Havin a hard time

[tiggrr]

Had my 2nd confined water yesterday. The Instructor, 5 students, and a guy helping out for the 2nd half of class.

We went to the deep end to practice a few basics. When my buddy handed me her octo, I put it in upside down and sucked water. Then, when I put my reg back, didn't clear it right and sucked more water. Panicked and shot to the surface. The instructor came up and told me what I did wrong and to take a break. After the break I told him I wanted to finish what I started. Thought I would think about it too much if I waited. Went down and he had me take my mask off and put back on. Though not so graceful, I did it. Then, he told me to do it again. This time I just couldn't keep it together and ended up sucking water again and shooting to the surface again. Now I am just miserable, embarressed and the whole shebang. We take a break and I wait to talk to the instructor about it. He acts annoyed with me and tells me I didn't look comfortable the first time then, brushes me off. Honestly, I wasn;t doing that great to begin with but, now I can't do anything right. Can't believe how many mistakes I made. Meanwhile this guy is being a huge jerk-off the rest of the class to me. Anyhoo, the guy who stepped in to help teach had me in the shallow end taking my mask off and on the 3rd try I got about 5 long breaths before I panicked. BUt, right then, the instructor tells me to stop then calls class an hour early. I paid all of this $ for this guy to treat me like crap and cut the class early?? I called the owner this morning and they are going to arrange for me to be in another class and yes, they have had this same complaint about the same guy before.
\
My problem is I am not the type of person to just give up. There are jerk-offs everywhere and to avoid them would mean never leaving the house. What fun is that?

Did anyone here have 2nd thoughts that maybe this wasn't for them but, turn it around and love SCUBA in the end?
I really loved being under the water and am looking forward to seeing so many things. I just have such a bad taste in my mouth.

WOW that was LONG!!! LOL

 

[justleesa]

You answered your own question - you are not a quitter. Go back, Try the steps you had trouble with before you get in the water a couple'a times until you feel comfortable with it and it will work out much better for you....
I was really afraid to take my mask off and almost didn't do it. Then I remembered how much I really REALLY wanted to get down there, see the fish and everything else....and now 300 dives later....I'm glad I didn't give up.

 

[jbd]

Had my 2nd confined water yesterday. The Instructor, 5 students, and a guy helping out for the 2nd half of class.

We went to the deep end to practice a few basics. When my buddy handed me her octo, I put it in upside down and sucked water. Then, when I put my reg back, didn't clear it right and sucked more water. Panicked and shot to the surface. The instructor came up and told me what I did wrong and to take a break. After the break I told him I wanted to finish what I started. Thought I would think about it too much if I waited. Went down and he had me take my mask off and put back on. Though not so graceful, I did it. Then, he told me to do it again. This time I just couldn't keep it together and ended up sucking water again and shooting to the surface again. Now I am just miserable, embarressed and the whole shebang. We take a break and I wait to talk to the instructor about it. He acts annoyed with me and tells me I didn't look comfortable the first time then, brushes me off. Honestly, I wasn;t doing that great to begin with but, now I can't do anything right. Can't believe how many mistakes I made. Meanwhile this guy is being a huge jerk-off the rest of the class to me. Anyhoo, the guy who stepped in to help teach had me in the shallow end taking my mask off and on the 3rd try I got about 5 long breaths before I panicked. BUt, right then, the instructor tells me to stop then calls class an hour early. I paid all of this $ for this guy to treat me like crap and cut the class early?? I called the owner this morning and they are going to arrange for me to be in another class and yes, they have had this same complaint about the same guy before.
\
My problem is I am not the type of person to just give up. There are jerk-offs everywhere and to avoid them would mean never leaving the house. What fun is that?

Did anyone here have 2nd thoughts that maybe this wasn't for them but, turn it around and love SCUBA in the end?
I really loved being under the water and am looking forward to seeing so many things. I just have such a bad taste in my mouth.

WOW that was LONG!!! LOL

Indeed there are quite a few people who have who have posted here about having second thoughts about learning to dive. Back track through the new 2 scuba section and you will find them. I'm sure some have given up but most seem to have persevered and now thoroughly enjoy diving.

There is really anything tha you can't learn to do in scuba diving. Some folks get it almost instantly and other take quite a bit more time and most get the basics in around 5 training sessions. Whats important is the you learn the skills well regardless of what the class schedule is. If you need seven training sessions then you should get seven training sessions. There is alot of advice, hints and tips for learning the basic skills here on scubaboard. Search through some of the old threads and you'll surely find folks that were in the same situation as you and you'll read the advice they got that may well help you through.

Feel free to ask any questions you have also; theres awhole bunch of people here to help you.

jbd

 

[Cards90]

Did anyone here have 2nd thoughts that maybe this wasn't for them but, turn it around and love SCUBA in the end?

I had a very hard time with that also. IT WAS NO FUN@ALL

Just wanted to let you know that now that I have gotten a few in my flippers I am now taking classes to become an instructor. Hang in there it will get easier with practice.

And Its Worth It !!! :monkeydan

 

[MikeFerrara]

Diving isn't easy for every one. If the class is priced and scheduled for those who take to it quick you may not learn it or enjoy it.

 

[fmw625]

I had a hard time in the begining. Couldn't find my reg, bolted to surface. Couldn't get enough air, bolted to surface. Got water up my nose clearing mast, bolted to surface. That was the first lesson. I had to get my s**t together. Between confined dives, I knew what to expect now, I would similate as best that I could all the skills that I had flubed. Second confined dive went much better. Third and fourth even better. Open Water dives were stressful but great. I got my c-card. On my first dive after cert. I had to intentionally partially flood my mask @ 40 ft. to clear the fog. No problem. Later a jelly fish tennicle hit me across rhe face between mask and reg. Removed reg. pressed purge and blew tennicle away. No Problem. Hang in there, practice, practice, practice. Seems like the instructor got frustrated. His problem not yours. I was fortunate enough to have 2 patient instructors. Hang in in there.

 

[neil]

tiggrr,
You are so correct in questioning the quality of your instruction. There should have been an instructor or assistant practically on top of you when you were practicing this skill, and you should have been taught how to breathe from an upside down reg. This guy sounds like a hack, IMO. You will succeed, but find someone you enjoy working with. Good luck!
Neil

 

[verona]

Did anyone here have 2nd thoughts that maybe this wasn't for them but, turn it around and love SCUBA in the end?

Oh, yeah. After first 2 confined water sessions, I got home and I was aching and I was exhausted and I wondered whether I would go back the next day to finish the academics and do the other pool sessions. But I did and now I am just about finished doing my Divemaster course (which is probably what the guy who helped you was). I had always wanted to dive and I was really comfortable in water yet I felt like that. So, it is not at all unusual what you are feeling. Also as a DM in training I have worked with a lot of OW students in the pool and I have seen people like you who struggle at first but with some patient instruction come through and are just fine. So you can do it! But, as always, it's the instructor, or DM (!) who makes it. Let us know how you go on :dazzler1:

 

[PaulG]

As you will see from numerous other posts in this section, many new divers have problems to start with. My wife and myself had never considered scuba until we got persuaded to attempt a "try dive" while in Cyprus a few years ago. We were both pretty hopeless. Some people take to it immediately, some take a little while to get the hang of it and some never manage it and will give up.

Our instructors were excellent and suggested we go off and spend a couple of days snorkelling, then come back and try again. As part of this exercise, we spent some time snorkelling without a mask (you can always use swimming goggles if your eyes can't handle long exposure to water but better to get used to it without them).

After doing this for increasing periods of time, we got to a stage where we could quite happily spend 30 mins breathing off just a snorkel with no mask. When we then went back for another try at scuba, it was surprising how much easier the whole reg breathing/mask clearing part of it was, leaving more attention for things such as buoyancy etc.

If you get the chance, beg/steal/borrow a snorkel, practice for a while, then go back and try again. It will get easier.

 

[PaulG]

Just found a link to a site that also gives tips re using a snorkel. Have a read of this, practise it and then try the scuba again.

Biggest advantage is that it is very cheap training as you are not paying for the scuba lessons while becoming comfortable

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/nmask.htm