First ocean open water, so disappointed

[RonMurray]

There have already been many excellent comments and suggestions in this thread, allow me to offer on other bit that might reassure you. It appears to me that basic physiology was working against you, and that can be dealt with, but you need to recognize what is happening.

Your narrative sounds very much like the normal anxiety of a new diver, but exacerbated by hypercapnia which is a build up of CO2. This is very common and was probably covered to some degree in your open water course. A regulator increases the work of breathing. Thick weight suit increases work of breathing, hood around neck may increases work of breathing, definitely increases your claustrophic feeling. Had to work hard to get through surf, increases CO2, likely not fully recovered. All on top of the general anxiety and tendency to short breath of all new divers.

You did not specifically mention breathing hard or feel air-starved, but I suspect that was a large factor in your feeling panicky.

Don't despair, hypercapnia and the resultant changes in blood pH are easily remedied by stopping and holding to something. Focusing on breathing fully and slowly will restore your blood chemistry to normal in 15-30 seconds. It is truly astounding how your body will recover as many can attest.

This is physiology that every diver is subject to, no matter how experienced, but experienced divers instinctively breathe more efficiently and slowly. YOU WILL TOO. Stay with it, and as others have suggested dive within your comfort zone and you will become more confident and less prone to have problems with anxiety and/or hypercapnia.

 

[Chavodel8en]

You are understandably disappointed because you were looking forward to your first ocean dive.

Let me add another bit of perspective. Bad conditions (rough surf, poor viz) can ruin many a dive -- especially in California (I've never dove in SD, but your description sounds like some of the exposed shore dives in Carmel). Its something California divers come to expect -- all of us have experienced getting in the water, and seeing ~6' viz (if you cant see your fin-tips) and eventually calling the dive. Hell sometimes we will drive 2 hours to a site, take a look at conditions, and then go get breakfast and drive home.

I would say about 10% of my local dives are either called because of conditions, or are not really fun because of them. And that's not counting the many planned dives where I decide not to make the drive because conditions are iffy.

So, I would advise, don't kick yourself too much about missing out on your first ocean dives. Many a California dive can ruined by bad conditions. You just had the bad luck of this happening on your first ocean dive.

I am sure that you will continue to improve at diving, starting with your next dives, hopefully in better conditions in Thailand (BTW, Im jelly).

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Jackie, again another post commending you on thumbing the dive. Shore diving in California is not for me unless it is like a lake. Getting past the breakers is scary, then swimming out to the drop point after that is strenuous as I am still amped up after the breakers and it's like my muscles are uncoordinated and I'm working way harder than I need to. We tend to boat dive, more expensive but easier.
Then I went to Cayman Brac. What a huge difference it is to not wear a 7ml and full hood. I haven't been able to get in since...just kidding a surgery has us out of the water for a few more weeks. Thailand will be super easy, but if I was you, I would get some more dives in, in a comfortable situation just to boost your moral, and of course your skills. Let us know how things go!!

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Your narrative sounds very much like the normal anxiety of a new diver, but exacerbated by hypercapnia which is a build up of CO2. This is very common and was probably covered to some degree in your open water course. A regulator increases the work of breathing. Thick weight suit increases work of breathing, hood around neck may increases work of breathing, definitely increases your claustrophic feeling. Had to work hard to get through surf, increases CO2, likely not fully recovered. All on top of the general anxiety and tendency to short breath of all new divers..

@RonMurray yes yes yes!!!

 

[Ojai Diver]

Think of Southern California beach diving as a sort of boot camp. If you persist, what now seems scary and difficult will seem not always easy, but easier. Whether you choose to dive in California or not, the fact is that doing so will necessarily build up the skills and fitness useful to diving almost anywhere in the world. Even in the relatively easy conditions of Thailand, there can be trying moments where it can be useful and reassuring to have some Southern California dive experience under your belt.

 

[Scott]

Jackie,
You were trained in a warm water, (ok, it's hot water), no current, no surge, no shore entry, no marine life environment. The only thing SoCal and the Crater have in common is, well nothing.
Going from the Crater to a SoCal shore dive without pre planning can be a problem as you experienced.
Here would be my recommendation if you still plan on diving cooler waters and a 7mm. See if your instructor can put you in a pool and let you at least get accustomed to the suit.
Maybe forgo SoCal and head to Sand Hollow. Water temps are in the 50's so a 7mm will work. Visibility is starting to clear up.
If the draw to salt water and SoCal is still strong, my next recommendation would be to go to Catalina at least for day one and then consider a shore dives on the mainland the following day.

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

Jackie,

My brother is an instructor, and took my aunt out of Laguna. She has a couple hundred dives over twenty-odd years. She had a full-blown panic attack in a 7mm suit, and my brother had to tow her back to shore. The breakers, the visibility, the water temp, all of it makes for a stressful dive. Like everyone else here is saying, Thailand will be an entirely different story.

Don't worry about it, keep trying, keep calm--it gets easier.

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

Think of Southern California beach diving as a sort of boot camp. If you persist, what now seems scary and difficult will seem not always easy, but easier. Whether you choose to dive in California or not, the fact is that doing so will necessarily build up the skills and fitness useful to diving almost anywhere in the world. Even in the relatively easy conditions of Thailand, there can be trying moments where it can be useful and reassuring to have some Southern California dive experience under your belt.

I always love my friends from LA: "You really scuba in Alaska?"

Have you been to the beach recently? SoCal water is cold as hell. Once you're dry, it's really not that different.

 

[TMHeimer]

I always love my friends from LA: "You really scuba in Alaska?"

Have you been to the beach recently? SoCal water is cold as hell. Once you're dry, it's really not that different.

I always thought SoCal water temps. rarely got below 50F. Is this wrong?

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

No, you're right. I was just trying to make the point that it was colder than a lot of people are used too. I can't tell you how many times people I had friends who would visit and wanted to go swimming or diving, without realizing that it wasn't Cozumel.