Conquered Some Fears and First Shore Dive

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I also agree with most of the replies. Laurie, how are the rest of your 20 skills? My big trouble (AND in OW class) was doffing & donning the unit. This one really held up my DM. But this was not a case of fear, just ineptness. I would be concerned that you refer to having a fear with those things.
 
I don't see whats wrong, she has 96 dives and maybe by the end of this week he will have 100. So she has 50 more dives then the requirements for DM. Yeah it might seem like a little short of experience but who is to say? She might have a lot of experience where she wants to be a DM at, but lack some confidence with OW skills.

I know of people (i dare not to say) who do the whole shabang in month, they get OW next week AOW and rescue, and after that they sit around the pond do 20fww @ 15 min bottom time, and drift down a section of river 50 times and the start of the next month its into the DM class. :shakehead:
 
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I still think this is a joke.

It doesn't matter even if it is a joke as it is still a decent topic of conversation for the "basic forum." Dive long enough and with enough people and you too will come to realize that the OP's issue is very common even after OW classes and beyond.
 
Over the years I have been involved with, NAUI, PADI, and now SSI in some form or another.
SSI is using; “knowledge”, “equipment”, “skill”, “experience”…. they all work together.
As divers, we understand how they all rely on the other, and knowing what needs to be fixed defines the quality of diver we are.
 
You know, I did all the skills for my OW class, and had no issues with any of them (except I choked myself the first time I had to flood and clear my mask). But a couple of months later, I realized I wasn't comfortable with a regulator out of my mouth, and I didn't like that about me. So, like the OP, I practiced switching regulators, and doing air-sharing drills, until I got so comfortable with a reg out of my mouth that I've come close to trying to BREATHE that way. I applaud Laurie for addressing her weaknesses, even though I do think that all that kind of stuff should have been addressed and solved long before a diver gets to a DM class. What was going on with her AOW and Rescue instructors, that they never asked her to do these things, or picked up on the fact that she wasn't comfortable doing them?

Anyway, kudos to you, Laurie, for fixing the problems.
 
hmm, to OP. Try to do regulator remove and replacement, reg/octo exchange, mask removal ... WHILE you are NOT moving at all in mid water. If you can do it while remaining at the same depth, without affecting your buoyancy at all, then this skills are truely your 2nd nature. It may sound easy, but it is a lot more difficult than doing it while swimming around. So just another challenge for you :)
 
Good for the OP to be working on her problem areas... however you shouldn't have ANY problems areas before even considering to be a DM. Divemaster comes with a huge responsibility-- you are overseeing other peoples' LIVES. In my (probably worthless to some) opinion, I think you should have a minimum of 300 dives before taking the DM course, AND experience in shore/boat/ocean/lake diving.

Good luck OP, I hope you take into consideration what people are saying and don't take peoples' opinions as a personal attack.
 
Well, I've never had to swim without the mask even in my OW class. I wear contacts and wasn't required to do it. It's stupid, I know. So, now I've done it, end of discussion.
Its a requirement during confined water in an ow class,in module 3 or 4, I am going by memory here,as I do not have my prompt cards in front of me. If you wear contacts just keep eyes closed during required skill. Being just able to do the 20 skills is different than being able to do it in a comfortable manner,so that it appears to be easy to do.That is the demonstration quailty which is required in a DM course
Hell,just for fun I used to do a complete dive without a mask and then complain to the captain about the poor visibility on the dive site :)...
 

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