My OW certification checkout dives didn't go so well unfortunately.

[purbeast]

I'm just posting my recent experiences on here since I have been posting a lot recently due to being excited about getting my certification.

Anyways, I am in Grand Cayman right now and arrived Thursday to start the checkout dives on Friday. Early in the week I could tell I wasn't feeling too great so I opted not to go to the gym to left my body rest. The day we arrived here I didn't sleep much since we had to leave at 3:30am to get to the airport so I felt kinda blah.

Friday morning I woke up and felt really sick and I felt like I had a fever and flu like symptoms. I ended up getting some medicine very early and took it and then by the time they picked us up for the dives it was 11:30 and I felt okay. I also really had no appetite all day.

I talked to the instructor who organized the trip and he said if I felt up to it to give the first dive a try as it was 20 feet max, and see how I felt. If I felt bad any time during the dives to just let the instructor know and to call it off. So I ended up doing the 3 dives and felt okay during them all although I kind of had a headache but it wasn't enough to bother me or keep me out of it.

When I got home it started to hit me more though. I got home around 5:30pm and just started to gradually feel worse and worse. Eventually I ended up falling asleep but again I didn't eat much as I didn't have much appetite.

I ended up tossing and turning like all night and I could clearly tell I had a fever. I had to call off the next dives and ended up going to see a health clinic here and they thought I had some kind of flu. They put me on tamiflu and a few other medicines and my ears also were clogged with wax to they cleared them and gave me ear drops. The doc said to not bother with anymore diving while I'm here as it's risky.

So even though I'm here until Tuesday I unfortunately won't be able to complete the last dive. I really wished I could do it with the group because they did 5 AOW dives afterwards that I would have 100% done as I felt super comfortable after just the first dive. Instead of having 9 or 10 dives under my belt I only have the couple training dives.

I'm either going to come back with another group trip here so I can do the 4th dive and then the next 5 with the group, or I may just take the referral and do the final dive in the Keys or something. I really like being with the group though and after just the first day you could feel the comradre and accomplishment everyone felt.

But oh well, health is more important than diving in the grand scheme of things, it just really sucks that the only reason I planned this trip and came here is something that couldn't be accomplished.

 

[The Chairman]

Anytime you feel sick, you should call the dive. You'll have other chances to splash, so be prudent.

 

[purbeast]

Anytime you feel sick, you should call the dive. You'll have other chances to splash, so be prudent.

Yeah the doctor I saw yesterday said it was good that I didn't dive yesterday but there was no chance I could. I mean I could barely get out of bed it felt like that took so much effort.

 

[George Monnat Jr]

You can always dive later, so I think you did the right thing.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Yeah the doctor I saw yesterday said it was good that I didn't dive yesterday but there was no chance I could. I mean I could barely get out of bed it felt like that took so much effort.

I'm sorry this happened to you but these things do, unfortunately, happen to us from time to time. I've been on liveaboards and not been able to (advisably) dive and have seen the same happen to many others. Last time, wasn't on a liveaboard but it was a very special trip nonetheless.

I hope you'll feel better soon enough to at least enjoy non-strenuous topside activities.

Keep your glass half full. Perhaps returning to finish will end up being a great thing for you!!

 

[Storker]

To add to the cliches (which happen to be damn true): It's better to be topside wishing you were underwater, than to be underwater wishing you were topside.

Calling a dive usually sucks big time, but getting in trouble because you didn't call the dive sucks a lot more.

 

[RyanT]

Agree with the other posters. Calling a dive sucks, but the ocean will be there tomorrow. That was the right decision.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

So sorry but health comes first so you have done the right thing. You never want to push through a dive when feeling ill.

This is one of the reasons I do not like mixing up scuba vacation with scuba training. You did not specify where you are but it is always better to get certified locally sand dive on vacation.

No worries. There will be many more opportunities

 

[purbeast]

So sorry but health comes first so you have done the right thing. You never want to push through a dive when feeling ill.

This is one of the reasons I do not like mixing up scuba vacation with scuba training. You did not specify where you are but it is always better to get certified locally sand dive on vacation.

No worries. There will be many more opp

I live in the DC area in MD but I don't really have interest in getting the training done in the cold murky quarries around there.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I live in the DC area in MD but I don't really have interest in getting the training done in the cold murky quarries around there.

I also live in the DC area and there are shops in your area that will put you in the swimming pool for three to four days of repeated drilling. By the time you are done with such an extensive pool work you are already a diver and you are only learning ascent control and navigation in the quarry. The quarry with limited vis is the most suited place for it because I learnt my underwater navigation in 100 feet vis and it was a freaking joke! Once you have done your checkout dives in quarry conditions, Caribbean diving is a piece of cake.

While Caribbean makes great diving destination it is far far from being the best training destination. I am not sure how many days of pool work you did prior to being introduced to the ocean but if you told me that your dive operator did not even have a pool and you started with your skills in the ocean itself then I would not be surprised.