Looking for advice before OW cert this weekend

[Wiggsy]

Everything underwater is in slow motion - just adapt to the fact that you can't rush at anything - all movements must be slow and considered. A lot of this will happen naturally is you listen to your body - i.e. you will rapidly become aware of the cues to equalize your ears or to add air to your BCD. Your instructor will expect, indeed appreciate it if you take everything slowly.

 

[Portjackson]

Congratulations on your achievement. For future readers, diving is a complex set of tasks grouped together to form a skill set. Just remember what it was like to drive a car for the first time at 16. You have to be able to multi task. As like any skill set, the best way to get comfortable is to practice, practice, practice. Sooner or later you are no longer fixated on individual tasks, they become automatic, much like driving your car to work.

 

[L2R]

The one poster was right - your instructor might overweight you for his/her convenience, also, other members of your class/ or instructor might be in a " too cool for shoes mode" - making it seem that your questions are bothersome or unneeded. sten to yourself, your body. If you feel a sqeeze on your ears, stop and address it until you are comfortable - even if you get looks and sneers from the others - as you should for anything else that happens. You might find in the end, you were the only one who had the courage to admit you aren't perfect, and saved yourself from many "rookie" mistakes, - stand up for yourself and your needs, voice your concerns and any problems you come across - this is no time to fit in with the cool kids, too much is at stake.

 

[diveactive]

Good tips to remember .
Don't have your mask to tight or to lose.
Don't settle for equipment that does not fit.
Have fun and do as what is said above. Listen and ask!
Take things slow and relax.
Do not be over weighted. Largest problem of instructors over weighting students , and then saying they have buoyancy problem.:shocked2: you should sink Descend slow. Equalise as you descend on each exhalation. Untill your comfortable. slow! If you blow at the same time with a lung of are and weighted right , you will float to the surface again. So equalise by blowing out. Gently does it. as you been told. Do compensating in small tiny amounts unless you need to do more so. Ask! before and play in the shallows to get used to this. Have fun. Be aware of your self and others. All should come together. Remember to have fun, But don,t get to exited , as This make you breathing heavy , and you land up floating to the surface again HA HA . Not good. Good luck be safe. good diver is a cool diver

 

[techiebug]

how did you do?
I love all the "just relax" posts. I too am a newly certified diver. MY help, was to write down the steps ona 3 x 5 card that I could keep with me... like the pre-dive check list. Everybody was comparing stories as we were heading out to the site. Did not relax me. I had the 3 x 5 card(s) with quick notes in my dry sack. Helped calm my jitters and give me a good review. Doesn't work for everyone, but this ALSO helped with my AOW certification. Did not know which dive we were going to do until that day...currents and conditions...so I was able to review the wreck dive procedure as well as the drift dive for that day. Hope this helps you, too. So...how'd you do?

 

[Chris K.]

Your fears will ease as soon as you do your first pool session - "Well, that wasn't so bad after all..." Bet ya' anything that's what you'll say. One thing I always told my nervous students is to never do anything they truly feel uncomfortable doing. A little worry is a good thing. I still do it after sixteen years. Shows you have respect for the under water environment. You'll be fine.

 

[fnfalman]

Most of the time, nervous divers would bite the bejesus out of the second stage's mouthpiece. Concentrate on that and see if you're crunching on your mouthpiece. If you do, then relax your jaws and that usually leads to being relaxed in general. Now and then I still get into the habit of biting hard on my mouthpiece.

 

[nanadiver]

The advice you are getting here is great. Yes, once again, relax. Remember when you learned to drive? There were lots of things to do at one time and it made you a little nervous. It's the same with diving. All the things you have to do become second nature with practice, just like with driving.

You are going to my favorite place for diving. I've been there several times. Enjoy the scenery and all of the marine life as you relax (there's that word again!) and do your skills. Listen to your instructor. Asks all the questions you need to. Have a wonderful time.