Bad experience on very first dive... looking for some advice

[Prostardiver]

I see the big points have been covered so I'll just toss in a quick tip. I notice that you had to hunt for your inflator. A handy technique is to not let go of it as you descend. Instead, after getting downward motion, I switch the control to my right hand. My console is in my left hand so I can monitor my rate of descent. This can be handy when you have no visual references.

Remember that after you get going down you still need to add air to your BC so you don't crash into the bottom. It kind of looks like Bugs Bunny dropping out of an airplane without a parachute and just stops before he hits the ground.

In addition to keeping my controls in hand, having my arms crossed like that helps to keep me streamlined.

 

[flots am]

Should we have worked on buoyancy skills before going into the open water?

Yes. Your instructor should have worked with you on buoyancy in the pool until you had it pretty much nailed.

What exactly were the mistakes I made,

You picked an instructor who took you out on your open water dives before you were ready.

and would any new diver have made them in my place?

Yes. Unfortunately, almost nobody knows what they're missing in a SCUBA class until it's too late.

Does it make sense to practice the skill- in the pool- of being able to locate any piece of equipment, such as the bc fill valve, with gloves on and without being able to see it, over and over and over until it is automatic?

Sure. A big part of the class is letting you manipulate all the controls and learn where they are and what they do.

Both of my eardrums had been ruptured before, more than once on different occasions in the past. Should I even consider diving, as I have heard that ruptures get easier and easier each time they occur?

Although you would need to check with an ENT to make sure there's nothing weird going on with your ears, you should be equalizing the pressure in your ears long before you feel anything. Eardrums rupture because of the pressure differential between the the water and your inner ear. If you equalize properly, there should never be any significant pressure difference and you shouldn't have any problems.

All the problems you had should have been handled in the pool, long before you were ever taken out for your Open Water dives.

My personal reaction would be to demand a refund and find a different instructor, however if you want to give this one another shot, explain all your problems and tell him.her you want to go through the poosl sessions again and you want all these problems properly addressed and you want enough time to practice until you have them all nailed.

By the time you're don in the pool, you should have your buoyancy nailed (no up and down unless you want to go up and down) and there should be no pressure or pain in your ears.

flots

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Both of my eardrums had been ruptured before, more than once on different occasions in the past. Should I even consider diving, as I have heard that ruptures get easier and easier each time they occur?

That is only enough information to say "it depends."

I have ruptured my right ear drum 4 times, and I am one of the "no nose pinch" divers. I have only had one sinus "cold" day where there was any problem for my ears during scuba diving, or much faster descending free diving. I now wear a wax plug for any head first over 10 meters cliff diving.

Depending on the details of your ruptures, you might have had to have a Doctors Release to take scuba lessons. If you answered a truthful "no" to your pre training Medical Statement, you still might not even require a Doctors Release, because the "no" could still be truthful.

I am usually the last to blame a fellow instructor based on the first internet forum post, but, I do not see how the instructor would not have been just a couple feet below you after you corked to the surface, so that when you first let go of the inflator he would have instantly grabbed it and controlled your descent easily.

That is why I mention the Medical Statement, because you might have to do a new one with your new Instructor.

 

[steve1122]

Though I am responding to your post here, I would also like to say I greatly appreciate everybody's response to my questions. Based on all your answers, I am convinced I had a weighting issue. I understand how I could control neither my ascent nor my descent- that's crucial.

Understanding the cause of the problem is for me an absolute requirement if I am to even consider continuing with my cert. If I do not understand the root cause, then for all I know, I am going to continue repeating mistakes. I am starting to entertain the idea that I could give this another shot after I am sure the ear is healed up. I'm sure I will make other mistakes, but I won't be making that particular one again. Thanks again to all- you have been very supportive and helpful..

 

[hypertech]

Steve,

It is important to remember that overweighting will make buoyancy more difficult. It does not make good buoyancy impossible. I regularly dive overweighted so I can chase students and give up weight if a student is underweighted and still have enough for myself. With experience and practice, it's not a big deal.

As a new diver it ads task loading you don't need. That's what happened. The extra weight let controlling your buoyancy get ahead of you and that's where the problem arose. A proper weight check will help reduce this and make it easier to manage.

 

[EFB]

I was overweighted on my check out dives last weekend. It was not a good feeling. I also had ear issues (and still do). I appauld you on not panicking (I did before my first dive but was able to calm down and get the tasks done).

I wish you well with your ears and your diving.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Some people are naturals the first time they dive, while others are overwhelmed by all the things that they have be aware of. Over time, they might be able to handle these situations that arise, r they could still be oblivous to what's going on (even if they don't panic).

 

[Matt S.]

Steve, you kept your head when things went bad, and now you are here working hard to figure out what went wrong. You're not a screwup. In fact, you're destined to be a better diver than most.