Natural divers and unnatural divers?

[Frosty]

Hey folks I work in a totally unrelated feild to diving. In my feild you can see pretty quickly the naturals at it,they make it look easy from the moment they get started. Theres those that just need to chill and they will be fine, The constant word used is relax.
Those that with work could make it and those that really should NEVER attempt this sport.
(Actually the last group I'd actually say try again in a few years because people do change.)
More the latter group. Have you instructors met divers like this? Where you know that without dramatic changes they are going to kill themselves and possibly others?
If so how do you deal with it?

This is really a generic kinda question out of interest.

 

[Brendon]

As a NAUI instructor, If we are not comfortable with a student diving with a loved one then we retain the right to hold back certification. I have never had to do this, I will spend extra time with students to help them get over what ever issues they have. As long as they are the kind of issues that can be resolved by a scuba instructor. I have met a few divers that are completely reckless and will most likely be the cause of some injury either to themselves or others at some point. Very little can be done if the diver is not receptive to help or training options, most I have met are receptive... This all falls back on poor training, unfortunatley it does happen. Some divers are certified that should not be...

 

[Charlie99]

Scuba diving has a very high dropout rate.

I suspect those that you call "unnatural divers" drop out of the sport after only a few dives.

 

[BrianKon]

From what I have seen, those divers your referring to realize in a very short time that they are not cut out for the sport, so in essence the likelihood of them injuring themselves or others is limited. Either they're not comfortable in the water, claustrophobic, don't care or whatever.

but as instructors, we are obligated to help get them over those concerns to at least be a competent diver upon certification, whether they choose to dive again remains their decision.

I talk with folks all the time who got certified, and have not dove since. It happens

 

[xyrandomyx]

Scuba diving has a very high dropout rate.

I suspect those that you call "unnatural divers" drop out of the sport after only a few dives.

I don't know. I'm really not 'natural' at anything physical -- I'm hopelessly uncoordinated. And, while it's still too early to tell, I don't see myself dropping out of diving after just a few more dives. I'm enjoying it far too much.

I don't think I'll ever have the best buoyancy skills or the most grace underwater, but the basics don't seem too terribly hard if you put in a little bit of work. My buoyancy's already 'alright' -- I manage to keep myself off the bottom, don't unexpectedly float rapidly towards the surface and mostly manage to keep out of the way of other divers. I'm sure it'll improve with time and practice. I'm happy with aiming for my personal goal of not being a danger or a nuisance underwater and improving as much as I'm able to.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Some of the greatest athletes and pilots were told to abandon all hope by their instructors. Sure, some people pick up things faster than others and diving is no different. Sometimes the greatest are slow to start. Some people who find learning to dive to be easy quit. Some people who find learning to dive difficult persist and become great.

Attitude is the key. Those who really want something and are willing to put the time and effort into it will often overcome their weaknesses and everything begins to click for them.

For a few, it will just never happen. But, we always respect those who try their hardest. These people usually don't need to be told they shouldn't dive, fly, race or whatever the activity. They eventually reach that conclusion for themselves because they did give it their all. There is no shame in discovering something isn't your cup of tea. That might happen on the first day or after years of trying an activity.

Instructors should encourage students to achieve and stay with it, but we shouldn't compromise any realistic personal or agency standards. One of the greatest joys is having really earned something. No instructor should take that joy away.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I have seen some students that could probably have taught themselves to dive in a few days with 5 minutes of instruction. In 15-20 dives, they have the smoothness in the water that other divers with literally hundreds of dives will NEVER match. There are some divers that are naturals.

Most scuba students are pretty bad when they start and some are absolutely terrible, I mean they freak when the water touches their lips. But I have also seen these "terrible" students turn into good divers with a good degree of instructor patience, and as mentioned above, their own attitude and desire.

On the first night, you can usually tell who will definitely be a good diver, but for many others, their initial attempts are zero indication of their eventual ability to learn the skills.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

It should also be mentioned that a great initial student might someday be surpassed by a student who struggled at first. Natural ability helps, but continued dedication, training, experience and practice is what makes a great diver over the long haul.

 

[TSandM]

Read the journal in my sig line.

On the bell-shaped curve of native aptitude for this sport, I'm so far to the negative end that it would have been a kindness for my OW instructors to have told me to consider golf. I am absolutely sure my technical instructors have contemplated doing that . . . but six years of dedicated effort have brought me a technical cert and a Full Cave certification, where I'm certain that none of my early instructors would even have predicted I would continue to dive.

What puts me off students in OW classes is fear. I was clumsy and stupid and sometimes downright dangerous, but I wasn't scared. The students who can't get past their anxiety, or who are using ALL of their bandwidth just to make themselves get into and stay in the water, are the people I think probably ought to give up. Being clumsy or awkward or making skill mistakes is something you can fix with enough time and determination (and a wonderful set of inhumanly patient dive buddies). But I don't like being in the water with people who are scared.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

IMHO, for many that could or should, the first experiences is the make or break.

If you are not inspired by the underwater realm, diving will not be a high enough priority for most to become proficient.

A proficient breath hold diver only needs a smidge of motivation to become a proficient scuba diver, yet many of them will not.