I agree, re deep, circular, breathing.
Fear when around 8-10 meters
- Thread starter kasper wendelboe
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I agree, re deep, circular, breathing.
Your boundaries are yours to set and nobody else's. If you feel uncomfortable at a certain depth then don't dive to that depth yet. Push boundaries slowly as your skills and confidence grow and you'll be fine.
I would also like to recommend again to read Boulderjohn's post carefully. Relaxing can be a bit of a challenge but it's really the key. I would recommend using Google to find some relaxation techniques that work for you. I would suspect that diving isn't the only area of your life where this shows up so learning a few good techniques could help you in more ways than one.
Good luck.
R..
Kasper, I understand exactly what you are describing it has happened to me a few times, and well after I had been feeling quite comfortable with deeper and darker dives. For me there was absolutely no valid reason for my unease and twice I could feel myself actually thinking of surfacing from 50+ feet.
In my case it was just a doom and gloom feeling taking over my thinking. In all cases I was able to shake it by running through my mind a quick checklist and verifing that everything was as it should be, and there was no rational reason for my nervousness.
After assuring myself that I was safe I forced myself to concentrate on the wonders around me and how much I enjoyed being underwater. As soon as my mind was diverted the dark cloud went away like magic. Just try to keep in mind how lucky you are to be able to see things most people never will, enjoy.
I don't get panicked because of depth, but I do get a gag reflex as I go down due to the dry air from the tank. This does not bother me for most of the rest of the dive - unless I think about it. The start of the dive is the worst, though. I have recently countered it by smearing toothpaste on my gums just before splashing in. I have recently bought packs of Listerene Cool Mint breath strips. I am going to try putting one or two of these in my mouth just prior to rolling overboard. It won't increase the humidity of the air I breathe, but it will take my mind off of it.
Perhaps you need a distraction to take your mind off of the minutia while you are descending. Just a thought.
Perhaps you need a distraction to take your mind off of the minutia while you are descending. Just a thought.
ScubaJCBS
Live to dive! Dive to live!
1 of my daughters had the same issue but with some time and she got into photography that took her mind off all the stressful stuff now she's a fish.
IncreaseMyT
Banned
It gets better. I know they teach you to always do your deepest dives first but sometimes we will do a shallower dive to get comfortable, then go for the big dive of the day.
Hello OP
I am a relatively new diver - I think I've just logged my 52nd or 53rd dive.
I have sometimes come across this feeling. Indeed on our last trip (thankfully just the Great Barrier Reef so lots of shallow options) for some inexplicable reason I developed a problem with past ten metres for a day. I knew everything was fine, I've done 30m dives in quick current and been fine but for some reason 10m was my limit.
The solution? Advise my buddy that that is where I was sticking and we did some lovely diving at 6 - 10 metres for the rest of the day (four dive a day live aboard). The following day I went to 12m and the day after 14m.
My point is a) you are not alone. b) always dive where you feel comfortable, we do this for recreation (well most of us) and we should never feel pressured in our free time and c) don't ever feel you have to battle through something like this. Take it slow and dive where you are comfortable and enjoying yourself. One day you might just find yourself at 30m in a strong current but hooked on and mesmerised by the hundreds of reef sharks gliding past in the channel!
I am a relatively new diver - I think I've just logged my 52nd or 53rd dive.
I have sometimes come across this feeling. Indeed on our last trip (thankfully just the Great Barrier Reef so lots of shallow options) for some inexplicable reason I developed a problem with past ten metres for a day. I knew everything was fine, I've done 30m dives in quick current and been fine but for some reason 10m was my limit.
The solution? Advise my buddy that that is where I was sticking and we did some lovely diving at 6 - 10 metres for the rest of the day (four dive a day live aboard). The following day I went to 12m and the day after 14m.
My point is a) you are not alone. b) always dive where you feel comfortable, we do this for recreation (well most of us) and we should never feel pressured in our free time and c) don't ever feel you have to battle through something like this. Take it slow and dive where you are comfortable and enjoying yourself. One day you might just find yourself at 30m in a strong current but hooked on and mesmerised by the hundreds of reef sharks gliding past in the channel!
OP
kasper wendelboe
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I film but don't own/want lights so most of my dives are 60' or less - although I will go deep for something.
I actually have more fun in the 30-40' range - I can get to the surface from there - the light is good, the coral is better because the light is good and the fishlife better because the coral is good.
You don't list a location but if you can get to the Florida Keys - there's a lot of shallow diving there. Also the British Virgin Islands - we did a week of diving there and only went deep once. Most times you couldn't - you'd hit the bottom. The east side of St. Thomas in the Cays is like that also - we did a drift dive once along an abandoned lobster line at about 20-30'- it must've been 90+ minutes b4 we called it - with air left.
Bonaire and Curacao start shallow on every dive since most are off the beach. The signature Curacao wreck - the Tugnoat - is 14' deep. The pier nearby - 40'. I've also spent an enjoyable dive at Trunk Bay watching seahorses at 30' and turtles in the shallows off the beach in 6-8'. I think the deep pier at Salt Pier on Bonaire was above 60' and there's 3-4 shallower support piers just covered with stuff.
Most shore dives off Maui are shallow for a very long time - we use scooters to get out to deeper reefs - even those are only 60-70' Molokini Crater where the Kihei based boats all go - about 30-50'. The signature Lanai dive - the Cathedrals - arouid 50' IIRC.
Lots of good shallow dives if you know whare to look.
I actually have more fun in the 30-40' range - I can get to the surface from there - the light is good, the coral is better because the light is good and the fishlife better because the coral is good.
You don't list a location but if you can get to the Florida Keys - there's a lot of shallow diving there. Also the British Virgin Islands - we did a week of diving there and only went deep once. Most times you couldn't - you'd hit the bottom. The east side of St. Thomas in the Cays is like that also - we did a drift dive once along an abandoned lobster line at about 20-30'- it must've been 90+ minutes b4 we called it - with air left.
Bonaire and Curacao start shallow on every dive since most are off the beach. The signature Curacao wreck - the Tugnoat - is 14' deep. The pier nearby - 40'. I've also spent an enjoyable dive at Trunk Bay watching seahorses at 30' and turtles in the shallows off the beach in 6-8'. I think the deep pier at Salt Pier on Bonaire was above 60' and there's 3-4 shallower support piers just covered with stuff.
Most shore dives off Maui are shallow for a very long time - we use scooters to get out to deeper reefs - even those are only 60-70' Molokini Crater where the Kihei based boats all go - about 30-50'. The signature Lanai dive - the Cathedrals - arouid 50' IIRC.
Lots of good shallow dives if you know whare to look.
OP
kasper wendelboe
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Thank you All.... This helps
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