Help Me!!!

[Morpheus]

Ok, now that I have your attention. Ladies I need your help.
My Girlfriend,who is also my best friend. Originally had no interest in diving. Im big into the sport and would love to have her as my buddy. She accompanied me on a trip i did in FLorida a few weeks ago and hinted that she may be interested,now I need to seal the deal...whats my next step? do I put her in my equiptment in a pool to let her try it???? what do I do?


Thanks in advance

 

[The Kraken]

Is there any place the two of you can go snorkeling?
Show her the beauty of the underwater world and I'm sure she, as you were, will be lured into it.

 

[sharkdiver00]

The Kraken has a good idea, don't know about your area for snorkeling though... maybe during a holiday? Or, most of the Dive Centers will offer a 'Free Intro to Diving' in a pool; there won't be anything to see, but she can try it with gear that might fit her a bit better than yours and in a safe environment.

If you have an IMAX theatre close to you, take her to see any of the great films involving diving after she tries it in the pool. Some of my friends have been motivated like that

good luck,
maria

 

[herman]

Most of the dive shops around here have a program they call "Try Scuba" or something similar. Basically, they give you a classroom intro to all the equipment and then do a "dive" in a pool- basically a short version of the first night of a OW class . The courses around here run about 1 to 2 hrs and cost only $10 to $15. One shop donates the proceeds to charity and the other knocks the cost off of a course if the person continues. That's how my wife got started.

 

[Seawitch2]

I agree with Herman. Have her do a Try Scuba a.k.a. Discover Scuba class. They would give her a mini course in a controlled enviroment. We don't want to scare her off, Sometimes the students going through their DM, instructor or Dive Con classes do it for free to meet their courses requirements. Check with your LDS. Good luck!!

SW

 

[Kini]

Intro class is a great idea and her using equipment that fits . Poor fitting gear can turn a person away from diving. Leaking mask, slipping BC and so on. Also someone else doing the teaching . Remember being a kid and your parents trying to tell you something VS another adult or friends. It will releive her anxiety and I hope we have a new diver coming on board. Aloha, Kini

 

[bubblelogist]

and avoid teach her yourself... It's a question of secruity AND a question ofyour couple... actually all the guys I know that tryed to teach their wife or girlfriend ended up with a failure (one of those is a good scuba instructor actually) I don't know why, but it's not fun when it's your hubby or boyfriend that teaches you. Let her try with someone else...

 

[Morpheus]

Now dont get me wrong.....im not going to "teach" her myself, We have been snorkeling many many times but sometimes she has a hard time getting used to the snorkel..I know dont laugh. but she feels that a regulator is harder do use and if shen cant use a snorkel..you know the rest. i just want her to see how easy it is to breath with a mask and Reg.. thats all

 

[Trisha]

Not All Courses Are Alike...
When my daughters (ages 13 and 16) took their Open Water Diving course, there was a marked difference in their learning. One flew through the three-day course (Richard and I were certified, too) but the oldest was reluctant.
She didn't study the book. She didn't practice the pool work (going to the YMCA and trying snorkeling skills before the course.) She didn't do well on the written test. And she bugged out during the deep pool section on the second day. It was just too much.

Frankly, we just pushed her too hard. What made the difference, though, was when she saw how much her younger sister was learning after we were certified.
And all was not in vain. While she did not pass the course, her swimming and snorkeling skills improved, and so did her enjoyment of the water. For the rest of the summer she did snorkeling while we dove in the lakes. Sometimes her sister or I would join her in teasing the divers in shallow water.

And this year she decided to get her OWD, with a different instructor and in a month-long course. It was one-on-one training with someone she knew. Plus, she'd noticed "all the hot guys hanging out at the dive shop." Well, whatever works!

Not All Instructors Are The Same...
We are lucky to have a variety of dive shops in our area. Some I would trust to teach me or my kids. Some just don't have the right vibe. It may be a personality clash, or a difference in emphasis, but finding the right instructor for my daughter was one of the keys in her success.

Not All Lakes Are The Same...
Our OWD sessions during the three-day course were in an outdoor pool and in Lake Tenkiller near Gore, Oklahoma. It has been said that if you can dive in Tenkiller, you can dive anywhere. Ten foot visibility? That's a good day.
Frankly, I didn't even know that my daughter had left the pool during the class until my husband and the instructor returned. It was that murky.
So visibility and something to see (fish, crawdads, other divers) can make a difference.

It's All About Attitude...
Once the pressure to keep up was off, my older daughter relaxed. She was able to go at her own pace and enjoy the experience. She likes shore duty (hot guys doing surface intervals!) but now she can enjoy exploring with us, too.
And that means her sister gets to do shore duty. At almost 15. Oh, my!