I really want to learn to scuba dive and have the chance of diving at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. However I have problems breathing with a snorkel and am nervous that when my whole head and body is submerged under water I wont be able to breath very easily and will swallow water which would then cause me to panic. What would you suggest as I really want to discover the underwater world ?
I want to learn to scuba dive I however have concerns
- Thread starter cmlewis21
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
MSilvia
Contributor
If you really want to do it, I wouldn't let your fears stop you. Sign up for a certification class. Lots of divers are uneasy at first... comfort comes with familiarity and practice.
Bobbin-along
Guest
Try a discover scuba class. it gives you a taste of scuba mechanics and let's you decide if it's something you can overcome. If your local dive shop is like ours they will let you take the discover scuba class then apply 75$ towards basic scuba classes if you continue.
If you are a person prone to panic or anxiety in stressful situations you will have more work mentally to be a scuba diver than some of your classmates, but if you really really want to dive you can overcome it. you may have to go much slower than the class is designed for, however most instructors will work with you as long as you need. At least that's what my dive instructor told our class.
If you are a person prone to panic or anxiety in stressful situations you will have more work mentally to be a scuba diver than some of your classmates, but if you really really want to dive you can overcome it. you may have to go much slower than the class is designed for, however most instructors will work with you as long as you need. At least that's what my dive instructor told our class.
Mark Vlahos
Contributor
Find an instructor you are comfortable with and tell them about your concerns. Frankly what you are worried about is quite common. Think about it, for your entire life you have known that it is impossible to breathe safely underwater. If you tried to do it without any external equipment you would die. Now with SCUBA you can do it safely, this goes against a lifetime of experience, it is perfectly normal to be uncomfortable.
Take it slow and easy, work with an instructor. All of us who do dive have gotten past this fear, you can too.
Good luck,
Mark Vlahos
Take it slow and easy, work with an instructor. All of us who do dive have gotten past this fear, you can too.
Good luck,
Mark Vlahos
Dave Zimmerly
Contributor
Start slowly. You need to be comfortable with a snorkle in your mouth, for the transition to a regulator. Try getting in a pool and just practice with mask and snorkle. Once you feel comfortable, start to go under a few feet at a time. Learn to relax. Breath normally and take your time.
Hope this helps.
Dave (aka "Squirt")
Hope this helps.
Dave (aka "Squirt")
vondo
Contributor
cmlewis21:
Good advice here. I would also say that I have found diving more relaxing than snorkeling. When snorkeling, especially with the cheap snorkels usually used, it is very easy for water to come over the top of the snorkel and into your mouth. With diving, you don't really have that problem nor do small waves buffet you around.
Dive courses are designed to slowly take you through and past these anxious moments, so that may help you. I think a discover course is a great idea and take it somewhere where you can immediately progress to full open water certification if you like it. That will keep the total cost down.
You need to be very careful in your search for a patient instructor who will teach you extra skills to improve your abilities and confidence in the water. You do not want a fast track course with few skills. Skip the resort/discover SCUBA courses entirely. They aren't bad for folks who are comfortable in the water, but they undermine the confidence of folks who have yet to reach that level.
I would second the recommendation that you spend some time in a pool with a snorkel, or without for that matter. Diving is great fun, but can be scary if you aren't calm in the water. Just swimming could help this. Also the discover scuba class and/or a snorkeling class could help. Also if you find a good instructor they should be willing to work with you until you are comfortable, though they may charge extra if they have to much more than the planned time. It might help to look for a dive shop that has their own pool if you can.
rottielover
Contributor
when I started out, I found out that breathing off SCUBA is much easier than breathing off a snorkel. I think they cover this in the OW book, but basically that tube your using add's to the "dead air" space your trying to breath from. Basically each time you exhale into the tube that CO2 stays in the tube and when you breath in you should "suck" in more air because you have to get to the "good air". However with scuba the only "dead air" space is the tiny space inside the regulator, thus "fresh" air is easier to "get at".
This is also why many people find doing scuba skills like mask clearing is much easier when breathing from scuba, then doing it with a snorkel.
I realize that my explanation stinks, hopefully someone will clean it up and make it more understandable, but I'm 99% sure they cover this in the Open Water class (basic scuba class) and it's in the book/materials you'll get for your class.
This is also why many people find doing scuba skills like mask clearing is much easier when breathing from scuba, then doing it with a snorkel.
I realize that my explanation stinks, hopefully someone will clean it up and make it more understandable, but I'm 99% sure they cover this in the Open Water class (basic scuba class) and it's in the book/materials you'll get for your class.
Fill out your profile a bit so we know (at least generally) where you are and where you intend to take training. There is a lot of information about good shops/instructors on this board and knowing your location will help us point you in the right direction. This sport isn't for everyone, panic kills divers. You say you really want to dive so you need to get past your snorkel fear first and you can do that in your own bathtub. Just lay face down with your snorkel and focus on relaxing and breathing. You should eventually be comfortable enough to do this with your eyes open (so skip the bubble bath 
) and without wearing a mask or holding your nose. When you're comfortable in the tub try snorkeling in a pool and do that until you are comfortable. Make sure your snorkel has a bore (tube) that is 3/4 inch in diameter, any smaller and it's hard to breathe through, any larger and you get more dead air space and CO2 build-up as mentioned earlier.
I had a lot of problems when I learned to dive, I too hated snorkeling and still prefer not to do it. It took a lot of patient work on my instructor's part to get me to the point where I was comfortable enough to go to open water. The day I finally got certified if you had told me I would be teaching scuba in 10 years I would have told you that you were crazy. I've been teaching on my own for 4 years now and the biggest reward I get is seeing apprehensive people who want to dive work to overcome their fears. You will have a long road ahead of you but the urge to panic can be overcome with a lot of hard work.
Ber :lilbunny:
) and without wearing a mask or holding your nose. When you're comfortable in the tub try snorkeling in a pool and do that until you are comfortable. Make sure your snorkel has a bore (tube) that is 3/4 inch in diameter, any smaller and it's hard to breathe through, any larger and you get more dead air space and CO2 build-up as mentioned earlier.I had a lot of problems when I learned to dive, I too hated snorkeling and still prefer not to do it. It took a lot of patient work on my instructor's part to get me to the point where I was comfortable enough to go to open water. The day I finally got certified if you had told me I would be teaching scuba in 10 years I would have told you that you were crazy. I've been teaching on my own for 4 years now and the biggest reward I get is seeing apprehensive people who want to dive work to overcome their fears. You will have a long road ahead of you but the urge to panic can be overcome with a lot of hard work.
Ber :lilbunny:
Similar threads
