Newbie issues. What is your dive problems stats?

[Noemi]

I did my certification dives in the Philippines. Dive #5 was 9 months later, 13C, with a 2 piece 7mm + hood. Tough adjustment.

Did you like cold waters better?

And were there more issues for you in cold water compared to warm one?

 

[gcarter]

Did you like cold waters better?

And were there more issues for you in cold water compared to warm one?

Heck no, despised it. Too much gear, too tight, could not wait to rip the hood off when I got out of the water, cold water on the face...

But if I wanted to dive at all I would have to do it local which meant cold, and I was hooked. So I persevered and got used to it. Doesn't bother me at all now. And BTW, no drysuit, but I am thinking about it

 

[archer1960]

I did my certification dives in the Philippines. Dive #5 was 9 months later, 13C, with a 2 piece 7mm + hood. Tough adjustment.

Similar to me: Dives 1 - 16 were all tropical, in Grand Cayman or Cozumel. Dive 17 was 8 months later, in 58F water with 3 - 5 ft of viz. That's why it was with a hired instructor who did a two-dive set to help me get adjusted to it.

 

[Neilwood]

Guess I am the opposite of you guys in that I qualified at home with 8-14 C sea temperatures with vis of 3-4m and only recently went to warmer waters where 26-28C and vis of about 100-200m was the norm.

Guess which I prefer now...

 

[Marie13]

I went to a quarry 2 states over this just past weekend with a regional group for a dive. Did 2 dives Saturday. Leaky mask issues with one of the new masks on both dives.

Very nervous on the first time. Didn't want to let go of the steps. Then I had issues descending. Perhaps I wasn't holding inflator hose quite high enough. I let was determined I was properly weighted and had all air out of BC. Finally got down.

I held hands (as I did on my OW dives). Buoyancy and trim were crud. There were some cool moments. Saw a huge monster ass catfish on the bottom about 15 feet below us. When we were just above the school bus, a huge number of fish came from nowhere. This is where they're used to getting fed by divers, it turns out. I was so surprised that I pulled up, went vertical, and put my arm up to protect my face. It was really cool once I got past the surprise. I was told to wear my hood due to the bitey, aggressive fish. And someone else in the group took the below neat pic.

I was much more comfortable the second dive. We descended via a buoy line to one of the platforms. I just dragged myself down hand over hand on the line. Not ideal, but it worked. I think I'll be able to do my next dives at my local quarry this weekend without hand holding unless viz is arms length.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Marie, I have a problem descending also. It irritates me to no end. Someone told me in my brain I don't really trust the equipment. Sort of like I'm holding some breath reserve even though I think I am exhaling fully. Also that my muscles are tense and pumped up. I don't know if thats true, I FEEL I trust my equipment, and training. I also am very excited to go diving. I talk to myself on the top and try and try to relax, exhale, relax, exhale relax, exhale relax, think of the beauty below, deflate my bcd, drop down 1 foot, take a tiny breath and POP back up. Now I'm tense and agitated and just swim down.

I used to be very anxious and took Dramamine on the boat to avoid possible sea sickness (prior to scuba I've never been ill on boats even when others were) and liked the effect it had on calming me. I would tell my husband I was nervous and he would be surprised, as I didn't act it. My tell on the anxiety was my bladder.....I mean who has to go pee every 10 minutes?

Long story short, I just realized that I no longer have to pee every 10 min prior to dive.
I am trying something new this weekend and that is just going down the line a little, pausing for a min or two then try to descend without swimming. Maybe it is all in my head.

I also don't think I'm properly weighted and am taking a buoyancy class this weekend. Hoping this will help me get my buoyancy in line. I'm actually OK in trim, I don't usually list, or turtle, and feel I"m pretty horizontal...or at least think I am...I'll keep you informed.

My 1st dive is never my best. I look forward to 2nd and 3rd. It could be the 7ml is wet and heavier, or just that I trust my equipment. Crazy making this scuba

 

[Marie13]

Lizzi, I'll see how I do this weekend, but this will be underwater pumpkin carving so I'll see how I do descending!

 

[gcarter]

One thing that may help with the descent is to be the first in the water and waiting for everyone else. That few extra minutes of relaxation - you are past the "get ready" stress and bustle - can make a big difference. Especially if diving wet in cold water, it allows you a few moments to acclimatize which will also relax you a bit.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

How the heck do you keep a pumpkin down? Extra lead for you or does the pumpkin carry its own

 

[Marie13]

How the heck do you keep a pumpkin down? Extra lead for you or does the pumpkin carry its own

Maybe both! You can't cut pumpkin until you're underwater, but need to make the first cut in shallow water to prevent it exploding from the pressure underwater.