Fear of deep water

[Bob Vincent]

Hi ...

& Welcome to ...
:sblogo::colouredsmilies::colouredsmilies:

It doesn't matter if your in 10 ft are 10,000 ft as long as you can't stand on the bottom with your head out of the water. If you can swim there shouldn't be any worries. And now you'll be able to breathe underwater, it's even better!

 

[CeeTee]

CeeTee, can you actually swim? I mean really swim. On the surface and underwater? You sayyou snorkel-do you surface dive to see things close up?

I'm kinda with John B here. If you are afraid of deep water, why do you think you will be ok to dive? Are you taking up diving to combat your fear of deep water? If so--this is a bad idea, imo.

But good luck and don't be afraid to tell your instructor if you start feel anxious during any part of your pool session or open water dives especially.

I don't plan on giving up!!:no

My instructors have been working with me and they say I am doing just fine

 

[John_B]

No, don't give up!

Diving is completely different from swimming, except that at the start and end of a dive you find yourself on the surface and that's where a lot of incidents can occur -- if you are in 40' of water and not confident in deep water (BCD or not), panic can set in under the right circumstances. That's where what they call watermanship makes all the difference.

Only you can say for sure if your skills could really use some improvement. We can obviously only go on what you tell us here, but it sounds to me like it could be the case. If your heart beats quicker as you swim from the shallow end to the deep end of the pool, that's a pretty accurate sign. If so, maybe consider some coaching (swim coaches aren't that hard to find if you are already at a pool). Or just practice, laps are a confidence builder and will build your endurance in addition to all-around fitness. Another confidence builder that I know Walter recommends highly is skin diving skills, which you can also practice in your local pool.

As a self-taught swimmer I could meet the requirements of six untimed laps in a pool, but it took forever on my back and any attempt at freestyle left me completely winded (lack of technique). At that time the swim test for me was a means to an end, I just wanted to dive. I'd bet that sounds familiar. Eventually, a couple of situations on the surface and a timed swim test for a class I wanted to take got me to take the advice I'm suggesting to you. I have never regretted it.

FWIW, I now swim a mile +/- (1600m = 3 sets of 10 laps each, plus a couple, in a 25m pool) two to four times a week. Not only am I in better shape than I have been in a long time, my diving is more fun, I'm more confident in dicey surface conditions, and my air consumption has improved.

YMMV, but probably not. :14: HTH!

 

[Teamcasa]

I'm new to Scuba and I start my classes this weekend. I have lots of experience snorkeling but I have always had a fear of swimming into deep water (over 10 feet). How do I get over this.

I don't plan on giving up!!:no

My instructors have been working with me and they say I am doing just fine

The best tool to combat fear is understanding. I’m happy you are staying with it and soon you will overcome it. Looks like you will soon be enjoying the depths with the rest of us. Keep up the training and keep diving.

 

[scubadiver888]

I'm new to Scuba and I start my classes this weekend. I have lots of experience snorkeling but I have always had a fear of swimming into deep water (over 10 feet). How do I get over this.

CeeTee,

You need to understand were the fear is coming from. What is triggering the fear? Is it really the deep water or is it bringing back memories of something you never really dealt with. Do you feel a lack of control? If yes, what do you need to restore a feeling of control?

I had a fear of heights. It actually had nothing what so ever to do with heights or falling. People used to find it weird that I could fly small aircraft at 5000' but I could not stand on a balcony only 200' up. I dealt with other issues in my life and one day I realized I'm not afraid of heights (I live on the 42 floor with glass balconies). I'm still not sure how they were connected but solving one issue magically solved the other as well.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I had my first pool dive today!!!

I went into the 6' area of the pool for a brief period without a problem.

I'm not quite ready for SEAL Team 6 but...

So far, So good!!

Well then congratulations! Yeah, 6' is really no different than 60'. So long as you have air and can still breath, nothing to worry about. You'll be fine.

 

[tfsails]

It took me 57 years, but gradually I went into deeper and deeper water until finally I dove in water over a mile deep. I went from 5' to 10' to 20' to 70' to 130' to 545' to 6500'. I knew at a theoretical level that one floats the same in 5' of water as he does in 5000 feet. It's true. But I had to prove it to myself by going out and doing it. Jumping off a pontoon boat in 540 feet of water in Lake Mead took some faith, but I did it sans life jacket and...I floated! After that, going over the wall off Nassau was no big deal.

You can do it. All you have to do is realize that you'll float and the water doesn't care how deep it is. Once you do that, the fun and beauty of scuba diving will open up for you in ways you never imagined. In my experience, 90% of the people in the world can float with absolutely NO effort whatsoever. I used to be able to exhale underwater and sink to the bottom in the pool. Then I got fat...

 

[Theunis]

I don't plan on giving up!!:no

My instructors have been working with me and they say I am doing just fine

To persevere and practise are the keys to a happy and satisfactory diving experience for you. Go for it!!

 

[k8brandt]

I grew up with a family of swimmers. When I was younger I got kicked out of a few swim classes because I "couldn't float" and was "too scared" I would also freak out if I could not touch bottom. Years later and learning to snorkel in the shallows, I found myself venturing out into deeper (10') and realizing I wasn't sinking, so I went a little longer snorkeling. While in Maui in 2003, my husband finally talked me into doing an intro to scuba. I was very apprehensive and had two fears, deep water and what happens if I get water in my mask? The DM (Warren Vanderbuilt) was very patient with me. After our 2-hour surface session, we walked into the surf at Airport Beach and went down to about 35', always under his watchful eye. He pointed out critters and stuff and made me completely at ease. Upon surfacing, my husband looked at me concerned and I said "lets get certified"

One other fear I had was jumping off a boat and possibly breaking my leg/arm on the coral (the water looked so shallow). Had we had to jump off a boat on that intro dive, I would not be at 300+ dives AND moving to Roatan (to be closer to diving) within the next couple of years. My family still can't believe that "I" dive in DEEP water.

I do still have a fear of loosing my mask underwater, but I know that if I "just keep breathing" I will be fine. Another fantastic instructor (Patty Grier of Coco View) tells her class if you get anxious, your mantra is "I have air, I can breathe"

It is easier said than done, but just relax and enjoy the view. Like the posters above have said, let the DM know of your fears. If they are any good, they will work with you. Tip them well and thank them profusely. We got the chance to meet up with Warren on our next trip to Maui, I thanked him profusely and booked a couple of dives with them. He was with Extended Horizons at the time.

The ease and comfortability in diving comes with experience and practice, just don't forget your mantra.

 

[CeeTee]

I went down to 15' today!!!

Thanks to the help of a great instructor who built up my confidence bit by bit until I was ready to sink to the bottom of the pool.