How many tries did it take you?

[IBKuz]

My training went well. Wed & Thurs nights and all day Sat. & Sun, Classroom and Pool work on each day. My instructors were great and really made sure that we all were comfortable with what we were doing and that we understood the techniques being taught.

Luckly my dive buddy (brother-in-law) is an instructor which I'm sure gave me an extra boost emotionally. I have always been comfortable in the water and have been a skin diver my whole life so that didn't hurt either. On top of it, I love technical equipment and feel comfortable using it.

All-in-all I did not have any difficulties but I will say my first wreck dive to 70' in current did have me feeling concerned on my skill level (translation "I was somewhat afraid"). Some fear though I think is a good thing as it makes me focus more on the task at hand. Its only when it gets out-of-hand and panic sets in, that you will have trouble.

Ian

 

[yak]

I did my OW as a referral in Mexico.

Both the poolwork back home and the OW dives were in 3mm shorties. I had no problem with any of the skills, but it didn't prepare me for that first OW dive back home in full 7mm suit.

I had mask flooding issues as it was my first time wearing a hood (I switched to a smaller profile mask which helped a lot), the usual loss of touch and dexterity wearing gloves, had to find the right weighting using full suit and steel tank, lower viz, colder water, surf on entry and exit. (And extra gear for lobster hunting, which I waited to introduce until I had a couple of local dives under my belt).

Now that's all part of a normal dive, unless I have the luxury of a boat.

 

[eod]

Once and I found the training to be very incomplete (PADI).

The first dive after the course was with a friend of mine and it went really smoothly. Otherwise I have been on trips with my local dive club and dove with dive masters and/or instructors as guides. This is a great way to learn more about diving (especially bouyancy) while feeling safe.

 

[Finnatic]

100% on the written exam and passed the qualifying dives in a Florida lake easily. That was a couple of weekends ago. Our class had a boat dive planned for the next day which was cancelled due to bad weather, so haven't had the opportunity to get into the ocean yet. As far as the instruction received, I was dissappointed and future classes will be with a different instructor. Have a camping/dive trip planned a week from now at a springs in order to check out my new gear.

 

[blackice]

I managed to get my OW the first time round, I was very careful and very much in awe of the underwater world - a great first time underwater.

But saysing that I was eager to dive with other people and not the forced buddy I had, he swam off each time we started to decend, I was not scared but knew he was not ment to.

Life been good since that, have the best buddy these days (my wife). I noticed the other day it took me 3 months to go from OW to AOW and then about 10 months to move to Nitrox. It's been 5 months since then and I'm eager to do Advanced Nitrox and Deco soon , this year if possible other wise early next year.

 

[BacardiSpice]

The family home is on a headland overlooking the Tasman Sea...even when were posted overseas we took most of our holidays by the ocean. I was taught to swim at around the same time I started walking (a matter of safety on the Northern Beaches of Sydney), and was snorking and freediving for years beforehand, as well as board surfing and body surfing and swiming in the open ocean. So there was a very high comfort level...doing the OW felt like coming 'home'. It all clicked like it was meant to be, and for once the practical application of physics theory, as well as the operation of the necessary equipment, all made sense.

 

[wapyaly]

I had never dived before doing my OW course. I am a very confident swimmer and feel very at home in water, lakes, sea rivers etc. I wouldn't say I found it easy, but I saw it as a challenge and was extreemely anxious prior to the 18m dive on the last day. Fear of the unknown is what makes me tetchy. Anyway after tears and tantrums on the way to the dive centre on the last day, with the help of a fantastic instructor, we got to 18 meters, and what a rush!! I did it.

I'm now looking forward to our trip to Sharm at the end of October for some boat diving, I can't wait, but know I can't run before I can walk. It's just another challenge and a new experience and I'm sure I'll learn something new with each dive.

 

[Aeolus]

I have been around diving for about 40+ years, even though I did not get certifieds until '94. I used to teach Water Safety Instructors for the American Red Cross. In our class of 6, if I were teaching it, two of the student would not have been certified - they could not do the skills adequately. The classes were offered as part of some requirements for our work. Luckily, as far as I know neither of them has made a single dive since they were certified.

I firmly believe that the agencys are much too lenient in who gets their card - they are more interested in profit and stimulating business for the LDS. I think that this may be one of the major contributing factors in so many people discontinuing diving after a very short time. :boom: