What things in diving give you the willies?

[herr2720]

Running into an old store mannequin chained to an anchor that someone placed at the bottom of a lake with poor visibility.

 

[mello-yellow]

1) Surprise dark or silted overheads that didn't come up on the dive briefing for an "open water" dive

How do you possibly get into an overhead without noticing it? Sure, a very bad dive briefing may not mention a cavern, but you do not have to enter it!

2) Taking video of a giant manta, then turning around to see that I had lost all reference to anything around me, except for some vague shadows in the distance, and seeing that the 45' viewing point where I was watching said manta with a group of divers had become 90', and I was all alone. Manta hypnosis ... my bad.

I do not have a video camera (or any underwater camera for that matter), but I can relate to this. Pretty much the only thing underwater that gives me the willies is having no solid reference points. When you are in mid-water and cannot see the bottom, and it is all featureless green murk in all directions... I get really uncomfortable. What I am mostly scared of is the idea I might ascend uncontrollably, and not even realize it is happening. On few occasions I experienced such "green space" (or worse, "black space"), my eyes were glued to depth gauge. Not fun.

---------- Post added February 27th, 2014 at 03:36 PM ----------

I remember solo diving on the Shinkoku Maru in Truk Lagoon. Bloody big boat. I mean really bloody big.

Anyhow, I am ambling around the deck and there is a hatch, which is open. I don't have a reel, but I figure I pop in and go down a few feet. I shine my light in every direction. I can see nothing except the deck above me that the hatch is on. Just blackness in every other direction. I go back up and check that the hatch is solidly stuck open with coral growth. No chance of getting locked in. I decide to go back into the hatch and descend to the bottom of the hold. The water is crystal clear, and I figure I can always see the hatch as it will be this bright blue light above me.

So in I go and I descend. Ten feet. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. At fifty I stop. I shine my light in every direction. Still nothing can I see in any direction. That hatch with the blue light coming in is looking awfully small. For no rational reason I can fathom I suddenly became very afraid.

I would say your fear at that point was entirely rational. Good lesson as to why not to attempt penetration without proper training/equipment.

 

[rhwestfall]

yep, open water ascents are less than joyous (especially when being done because your "chasing" an insta-buddy who decided to do a "blow-and-go" from 115' with no warning)

 

[Donnah]

1. Being the last one off the dive boat, descending, and finding out that no one is there
2. Ascending, reaching the surface, and finding out that the weather has changed drastically, and there's no crane to bring be on board
3. Getting lost on a night dive

Yes, I have coped with all of the above OK. I just don't like them!

 

[islanddream]

1. One of my biggest fears that gave me the willies was getting sick underwater and having to throw up in my reg. I didn't know if I could really do it without choking. I now have quite a bit of experience puking into my reg....UGH....not that I like to, but it sure makes me feel better when I do.

2. Another thing that gives me the willies is being on a night dive and having another boat (or ten) drop their divers right where our group is located. Talk about confusion and wondering if I'll ever find my dive buddy and group! We finally bought the light (looks like a Christmas tree bulb) that attaches onto the tank so my buddy and I can easily see each other.

3. Having to climb up the ladder in rough seas strikes terror into my heart. I've done it, but I don't like it!

4. This has never happened and I hope it won't.....don't laugh....having to go #2 while in a full wetsuit while underwater.

 

[nimoh]

1. One of my biggest fears that gave me the willies was getting sick underwater and having to throw up in my reg. I didn't know if I could really do it without choking. I now have quite a bit of experience puking into my reg....UGH....not that I like to, but it sure makes me feel better when I do.

2. Another thing that gives me the willies is being on a night dive and having another boat (or ten) drop their divers right where our group is located. Talk about confusion and wondering if I'll ever find my dive buddy and group! We finally bought the light (looks like a Christmas tree bulb) that attaches onto the tank so my buddy and I can easily see each other.

3. Having to climb up the ladder in rough seas strikes terror into my heart. I've done it, but I don't like it!

4. This has never happened and I hope it won't.....don't laugh....having to go #2 while in a full wetsuit while underwater.

here is an educational video demonstrating #4

The Warhammer Maneuver - YouTube

 

[the_dragon_no1]

Hmmm... i do alot of cold water night diving solo, and stuff like that don't scare me to much. Am abit more "on edge" but i think thats only for the good.

The geting-to-sleep the day before. Ohh yeah! Hate that!

Other than that. .. when im solo and feel something is behind me, and maybe even touching me at my legs.. could just be a small fish, but gives me the chills often ! .


Sent from Tapatalk using Samsung S4.

 

[mike.chuanshi]

The thought of not being able to dive anymore.... *shutters* :nervous:

 

[redacted]

One thing that has not been mentioned yet is the land sharks. You know, those scuba retailers who will say or do damn near anything to get into your wallet and try to empty it. I got bit a few times when I first started. Sometime it may take a while before you even realize you got bit. I'm much more careful now but you have to keep your guard up.

 

[sphyrnidus]

The very first time I went on a night dive was in 1968. We didn't have any lights so we had to wait till it was full moon on Curacao, so we could see something. I still don't know why we did these sort of things. Probably just because we could at 18 I was immortal or was I. About 30 minutes in to the dive, I had of course lost track of my buddy. Then I felt something moving in on me and I looked beside me and saw this 2 meter moray eel (about as tall as I am), swimming next to me in the same direction, about a foot away. It totally scared me at first..