How do you get over the nervousness/fear when jumping into unfamiliar dive sites?

[VikingDives]

I've always dived at the exact same dive sites for a long time because I suck at navigations under water when visibility is anything less than ideal (read tropics clear water)

How do you not get nervous and/or get lost in 10-15 ft visibility in unfamiliar sites?
Please share tips/advice on improving my navigations.

Really, I can't believe it's 2021 and still there isn't any commercial easy-to-use under-water navigation system!

You're really new to diving, so it's natural to be anxious in good visibility, let alone bad vis.

You can however do things in and out of the water that can/will help.

Exposure: Set up a dive where you just practice navigation, but make it progressively more difficult. Start with taking a bearing to something at the surface, descend and do 10 or 20 kick cycles on that bearing. Then surface and see how you did. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable, then add some distance (another 10 or 20). Keep working until it's more natural.

Equipment: Most higher end dive computers have a compass that doesn't require you to hold the compass in near-perfect alignment to get an accurate reading.

Reframing: If you google reframing anxiety as excitement, you'll find tons of articles and research. The basic idea is you tell yourself that what you're feeling is excitement and view what you're feeling as a positive. Lots of professional athletes do this before a competition, and there's research that shows this to be effective.

You can learn to do all these things on your own, but you'll probably learn them faster with a good coach/instructor.

 

[Scuba Client]

I've always dived at the exact same dive sites for a long time because I suck at navigations under water when visibility is anything less than ideal (read tropics clear water)

How do you not get nervous and/or get lost in 10-15 ft visibility in unfamiliar sites?
Please share tips/advice on improving my navigations.

Really, I can't believe it's 2021 and still there isn't any commercial easy-to-use under-water navigation system!

What compass do you use? If electronic, I use a timer and proceed several minutes in one direction then turn 90 degrees and do the same until I end up in the same place, conditions prevailing. If you're using a magnetic compass, then head 360 degrees North for 20 kick cycles, turn the bezel 90 degrees to the left and then turn 90 degrees to the right and head straight for 20 kick cycles. Continue using this method and you will end up in the same place, conditions prevailing.

 

[alex_can_dive]

What compass do you use? If electronic, I use a timer and proceed several minutes in one direction then turn 90 degrees and do the same until I end up in the same place, conditions prevailing. If you're using a magnetic compass, then head 360 degrees North for 20 kick cycles, turn the bezel 90 degrees to the left and then turn 90 degrees to the right and head straight for 20 kick cycles. Continue using this method and you will end up in the same place, conditions prevailing.

I used a normal magnetic compass. The way I do it is to set a direction, go straight, then return (make sure to check the compass to ensure that I dont go off course).
Thanks for the 90 degree tip!!! That's actually a really good idea - it allows for more exploring than just going straight Will try it next week!

 

[ginti]

I used a normal magnetic compass. The way I do it is to set a direction, go straight, then return (make sure to check the compass to ensure that I dont go off course).
Thanks for the 90 degree tip!!! That's actually a really good idea - it allows for more exploring than just going straight Will try it next week!

The 90° thing is a bit advanced, in my opinion; here is why.

This black line is the map of your theoretical trip underwater. In theory, you start at 1, and you take a reference, reach 2, then 3 and 4, come back to 1, and recognize the reference, following this black line. Everything easy:

In practice, because you are not perfect, you will do more something like this red line:

If visibility isn't good, when you get to 5, you may not find the reference you initially took, and thus, you may not recognize where you are: you're lost

I would keep it simple at the beginning. Clear, if visibility is good, this 90°tip would serve as aa good way to train on the use of the compass... anything depends on your definition of "good visibility" and your ability to follow the plan.

But this is just an opinion.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I used a normal magnetic compass. The way I do it is to set a direction, go straight, then return (make sure to check the compass to ensure that I dont go off course).
Thanks for the 90 degree tip!!! That's actually a really good idea - it allows for more exploring than just going straight Will try it next week!

Do you have decent maps for the dive sites available to you? An example in my area: The Perfect Dive : Redondo - Des Moines, WA - USA: Pacific Northwest

Maybe some are available from local dive shops? FB/meetup/dive clubs?

Then practicing navigating to different items of interest may be beneficial. That's basically what I do in the last day of my open water course that I teach. Students use maps to plan and execute their dives. I just follow to deal with any emergencies/maintain control per standards. Dive Planning for Open Water StudentsV2_01.pdf

 

[Subcooled]

How do you not get nervous and/or get lost in 10-15 ft visibility in unfamiliar sites?

Right. I know your pain.

"It's only water. It's only water. It's only water. The surface is above. The surface is above. The surface is above."
Repeat.

• this works in zero visibility with all kinds of scary unseen stuff around.
• if diving in an overhead environment, please change it to "The surface is behind me. I can reverse. I surely can". Repeat. Repeat a lot.

Really, I can't believe it's 2021 and still there isn't any commercial easy-to-use under-water navigation system!

Oh, you mean this?

The product: A new system for diver navigation and dive planning – UWIS

- I am in no way related with the company, but I've dived with its owner many times, and I got some free coffee And, oh, I love the product.

 

[alex_can_dive]

Right. I know your pain.
Oh, you mean this?
The product: A new system for diver navigation and dive planning – UWIS

That looks pretty cool!!! I wonder how far along they are to producing the final product?

 

[scubadada]

Go drift diving in SE Florida. You might have your own flag, and get picked up by your boat. If you go on a boat with a guide, you can surface on their flag or surface on your own SMB, and get picked up by the boat. You're never lost

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

ok, this is kind of like a confession...

sometimes if I am nervous, especially for negative entries, I psych myself up on the ride out to the dive site by pretending I'm a Navy SEAL on a mission. there, I said it.

otherwise, I just meditate and do breathing exercises.

 

[alex_can_dive]

ok, this is kind of like a confession...

sometimes if I am nervous, especially for negative entries, I psych myself up on the ride out to the dive site by pretending I'm a Navy SEAL on a mission. there, I said it.

Haha, I'm pretty sure that would only make me more nervous! but thanks for sharing!