How Long?

[JamesK]

How long did it take for you to be comfortable in the water? That is comfortable breathing, doing your skills, bouyancy, yada yada yada. I can honestly say that I was comfortable immediately. I almost felt at home. I picked up on all of the skills right away, and had no problems. I am just wondering how long it takes most people.

*EDIT* That sounded really arrogant, and I did not mean it to be. Sorry.

*Edit nbr2* The above was my original question, and I can understand how it could be misleading, and how someone could think I was an arrogant cocky wanna be know it all. What I was trying to ask is:

How long did it take you to become comfortable doing your skills in the pool?

I know this will not mean you are comfortable once you are in open water, and I know that the pool is FAR from open water, but it was simply a question.

 

[chiara]

With all due respect BigJames, but you scare me.

You say you felt OK right from the beginning.

Tell me: where did you get certified?

I am about to finish my Dive Master certification, and it still happens regularly that something gets me frightened, although not necessarily panicking.

I learnt in dark, muddy, cold quarries, I still dive there regularly, just did my 107th dive on Saturday morning, first was on April, 16th, 2000.

Am I to be considered unfit for diving?

No, I honestly don't think so.

Would I be happy to dive with you?

I'm not totally sure, sorry, no offense intended.

 

[JamesK]

I understand what you are saying. I did not mean it to sound how it did. What I meant was for new people, like myself, how long did it take until you were comfortable with the basic skills in the pool. This was simply meant to be about pool work. I guess I worded it very poorly. I know that I have LOTS AND LOTS to learn, and I know that anything can happen. But yes, I did feel good when I was doing the basic skills. I know that I will continue to get better, and I know that I am far from a great or even good diver. Believe me, I am not trying to say anything else. For instance, I know someone who it took a long time before they could get the skills down. they just had trouble with the idea of breathing underwater. Some people complain that they have trouble with having the mask off and breathing or some other skill. I was simply stating that I felt comfortable doing it all right away.

I was not trying to sound arrogant, or cocky, or even like I knew everything. Sorry if it sounded like that. I know I can learn a lot, and will learn a lot.

 

[Dee]

My OW class consisted of 10 two hour pool sessions...we did it differently a few years ago! I felt comfortable breathing underwater immediately but it was about the 3rd pool session before I felt comfortable with mask skills...still don't like water in my nose!

 

[daisho]

I believe I took to the water instantly. I believe that I am very aware and carefull but I am conforetable in the water.

During my rescue course I had some extra torment taken out on me since I am friends with most of the DM's and Instructors but I was not scared. I followed what I learned in my classes.

I still don't like taking my mask off underwater but I can do it without event.

I am still in the process of learning since I've only been diving since the summer.

 

[detroit diver]

The first half hour in the pool I was freaking out. I didn't like breathing underwater!! After about an hour, I wouldn't come up!!

A year and a half later, with drysuit and doubles, I'm still working on bouyancy...

I've got a GUE class coming up where they make you do valve drills, out of air drills, all without a mask, while monitoring your buddy. THIS should be interesting!!

Someone told me that the clear water in the quarry will be easier on the eyes. I sure hope so-I hate clorine!

 

[JamesK]

See, this is the info I was trying to find out.

Thanks.


Dry suits and doubles?! Good Lord, I have a feeling that diving dry will take some getting use to.

As for the chlorine, I hate it too. My eyes burned all night because of that. Ugh. I am going to the springs down in Florida this weekend, that should be a LOT easier on my eyes.

Daisho, I don't think we ever stop learnging. If you stop learning, you get complacent. If you get complacent you get slack. If you get slack, you get dead.

I hope I can stay comfortable in the the open water environment of the springs. I feel confident in my self, but you never can tell.

 

[92630Diver]

I'm new to the sport, having completed the PADI OW certification course just two weeks ago.

This past Saturday I made my first post-certification beach dive... Crescent Bay (Laguna, California), visibility 20+ feet, water temp - 57 degrees, air temp - high 60's and warming, moderate waves provided some good practice for beach entry and exit, max depth of the dive was 45 feet, and bottom time was about 45 minutes.

It was a great experience. I dove with the owner of the LDS that I have purchased quite a bit of gear from, and with my brother-n-law who also became certified at the same time that I did. We had sea lions play chicken with us (one got right into my face, I thought "she" was going to plant one on me), saw one good size lobster, interacted with an octopus, etc. Quite a memorable dive.

As to my comfort level while diving... I feel quite comfortable while diving. Primarily because I am doing my best to learn as much about the skills required to dive safely as I can, even above and beyond that taught within the PADI OW course. For myself it is also a matter of trusting in the equipment that I'm using. This requires some confidance in the ability of the LDS to maintain the rental equipment, but as they are professionals and liability is a key issue I'm quite sure that they take extreme measures to keep the rental gear in good working order.

If I'm confidant in my own abilities and know that I can trust in the equipment that I'm using, then I have confidance in whatever endeavor I am undertaking at the time. I merely take care to stay within my limitations. It's when one pushes the limit, or goes beyond, that problems tend to arise.

 

[large_diver]

I think it comes little by little -- each of the variables below takes some "mastering":

(1) Pool comfort
(2) OW comfort in shallow water with instructor and group an arm's length away
(3) OW comfort with challenging surface conditions -- tough entry, heavy seas, etc.
(4) OW comfort in deeper water (60+)
(5) OW comfort in reduced visibility
(6) OW comfort at night
(7) OW comfort without instructor or DM around
(8) OW comfort when YOU are planning/leading the dive -- including navigation
(9) OW comfort when you are leading a dive at a site you've never been to before
(10) OW comfort when ascending/descending an anchor line
(11) OW comfort when ascending/descending without an anchor line
(12) OW comfort in water deeper than 20 feet when ascending/descending from/to surface without any visual reference and you can't see the bottom and/or on a night dive.
(13) OW comfort 35 miles out to sea in the middle of a chum slick with Makos seen minutes earlier at the back of the boat nuzzling the ladder......30 foot swim from stern of boat to the shark cage (true story)....not sure if this "comfort" is ever achieved...

Etc., etc., etc.

You get the picture -- we are all always learning, and none of us will know everything or be completely prepared for everything ;-)

As to how long in the pool -- for me it was quick..I think based on the fact that I was a lifelong and relatively strong swimmer, former lifeguard, etc.

 

[JustAddWater]

Breathing underwater in a pool was never a problem for me.
The challenges began in open water in much the same order as Large Diver described, for me with emphasis on navigation with limited vis.. (My shark dive doesn't sound nearly as exciting as your's LD)