Anyone else really nervous in the beginning?

[nldunn]

Dark water sucks. Actually, any water you can’t clearly see in sucks.

My least favorite dive on earth is 18 feet deep in a nearby inland lake. The water is green, you can’t see anything, and they have sunk things for diver entertainment. You know, boats, equipment, things like that.

The problem is the water is just bright green and you can’t see through it until this dark, foreboding… thing…slowly resolves itself slowly in front of you. It is the absolute creepiest, most intimidating feeling of doom, and I have it for every single object every single time when I dive in that lake. The things in the bottom of the lake are bad enough, but when the objects are tall enough to be noticeably over your head… That is way worse.

I dive caves. I dive 200 foot deep shipwrecks. And I hate that lake the most.

So, yeah. Never feel bad about feeling uncomfortable. We may not all have the same trigger, but we all have that feeling.

ETA: oh, by the way, I’m diving there next weekend. It’s not nearly as bad when there’s ice on top of the lake: all the algae dies back and you can actually see things. I’m actually looking forward to it.

That is wild!! I don't think I could ever do that!! Thank you for sharing.

 

[TMHeimer]

I wasn't really nervous before my first checkout dive in the OW course. I had been down to maybe 12 feet quite a lot snorkeling for many years (free diving as it is called now). I was a little timid though, knowing we were to go down like 20-25 feet and stay down.

 

[nldunn]

I wasn't really nervous before my first checkout dive in the OW course. I had been down to maybe 12 feet quite a lot snorkeling for many years (free diving as it is called now). I was a little timid though, knowing we were to go down like 20-25 feet and stay down.

25 feet seems pretty far down when you are new! I got my NAUI certification at the Jersey shore in 1989 and our first checkout dives were in a well-known quarry in PA. Water was cold, visibility was terrible, we did everything on a platform suspended in the water at about 25 feet or so. We all used pony bottles back then, too. I was so nervous but I did it!

 

[Edward3c]

25 feet seems pretty far down when you are new! I got my NAUI certification at the Jersey shore in 1989 and our first checkout dives were in a well-known quarry in PA. Water was cold, visibility was terrible, we did everything on a platform suspended in the water at about 25 feet or so. We all used pony bottles back then, too. I was so nervous but I did it!

Although I’ve been diving for over 40 years I remind myself of what the 6m training depth is like by looking at a normal house, about 7m to the top of the roof.

 

[nldunn]

Although I’ve been diving for over 40 years I remind myself of what the 6m training depth is like by looking at a normal house, about 7m to the top of the roof.

That's a good reminder that we aren't really that far down!

 

[nldunn]

Hi all,
I’m not new to scuba board or really to diving but I’m very inexperienced. Got certified NAUI in 1989 and then never dove because we had kids. Did a refresher in Cozumel last year to 60 feet and I was so relieved when it was over. Did another refresher type dive yesterday in Curacao and I was so nervous but it went well. She knew I didn’t want to do 60 feet again so we went 32 feet and I really relaxed and loved it.
Doing a guided dive today and they said they can’t keep to 30 - 35 feet and I feel so anxious. I love the ocean, I can free dive of sorts and am a good swimmer but going deep is not comfortable for me yet. I may bail and go back to where I went yesterday although this is all paid for.
I do love it when I feel safe. It’s otherworldly down there.
Any advice more than welcome, including mental exercises.
Thanks,
Nancy

Update from this AM: Did a dive to 56 feet for 48 minutes with Janette from Coral Divers. The woman is just a very gifted teacher and trainer. I was anxious going out as there is a lot of wind here this week and there were waves as we floated ready to descend. I knew all equipment was working properly as my husband and I checked out our own, each other's and Janette did a final check.
As soon as we descended, I was more relaxed. I do feel that when I move my head around or equalize, water gets in my mask so I cleared it each time but I think that's my imagination. I'm good at that by now! We descended and dove along a gentle reef/wall that is there. It was not too colorful but it was filled with sea life! One part of my brain is like, "Wow!! I love this! I feel so free," and the other part of my brain is like, "I could die at any minute if anything goes wrong," but I used my cognitive behavioral skills that I teach clients, and said, "You are knowledgeable, your equipment is fine, if you get a cramp or something goes wrong, you just have to keep breathing, stay calm, and it will get figured out." At one point when I looked up, I could not see the surface the way you see it from 25 feet so I knew we were deeper than my earlier dives this week but I was calm and just enjoying the sites and freedom of flying!
We were at 56 feet for 48 minutes!!!!!! And I didn't even know, which is the amazing thing. Yes, I need a dive computer but I thought we might go deeper this time and I really didn't want to know and stress myself out. Now I know I can go that deep for long and I'm fine.
We saw lots of fish, anemones, a moray eel, no barracuda this time, another scorpion fish and a sea turtle!!! I've never seen one before and I was so thrilled!
I got a little anxious as we got more shallow on the way back because I kept floating up but I kept letting air out of my BC and swam with my head down a bit, rather than up and looking all around like I usually do - probably improperly.
I would love to get a camera for this afternoon's dive with Ocean Encounters. I think it might be time to add a distraction so I don't focus on my fears and my breathing so much.
My daughter is doing her PADI coursework in Maine and we are coming down here in April for her check-out dives and to dive for a week. I'm sticking with Janette for her check-out dives and my first dives back. She is amazing! And the dive was magical!
Thanks for all of your help. You were all a great reassurance both in that I do know more than I think and that this is a relatively safe sport as long as you know your equipment and your limits.

 

[therookie]

Excellent! So glad your dive went well this morning!

From my own experience I would suggest waiting a bit on the camera. I get what you are saying about the distraction, but a distraction can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It's one more piece of gear to keep track of (I managed to lose track of mine and had it float to the surface twice in the same dive one morning - second time I lost I thought it was gone for good. It is a super cheap camera, which was a conscious decision, but still...). Although I really wanted the camera so my non-diving wife can see a bit of what I see underwater, I think it would have been better if I had waited a bit to improve my skills before adding that to the mix.

Focus on enjoying your dive this afternoon (and I think tomorrow morning too, right) and think about the camera when you get back home. You'll probably get a much better price at home than there in Curacao too...

 

[Edward3c]

Excellent! So glad your dive went well this morning!

From my own experience I would suggest waiting a bit on the camera. I get what you are saying about the distraction, but a distraction can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It's one more piece of gear to keep track of (I managed to lose track of mine and had it float to the surface twice in the same dive one morning - second time I lost I thought it was gone for good. It is a super cheap camera, which was a conscious decision, but still...). Although I really wanted the camera so my non-diving wife can see a bit of what I see underwater, I think it would have been better if I had waited a bit to improve my skills before adding that to the mix.

Focus on enjoying your dive this afternoon (and I think tomorrow morning too, right) and think about the camera when you get back home. You'll probably get a much better price at home than there in Curacao too...

I second this^^^?

Adding a camera at this stage could be task loading you don’t want. There are times I leave my camera at home to remind myself why I go diving, rather than looking for the next shot.

 

[scubadada]

...We were at 56 feet for 48 minutes!!!!!! And I didn't even know, which is the amazing thing. Yes, I need a dive computer but I thought we might go deeper this time and I really didn't want to know and stress myself out. Now I know I can go that deep for long and I'm fine...

Hi @nldunn

If you didn't have a computer, you must have had a SPG, depth gauge, and watch and should have been monitoring those yourself, right? Besides getting over your fears, you need to work on becoming an independent diver, that will probably also help with you primary problem. A computer might also help you as you would also know your NDL at all times.

Best of luck with your ongoing diving

 

[digdug87]

Absolutely! I want to learn how to dive for about as long as I can remember. I was still a bit nervous when I did my open water dives.
I was nervous when I did my 1st ocean dives too! And I had over 100 dives when I did that.