Is it normal to be scared before your first pool session?

[Diver0001]

Hello,

I feel nervous about getting the bends or blowing out my eardrums on my first pool dive.
Anyone experienced this before?

It's normal to be apprehensive. Don't worry. Just take your time and remind yourself that you're in the water with people who know what they're doing and are trained to keep you safe no matter what.

Tell your instructor how you're feeling so they can account for that. I've seen many students who felt nervous at first and some people need more than the standard amount of time and attention for relaxation and breathing to really reach the zen mode. If you think you might be one of those people then don't be shy about it and ask your instructor from day one for extra time in the water between lessons (if possible). It really helps to have a couple of extra hours in the water to just learn to relax and for the extra cost involved it's a part of your training that you'll never regret going forward.

Good luck and keep us posted.

R..

 

[Hostage]

I wasn't scared at all, though I tend to be a little less fight or flight than most people. There was a woman in our class, who was a bit nervious.

 

[sparky923]

I was OW certified this past June, and I was apprehensive as well. My sinuses were damaged due to a horse kick to my right cheek bone years ago and I have had severe problems with them. I just knew that they would give me trouble.

During the pool session, I did fine and equalized easily. I had trouble in the open water section, but that was due to inflamed sinuses from water skiing the week before and not treating the inflamation prior to diving.

I thought that my sinuses would be my only problem, but I was wrong. Getting used to breathing underwater was a challenge that I hadn't foreseen. It just didn't feel natural. As much as I wanted it to feel like second nature, it just didn't. For 47 years, I had been blessed with all the air I could ever need, and while underwater, I didn't feel like I was getting enough. Having to pull air through a mouthpiece with my nose covered by a mask just didn't feel natural, because it wasn't.

It didn't help that my BCD wasn't fitting right, and my weights were too far forward causing me too struggle with my balance either. The more I struggled, the harder I sucked on my air, making it feel like my air supply wasn't adequate. It was frustrating. After the first 15 minutes in the pool, I wouldn't have given anyone a plug nickel for anything to do with diving. I just didn't like it. BUT I DIDN'T GIVE UP!! I talked to my instructors, and told them what I was feeling. They got my BC straightened out, my weights repositioned so I could get comfortable and help me to RELAX

Once I felt comfortable, then the breathing started taking care of itself. The less I struggled, the less air I needed, so I wasn't puffing on my resperator and feeling that my supply air was inadequate. I started having confidence in my ability, and my equipment. From that point on, I got more and more comfortable until at the end of the first day, I really hated coming up from the bottom of the pool.

Just try to get comfortable with your equipment and don't struggle with it. It will only complicate things. Once you learn to relax and trust your equipment, you should do fine.

Good luck on your dive. You've got a whole new world of adventure ahead of you!!

 

[drbill]

It is definitely not uncommon for a person to be concerned about venturing into something fairly unknown such as SCUBA diving. You have a lot of company out there so please don't think it unusual. In fact, it is healthy to have a bit of fear because it suggests you recognize there is the possibility that something can go wrong. With proper training and a bit of experience under your (weight) belt, you will find that diving can be a very safge activity and a very relaxing one as well. Hope you enjoy your certification class and that you focus on what you are being trained in. Learn the skills, safety procedures and other aspects of the activity and you will learn to enjoy an amazing experience!

 

[DennisS]

My first pool dive was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I remember thinking "I'm breathing.....................underwater" This was impressive for someone who spent most of their underwater time up until then holding their breath

 

[RTee]

Some apprehension...as Devon said is healthy as it will or should make you think twice about the unknowns and how to properly prepare yourself before facing them.

On a personal note, I do not think that I was apprehensive about my ears or other possible physical ''traumas'' but more toward own capability at accomplish all the various aspects of the course that were and are probably still inherent to NAUI curriculum. However, the acquisition of skills and knowledge plus practice during said course sure boosted my self-confidence.

Apprehension...will it go away after your course? I think the one about your ears will probably go away, unless you are afflicted with chronical ear problems of course, but it will probably be replaced by a certain apprehension before diving unfamiliar and/or challenging sites/environments.

 

[Interceptor121]

It is normal to be anxious but saying you are scared is excessive the first confined water is designed to have a very gradual introduction to the equipment so hopefully everything will go well
Think that you will have fun that helps

 

[RonFrank]

You can not get the bends in a 10-12' deep pool. It is going to be difficult blowing out your ears in a shallow pool.

There is really not much that can go wrong aside from an earache if you don't clear properly.

Focus on your skills and paying attention to what the instructor has to say. If you are having issues clearing work on it before class. You should be able to clear now! Practice right now. If you can not clear you ears work on it. I just cleared my ears twice while I wrote this!

Ear problems due to clearing improperly is the #1 dive injury in new divers. What I mean by improperly is failure to clear in time, and forcing it. That can work out or result in mild or even severe middle/inner ear injury.

Clear early clear often is not some meaningless saying, its something to live your life by if you dive. Practice clearing along with the other skills.

Enjoy and be safe.

 

[Splitlip]

My first pool dive was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I remember thinking "I'm breathing.....................underwater" This was impressive for someone who spent most of their underwater time up until then holding their breath

Same here. I looked foward to it for weeks.

 

[lowviz]

Is it normal to be scared before your first pool session?

I would hope so.


Confined water diving, in retrospect, is far more important than was ever explained to me. This is where situational awareness skills are either taught or just form. From one of my OW instructors it was, do this, do that, follow me. From my other OW instructor, it was "what is the most important thing that you must attend to now?" "I don't know" is a perfectly acceptable answer. Think, don't just follow. If you just follow it will be hard to become independent.

Be aware of what is happening around you. You are allowed to use your brain.

Confined water diving with a good instructor is safe enough that you can put aside the fears and concentrate on what is important. Think.

Ask questions.

Think.