Any problems when you first started?

[FL_DVLover]

ahh you are definately not the only one...i love the water also, lots of snorkeling and swimming but the first time i put my underwater and stayed there breathing really freaked me out. i felt like my stomach was doing tumblesaults. it never went away my first time underwater! i was thinking to myself this is not for me i cant get over it! but it kept getting better and i started building a little more confidence. i even got a little freaked out on one of my certification dives because something went wrong and my first open water dive this past february but after that first open water dive i was good to go! still a little nervous because i have only had a few dives but i get a little less nervous everytime

That's just how it was at first. Thank goodness it went away after my first OW session. Good job getting through it. I know how hard it is to get over that wall, but it is sooo worth it!

 

[newdiver3]

oh it is so worth it! after that dive we had 3 awesome dives and i am now addicted and talked my dad into going back to akumal in august strictly for diving...i cant wait!

 

[tstormdiver]

In my first few dives and when I haven't dove in a while, I found out I had a problem with descending. I sub- consciencely inhale extra, which makes me more buoyant (even when wieghted properly). This makes it very difficult to descend. I usually have to use meditation techniques to relax enough to exhale the extra air and begin to sink. I will usually inform my buddy before a dive that this is a possibillity & to be patient, I'll get there shortly. I only have 11 dives right now and I'm able to control this yet. Hopefully with further practice & experience, it will be a thing of the past.

 

[offroaddiver]

I got a bit hyper and trying to basically raise and drop as if snorkeling in the pool. The instructor gave us some free time after the basic skills and he laid on the bottom of the pool and almost went to sleep i went over and checked on him and he looked at me waved and then proceeded to take out his reg and blow air rings. I thought this was rather cool and laid out on the bottom of the pool and did the same. To this day i relax and do it every now and then.

 

[JodiBB]

I felt anxiety last weekend before my AOW class (there's a post around here somewhere about it!)...I was having anxiety about the Deep dive. It seemed daunting about going 100+ feet down! I did it though and even went through my air a little faster than usual.

This weekend, I did 2 more deep dives and didn't feel anxious at all...my air consumption was up to par, even with only 10-15' visability.

I think the anxiety is the lack of the unknown....but it's also a great tool (provided it doesn't turn to panic) to keep you aware of your equipment and surroundings.

 

[TSandM]

I didn't have any particular problems with breathing underwater . . . but that's about all I DIDN'T have problems with. Read my dive journal and get a good laugh and some moral support!

 

[m3830431]

Some here breathing wasn't a problem. Getting down and keeping my feet below me on the descent was more difficult. Also bouyancy control was a treat especially overweighted and not trimmed correctly.

 

[red_infinity]

I had a LOT of trouble with putting the weight belt back on. Turns out I was turning the wrong way the whole time

Also had some equalization issues, still do, but not as bad.

 

[Nova SS]

Me too, had a couple problems in my OW classes.

Funny thing is I spent YEARS under water in submarines and have been to 2750 ft in a dsrv. I deceided to take my OW classes and WOW big differance with out a steel shell around you.

Did great in the pool with all my skills but did my open water in a 50 degree water in 7mm farmer and hood. Got clostrifobic ( SP?) and a face full of 50 degree water is NOT FUN !! Caught myself saying, just breath stupid !!! It takes awhile to get used to breathing under water.

The OW certification is to get you STARTED diving. It shouldnt be an end to the learing process, even if you never take another certification class.

 

[Doc]

It happens to many - as diving is not natural to our senses.

Exactly. I give it The Monkey Test. Do or would monkeys do this (or that) ? Monkeys, we find, do not SCUBA dive. (Standby for archival photos and stories)

Any problems when I first started? Yes.

We did our class inside a commercial pool. Hard to hear and a lot of echoes. This goes back to a day where the instructors would "harass" you- that is to say, while you were performing your skills they would do dumb stuff like turn off your air or pull your mask or whatever. I had not heard that part about where we weren't supposed to retalliate.

He goofed with me, so I goofed right back. Lesson learned: do not mess with a former UDT swimmer. Monkeys wouldn't do that.