Going too fast too soon?

[knowone]

Whatever floats your boat, just leave time to consumate your marriage.

 

[Peter Guy]

From my perspective, I don't think you are rushing at all. In fact, "back in the old days, before a certain unnamed agency ruined all of dive training by making it convenient and accessible to people" (or so one might infer from posters "from the old school"), what you have done by taking OW, AOW and Rescue, is put together the type of class he would call "Basic Scuba."

Go out, have fun, read a bunch, dive, have fun, join a dive club, come up to Seattle and do a dive with NWGrateful Diver and/or TSandM and who knows, you might be introduced to some of those other instructors and agencies of which you write.

 

[elmer fudd]

It seems to me that you're only going too fast too soon if you're endangering yourselves in the process. The classes you've been taking are not risky ones. They're actually good common sense classes that should help prepare you for typical recreational diving.

Myself, I was considering taking an advanced Nitrox/decompression class but I'm putting that one off because I don't think I'm quite ready for it yet. I find myself having some anxiety issues when low visibility is combined with depths greater than 100'. It's a safety issue. When I feel I've got things sorted out I'll proceed with the class, but for me taking it now would be going too fast, too soon.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I find myself having some anxiety issues when low visibility is combined with depths greater than 100'. It's a safety issue. When I feel I've got things sorted out I'll proceed with the class, but for me taking it now would be going too fast, too soon.

Me too ... and don't expect it to get any better. Mine hasn't ... even with a lot of exposure and practice.

We both dive in the same area, and what you're describing (anxiety in low vis at depth) is a classic symptom of "dark narc". Some folks are more susceptible to it than others ... and while you MIGHT be able to acclimate yourself to it, it'll never go away.

Best way to deal with it is to combine your Advanced Nitrox class with Deco Procedures and Helitrox. Putting a little helium in your breathing mix will make that anxiety go bye-bye ... it'll also reduce the tunnel vision that you probably haven't yet even realized is a contributing reason why you're feeling anxious ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[stargost]

I’ll second all what has been said here. I don’t think you are really rushing.
We also ‘rushed’ to get to Padi Rescue, as like Peter-Guy said, it was clearly the minimum basic scuba training to get asap.
I don’t see a lot of value of all the other Padi specialties, and I prefer to learn how to dive ‘deep’, how to ‘navigate’, etc ..through fun dives with different more experienced buddies. I may get the ‘underwater naturalist’ specialtiy, for for complete different purpose.
I was pushed to get nitrox, but didn’t see the value at first, probably only missed it once or twice. I see some value for doing the DM, to be able to see how things are taught and how divers going through OW behave and so on (like: what mistakes I haven’t done yet, but I could absolutely do ;-), but it will wait, and I see much more value or going through another agency indeed (GUE,for fundies) before, which will get the nitrox as a bonus anyway!
So at the end, I don’t think there is any ‘going to fast’ as long as you are enjoying the dives, with or without instructors. Lots of dives with different environments and with different conditions and buddies seem to bring more value and fun so far, at least for us.
But I’ll rush to get to cave 1 before I’m too old !

 

[elmer fudd]

I'm sure that's exactly what it is, because I do just fine at moderate depths. I dove at Dockton last week and the vis absolutely sucked. At 4' my buddy was just a shadow and to see details you had to get 18" or closer. We were down there for over an hour at depths between 25' and 40' and the only anxiety I ever felt was during a total siltout where I couldn't see a thing. Even then though it was nothing like the panicked feeling I'd get from the same thing at 120'.

Also, when the vis is good I do OK at depth.

I find it helps to have a bottom beneath me. 120' on the Lobster Shop wall feels more than a little freaky, but I've done it a few times now.

 

[knowone]

It seems to me that you're only going too fast too soon if you're endangering yourselves in the process. The classes you've been taking are not risky ones. They're actually good common sense classes that should help prepare you for typical recreational diving.

Myself, I was considering taking an advanced Nitrox/decompression class but I'm putting that one off because I don't think I'm quite ready for it yet. I find myself having some anxiety issues when low visibility is combined with depths greater than 100'. It's a safety issue. When I feel I've got things sorted out I'll proceed with the class, but for me taking it now would be going too fast, too soon.

They seem insipid. A bit of anxiety, keeps you alert, some narc, cool, wrong formula a ha to much. Boom. Get the gas.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

They seem insipid. A bit of anxiety, keeps you alert, some narc, cool, wrong formula a ha to much. Boom. Get the gas.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DCBC]

From my perspective, I don't think you are rushing at all. In fact, "back in the old days, before a certain unnamed agency ruined all of dive training by making it convenient and accessible to people" (or so one might infer from posters like DCBC), what you have done by taking OW, AOW and Rescue, is put together the type of class he would call "Basic Scuba."

Absolutely, but you would first have to learn how to SWIM. :mooner: LOL

 

[njedrn]

I did the same start... OW. AOW, NAV, Wreck, Deep... now I'm taking some time to do diving without an instructor. Come this summer I'll be taking rescue. I feel like I have a strong knowledge background now to apply to my dives. I really like the structure of the classes... but being able to apply that information to dives is an even better rush.