔✔1.
Help reestablish breathing control
2. Have the diver take slow, deep, breaths
3. Give the diver a chance to rest and recover
4. Assist the diver to the boat or shore
✔✔What are the 4 basic steps for assisting an unresponsive diver at the surface? -
✔✔1. Establish buoyancy for the victim and yourself
2. Call for help
3. Check for breathing and begin rescue breaths as you tow the diver
4. Continue rescue breathing and get the victim out of water
✔✔How should I breathe from a freeflowing regulator? - ✔✔DON'T seal your mouth on
the mouthpiece. Hold the second stage and press the mouthpiece outside your lips, or
insert one end of the mouthpiece into your mouth and "sip" breaths. Begin ascent
immediately
✔✔In order of priority, what are my four options if I run out of air underwater? - ✔✔1.
Take lighter breaths and don't attempt a safety stop as you ascend
2. Use an alternate air source from your buddy
3. Make a controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA)
4. Make a buoyant emergency ascent
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔How do I measure/define visibility as a diver? - ✔✔The distance you can see
horizontally underwater
✔✔What 4 principles affect visibility? - ✔✔Water movement, weather, plankton, bottom
composition
✔✔When diving in a mild current, in what direction would I normally go? - ✔✔Swim
slowly into the current so that when you turn the dive, the current will push you back to
your exit point
✔✔What do I do if I'm caught in a current and am carried downstream from where I
planned to dive or exit the water? - ✔✔Swim perpendicular to the current
✔✔What two things in the water affect a diver? - ✔✔The waves and current
✔✔What is assessing conditions based on? - ✔✔The weather, season, water motion,
water appearance, reports online and from other divers, and dives made at similar sites
✔✔What should I do if I see a potentially aggressive animal underwater? - ✔✔Remain
still and calm. Swim away if you become uncomfortable
✔✔In what depth water do waves break? - ✔✔In the surf zone, in water only slightly
deeper than their height
✔✔surge - ✔✔A back-and-forth motion caused by waves passing overhead
✔✔undertow - ✔✔The water of waves flowing back to sea under incoming waves
✔✔rip current - ✔✔When waves push water over a long obstruction and the water
underneath funnels back to sea through an available opening
✔✔What should I do if I get caught in a rip current? - ✔✔Establish buoyancy and swim
at a sustainable pace parallel to the shore
✔✔upwelling - ✔✔Usually caused by wind blowing from shore, pushing surface water
away, resulting in cooler, deeper water rising towards the surface to replace it
✔✔What 3 environmental conditions does tide generally affect? - ✔✔The current,
depth, and visibility
✔✔bow - ✔✔The front of the boat
, ✔✔stern - ✔✔The back of the boat
✔✔port - ✔✔The left side of the boat as you face forward
✔✔starboard - ✔✔The right side of the boat as you face forward
✔✔leeward - ✔✔The side away from the wind
✔✔windward - ✔✔The side toward the wind
✔✔The bridge/wheelhouse - ✔✔The portion of the boat where the controls are
✔✔head - ✔✔The boat's toilet facilities
✔✔galley - ✔✔The boat's kitchen area
✔✔swim step - ✔✔A platform on the stern that is close to water level
✔✔What are characteristics of a responsive diver? - ✔✔They are breathing, alert, and
active
✔✔What are the 4 basic steps for assisting a responsive diver at the surface? - ✔✔1.
Help reestablish breathing control
2. Have the diver take slow, deep, breaths
3. Give the diver a chance to rest and recover
4. Assist the diver to the boat or shore
✔✔What are the 4 basic steps for assisting an unresponsive diver at the surface? -
✔✔1. Establish buoyancy for the victim and yourself
2. Call for help
3. Check for breathing and begin rescue breaths as you tow the diver
4. Continue rescue breathing and get the victim out of water
✔✔How should I breathe from a freeflowing regulator? - ✔✔DON'T seal your mouth on
the mouthpiece. Hold the second stage and press the mouthpiece outside your lips, or
insert one end of the mouthpiece into your mouth and "sip" breaths. Begin ascent
immediately
✔✔In order of priority, what are my four options if I run out of air underwater? - ✔✔1.
Take lighter breaths and don't attempt a safety stop as you ascend
2. Use an alternate air source from your buddy
3. Make a controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA)
4. Make a buoyant emergency ascent
