OW starts in a week. Maybe I need to stop reading so much.

[Finding Thomas Paine]

I'm a voracious reader - including regarding my hobbies. I'm very comfortable in the water. But after reading about so many potential dangers and close calls on this and the close calls board, I may need to cut back. To be honest, it's beginning to wig me out a bit. Just sayin'.

 

[TSandM]

You know, when you look at the number of people who dive, and the number of dives done worldwide per year, and how many of those people are intermittent divers at best, you realize diving is a surprisingly safe sport. You can make some BIG mistakes and live through them, if you don't compound them -- I know, because I did! On the other hand, there's no particular need to make big mistakes. Take a good class that gives you time in the water to get a handle on buoyancy control. Discipline yourself to check your gas. Don't let anyone talk you into doing anything you don't feel comfortable doing. Follow those rules, and you are very unlikely to get into any significant trouble.

 

[spectrum]

Don't fret but don't stop reading. It's great practice in learning how to think as a diver. Diving is very safe but most basic training is centered around disaster mitigation, hence you read a lot about recovering from assorted pratfalls. The more you read about issues and how divers discuss them the more you will learn to think for yourself. In diving a lot of things in fact most are not simple yes or no. The situation or preference drive a lot of decisions and you will need to make your own. Getting your head into all of this dialog is sort of like moot court for a lawyer. In some respects the sport does not have an undo button so don't take me as dismissing the hazards. With the right training, practice and equipment your risk is very very low.

Pete

 

[NAM001]

Believe me if you can tie your own shoestrings and are comfprtable in the water you just cant fail unless you try to.

 

[Finding Thomas Paine]

Don't fret but don't stop reading. It's great practice in learning how to think as a diver. Diving is very safe but most basic training is centered around disaster mitigation, hence you read a lot about recovering from assorted pratfalls. The more you read about issues and how divers discuss them the more you will learn to think for yourself. In diving a lot of things in fact most are not simple yes or no. The situation or preference drive a lot of decisions and you will need to make your own. Getting your head into all of this dialog is sort of like moot court for a lawyer. In some respects the sport does not have an undo button so don't take me as dismissing the hazards. With the right training, practice and equipment your risk is very very low.

Pete

Pete - As a lawyer, I like the analogy. I'm still full speed ahead and believe I will enjoy diving a lot. But I'd be lying if I said I appreciated the nature and gravity of the inherent risks until the last few weeks. I'll keep reading and learning.

 

[Yoda-X]

LEARN from the mistakes of others
PREPARE for possible issues
DIVE within your abilities
ENJOY the experience and don't stress.

Plain and simple, diving is safe as long as you do your part. Get cocky and push the limits of your abilities and things will happen. Take your OW and Advanced right away. Get comfortable with what you are doing, enjoy diving, then take the Rescue course. By the time you complete those tasks you will be way more relaxed and know much more about accident mitigation.

 

[Altamira]

Good training, consistent, thoughtful and conscientious practice, a constant search for knowledge, and staying within your limits (you will know what they are) will overcome any apprehension you may have at this stage of your diving journey. Know, understand, and prepare for contingencies, but don't worry about them. Life is short, enjoy it to the maximum, and don't let fear get in the way of enjoying a great hobby.

 

[Dhboner]

Don't be a "vacation diver"...dive often, preferably with people with more experience and training than you and learn from those people. Make checklists (even if they are mental) and go through those checklists before every dive. If you are feeling "off" or unsure...then thumb the dive. Don't go deeper than your training has taken you no matter what there is down there to see. Progress in safe and steady increments...don't chase C- Cards. If you follow these simple rules (and the great advice of others in this thread) you will be safe, have fun and enjoy years of this fantastic sport.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There is nothing wrong with doing research. Most people put more thought into buying a new toaster or TV than they do when selecting quality training. Some segments of the industry count on this. Do your homework, interview your potential instructors as you would any employee. That's what they are. Your new employee who is going to teach you how to exist and act safely in an alien environment. If you don't know what to ask don't feel bad. Most people don't. There's a great thread in the new divers forum that has some good questions http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ng/287780-how-find-excellent-scuba-class.html
Also I'd suggest the post I made several years ago on personal responsibility http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ering-diving/283566-who-responsible-what.html

For more detailed info and a larger list of interview questions you can click the link below and get a copy of my book. It has questions for instructors and shops as well as some other info I feel is critical for new divers and those considering taking up diving. Over 1500 people now in 24 countries seem to agree given the latest sales data.
t

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'm a voracious reader - including regarding my hobbies. I'm very comfortable in the water. But after reading about so many potential dangers and close calls on this and the close calls board, I may need to cut back. To be honest, it's beginning to wig me out a bit. Just sayin'.

As others have said, it's a comparatively safe hobby. Look at it another way: Few people write about all the dives that went perfectly normally. The Internet and other media tend to have an amplification effect with regard to mishaps because those are the events people want to read about and discuss. Reading the boards, one could easily get the false impression that lots of dive mishaps are occurring. Dives that went perfectly don't present as much opportunity for others to learn from and discuss.