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

[Storker]

The first time I ever called a dive: First time calling a dive - even before suiting up. I think I had a couple of dozen dives logged at that time.

It sucked, but I learned from the experience.

 

[The Chairman]

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 live a few degrees south of you, as do many other instructors. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[purbeast]

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.

I had about 8 hours in the pool during the classroom portion of it. I am pretty sure the confined dives are a requirement before going into the ocean part of the course.

I just have absolutely no desire to do any cold water or low visibility diving. It is not of an interest to me, at least at this point. And this time of year anyways I wouldn't think it's diveable there anyways.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

The word “confined water” is being interpreted quite creatively by dive resorts. Lake Huron is “confined” if we look at the map.

I am glad that your confined water was not the open ocean because I have seen places where open ocean is the confined water.

As for low vis, it is better to train for a situation and never encounter it than to train in ideal waters (perfect Viz, no current) and then come across it unexpectedly. Most of the local diving in our DC area happens in NC and mid Atlantic is not recreational waters like the Caribbean. A lot of times divers who get their training in ideal conditions find it overwhelming.

Nevertheless the important thing right now is that you enjoy your vacation and not feel bad about missing your diving. When you get back, if you are still uncertified then no need to beat yourself over it. You may find training options that could be better than what you are missing.

 

[TMHeimer]

You've already mentioned not wanting to finish it locally. But if you could get a deal to pay less for just the dives you need that is simpler than flying back South. If you have the "paperwork", etc. and can get a referral, and a local shop will do it....

 

[Neilwood]

@purbeast you have already learned a very important lesson that is not part of most courses - when to call a dive.

Any time you get the feeling something isn't right be prepared to call it - if that is before you hit the water then so be it. Better to regret not doing the dive than to try it and get into trouble underwater.

 

[caydiver]

I totally stick with if you don’t feel well you don’t dive. Don’t care if it 10 ft or 100 ft. Know of way too many people over the years who have damaged an ear or worse that had to give up completely. The doctor even a dive doctor cannot see what’s happening in your body. You make the call and keep yourself healthy.

 

[KathyV]

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.

Like the others, I agree that it is better not to dive when you are not feeling well. Years ago my husband ruptured an eardrum in Bonaire. He had a cold but was okay during the dive but got a reverse block while surfacing. He went back down and stayed down for quite awhile trying to clear it but was unable to do so. Eventually he had to surface and when he came out of the water, blood was flowing out of his ear. That was the end of diving for that trip and he was sick the entire vacation.

But there is something else that I want to mention. Over the years it has happened many times that one or the other of us (or both!) have gotten head colds and ear/sinus infections that have affected our vacations and diving. We have concluded that it is primarily because we are run down and sleep-deprived when arriving at the vacation destination and that flying and diving adds other congesting complications.

We've tried getting ready for the trip earlier so that we won't be so run down, but somehow that never happens, our jobs keep dumping demands on us to the last second. Maybe when we retire it will finally be easier. What we do now, and it has been working for us for several years, is to plan some rest and relaxation at the start of the trip before we go diving.

We used to rush right out to dive or get on the liveaboard as soon as we arrived, even though we were really exhausted. And we would do a lot of diving, 4-5 dives per day when we could get them, even if we didn't feel good. Now we give ourselves some time to get relaxed and healthy before we go diving and we just take things easier. It means that we now take fewer, longer dive trips but we have a chance to stay healthy, and enjoy ourselves and our diving.

We have also found that using a netti-pot to give ourselves nasal and sinus rinses, before, during and after the trip, along with taking anti-histamines and decongestants, helps to keep our heads clear and prevent colds - but don't take a new medication right before you go diving - make sure to use something that you know that you tolerate well; we like the Allegra-D 12 Hour product.

Our system may just work for us, but I am passing it on because I know the disappointment of taking a long-awaited vacation to a beautiful dive destination and then getting sick and being unable to dive.

Enjoy your time on GC, there is lots to see and do topside on that beautiful island!

 

[mi000ke]

Look on the bright side. The temp forecast for the next few days in DC is mid 40s. Cayman? mid 80s. If you had to pick a place to relax and recover, sitting on a Cayman beach is a pretty good consolation. And even though you won't get your dives in, you now have an excuse to visit again!

 

[dmaziuk]

It's nice to have enough banked leave time to take 10 days instead of 7...

We went for a "fall colours" drive in CO a couple of months ago and I think for the first time ever we both felt noticeably sick a day after the flight. I think for the next one I'm pre-loading on zinc and aspirin, am drinking emergen-c the entire time, and wearing my kufiah as a face mask on the flights. Or maybe get a few disposable face masks because stupid people may find kufiah "terrorizing".