Disappointing Open Water Dive certification...

[KD8NPB]

As a Michigan diver, I feel your pain.

90F air temperature, 50F bottom temperature. The temperature change at the 2nd or 3rd thermocline damn near gives me an ice cream headache.

The secret is to gear up VERY close to the water.

I usually get my boots and wetsuit legs on, then sit in the water for a minute to flush water into the legs and boots. I then slip on the arms of my wetsuit. If I've got a wait, I leave the back unzipped so it flushes out easily. If I get hot, I'll just lay in the water to cool down.

DO NOT put your hood, gloves, BC/tank on until the last minute.

Don't feel rushed. When you're uncomfortable, you create an unsafe situation for yourself and your buddy. Be comfortable.

 

[spectrum]

Hood and gloves should have been required in the pool after session 1. It's adaptive gear and you need to get acclimated and find items that really fit. The wetsuit just prior to heading for the quarry wasn't the time to be introduced. Train as you dive dive as you train. I guess they missed that part.

Once you get spun up a few times it's had to just relax and go have fun.

First you need to get into a suit that fits. Then you need to learn how to survive. Have your final setup organized to get you into the water ASAP. Have quenching water handy to pour down you neck. A liter of water down the collar will collect above the weight belt and absorb a ton of excess body heat. It's an awesome stress buster. A peaceful but efficient gear-up is what you need. Quench as needed and it can be pretty painless. Some of this is like learning to dance and it takes a little practice. Unfortunately its a grossly undertaught part of the skill set.

Get locally certified and be active between vacations. That's the path to safe proficiency. Mere mortals do it all the time, you can too.

Pete

 

[Damzk]

Being a new diver I can attest to the 7 mm suit and hood being semi constricting. I live in San Diego and that is basically all we will dive with. Although even our pool sessions we practiced with out 7mm suits on so we would be use to it. I would try and get more pool time with a the wetsuit on.

 

[CanadaScubaRN]

Thanks to everyone, for all the words of wisdom ! I certainly have been trying to absorb all the great info on these boards !
Great site !

 

[glen99]

My wife and daughter will be doing their OW cert dives at Gilboa in 2 weeks and they had to wear 7mm suits for all of their pool work. I can't believe that they put you in the quarry with a thick suit and hood without training in the gear.
I was at Gilboa last week and comfortablly dived to 45 feet without a hood (by the tubes at 60 feet I did wear a hood) Your ears may get a little chilly, but at certification depths you should be OK without a hood. It took me several dives to get comfortable diving with a hood...I still avoid wearing one when I can.

Best of luck to you

glen

 

[LowDrag]

Hey CanadaScubaRN, I just certified two weekends ago myself. My first attempt was in January in the Puget Sound in Northern Washington State. The snow melt caused the dive area we were in to be about 38° F. Needless to say that was a stressor all by itself but then add a confining 7mm Farmer John to it, helping to cause breathing issues and I found a recipe for trouble to. I did not over heat but I did have the breathing issues you described and I can agree with you completely that, it SUCKS!!! My wife and I got our own wet suits before we went back and did much better with suits that fit properly. You have been given a ton of good advice in this thread, I hope it will work for you and you will keep diving. Just remember that if you can dive in the cold environment you can dive pretty much any where. Good luck!!! Oh, and have fun in Hawaii...

 

[tyesai]

I can relate. I did my cert in Turkey on the Med. We wore 3mm shorties and I could have done just fine without one. Then I moved to Spain and started diving again. After some internet research and talking to one of the dive shops I bought a 7 mil one piece with a hood. The first time I put that on, with boots, gloves and gear I thought I was going to die. Very uncomfortable and very hot even in 65 degree weather plus it just felt plain wrong in the water. However after a few goes I adjusted, it just took a few dives and the with water temps in the mid to high 50's I appreciate it. Don't quit and good luck!

 

[t4e]

Good advice so far. A 7 mill is confining as is a hood. Unless its really cold Id opt for a 3mill and no hood. Openwater and all this new gear can be overwhelming. I dove a couple years in the springs and the first time I jumped off a boat in the ocean it was like starting all over. I too overbreathed my reg from adrenlin and had to surface. You will get used to it when you realize that its really peacefull below the surface with the fish. You have to breathe in fully and breathe out fully while diving. For some it takes longer to become acclimated. Hang in there and dont give up, youll be way more appreciative when you get er done and recieve your c card.

3mil in Ontario lakes? you must be kidding lol

7mil can be quite comfortable, i had the best thing ever for my checkout dives, was a 2 piece and i believe was a Henderson , was so comfy i didn't even take it off between the morning and afternoon dive

as opposed to a one piece with built in hood and upper chest cross zipper, the most uncomfortable thing i ever tried, felt more like a restraining vest lol

 

[tracydr]

There is another option. You could get a drysuit cert at the same time as your open water. It would take some extra classes but you can then rent or buy a drysuit when you want. Drysuits are so much nicer when 7ml is needed.

 

[MerMomDiver]

I had a similar certification dive experience to you, in that I certified in a 7 mil suit in very cold water. I almost did not make it, and the combination of the very heavy wetsuit, with its tendency to add to bouyancy issues I was having at first, along with the general newness of the environment sent me into many a deep-breath moment and quite a few tears. I did certify, but was ready to quit scuba. Then I did a few more practice dives with experienced divers one-on-one where we went at our own pace... still with the durn 7 mil on... but the relaxed unrushed environment helped by eliminating some stressors. Then, Dive 5 was warm water in Cozumel with just my swimsuit. Let me tell you... the heavens opened up and a ray of sunshine poured through. It was a revelation. Totally totally different. I live in Atlanta, and most of the lake dives here in the southeast US need 7 mils... and I just do not do them. I travel for my scuba. I dive warm only warm, and that is the only experience for me that is worth it. No hood... no 7 mil... just a sublime warm dive. That's just my two cents.