Panic Attack During OWC - Had to Bail

[hypnodean]

Resident Hypnotist here.... I helped someone in my own OW class deal with similar things, and have a hypnosis CD in the works JUST for scuba... BUT... In the meant time, what you describe is common. MOST people's panic attacks are self fulfilling prohpecies.

If you are the do it yourself type of person, contact me Via PM and I'll send you a CD or tape to learn self hypnosis Free of charge... should help you deal with things much more easily if/when you decide to try again and meet with an instructor privately.

If you prefer to read, let me know and I'll send you some links and such that will give you some suggestions


Dean

 

[DiveMistress2]

Hey there Shaken_bake,
3. If you were to calculate 10% of your weight and add 5-7lbs, does that equal 28? (That's normally how weighting is determined)
QUOTE]

I totally agree with all the other points, but this one really stirs me ... are you considering that for beginners ? I started off with 6kg (shorty and 83kg) which is far off 10%+2.5-3kg=10kg

Hey there Milkathecow, we use pounds, not kilograms. Your measurements would be quite different. The conversion is 1kg equals 2.2lbs.

Since you weigh approximately 183lbs, you should be wearing about 20 lbs of lead. As a newby, you can expect to be more buoyant so we normally add another 2-3lbs and keep adding until we get the right amount.

I don't really understand that explanation, as the suit (wet, semi or dry) will make a huge difference, and i can't even start to imagine calculations like those. only a good buoyancy check does the trick, and it can be done in a pool, just add 1-2kg for salty water (calculate by using density like 10kg->1 ; x=0.98).

The style of suit definately makes a difference for new divers. I personally find a one piece the most comfortable - I didn't like the amount of pressure the farmer johns put on my upper body. Semi-dry's are generally more buoyant than a regular wetsuit since they are designed to limit the water flow through them. My thoughts were that if she was wearing a farmer john, she may want to try a full piece suit.

 

[Diver0001]

....snip....

I'm curious if anyone here has had a similar experience. Has anyone had a disastrous first attempt, then gone on to be a diver, to come to love scuba? Did I worry too much and create a self-fulfilling prophecy that I'll never be able to get over now? Should I just hang it up and be happy I figured it out now before I endanger myself or others? I can't picture I'd be able to dive more than once a year, given the lack of decent open water diving opportunities around Denver. My heart is telling me it's something I should be able to do, but my brain has taken a complete opposite tack, reminding me that silly humans weren't meant to swim under the water for more than one breath!

If I had to guess I'd say your suit was too tight. Get back in the pool asap and try it there. The longer you put off getting back on the horse the bigger the horse starts to look.

R..

 

[milkathecow]

Hey there Milkathecow, we use pounds, not kilograms. Your measurements would be quite different. The conversion is 1kg equals 2.2lbs.

Since you weigh approximately 183lbs, you should be wearing about 20 lbs of lead. As a newby, you can expect to be more buoyant so we normally add another 2-3lbs and keep adding until we get the right amount.

I'm affraid it still seems weird to me (i must admit i use 4-5kg/8.8-11lbs with a 9mm neoprene wetsuit). Ah yup i forgot something too which we didnt' take into account... the Tank... i have a Faber Steel 15L which weights quite a lot, but even in sea water with a 10L Alum. I don't put 10kg

I just don't understand where such calculations can come into account, well maybe to have a "very" large approximation, but when i teach, i usually slightly overcharge for the 1st confined water to make sure they "stick" to the bottom, but after that a good buoyancy check is the best thing.

I'll give your calculations a try with my next student before being stubborn about it and i'll see then. it's always best to try before complaining isn't it

 

[Diver0001]

I'm affraid it still seems weird to me (i must admit i use 4-5kg/8.8-11lbs with a 9mm neoprene wetsuit). Ah yup i forgot something too which we didnt' take into account... the Tank... i have a Faber Steel 15L which weights quite a lot, but even in sea water with a 10L Alum. I don't put 10kg

LOL. That's just what I thought when I read your first post. I also have a faber 15 and using a similar suit my ballast in OW is about 5kg .... With a steel backplate in fresh water I don't need any weight with that tank/suit so I could proably dump another kg or maybe 2 if I really tried.

I just don't understand where such calculations can come into account,

I think I do. When people rent gear and have no idea how much weight they need then a lot of places do the 10% thing. Then they'll always have more than enough and can sort it out in detail at the buoyancy check. In other words it's a practicality for shops that somehow got into the realm of rules of thumb.....

The add a couple of pounds thing probably comes from the fact the AL tanks are a little positive.

R..

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think I do. When people rent gear and have no idea how much weight they need then a lot of places do the 10% thing. Then they'll always have more than enough and can sort it out in detail at the buoyancy check. In other words it's a practicality for shops that somehow got into the realm of rules of thumb.....

The add a couple of pounds thing probably comes from the fact the AL tanks are a little positive.

R..

PADI uses the 10% + a few pounds as a suggested starting point when a diver is using an Al tank and a 1/4 inch suit. For a three mil suit they use like 5%.

It's just a guess at a starting point and is NO substitute for an in-water check.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

PADI uses the 10% + a few pounds as a suggested starting point when a diver is using an Al tank and a 1/4 inch suit. For a three mil suit they use like 5%.

It's just a guess at a starting point and is NO substitute for an in-water check.

I learned the same rule of thumb ... and caveat ... in both my YMCA and NAUI classes. Add to the conditions that this rule of thumb applies to salt water. Fresh water will require less weight.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ReneeC]

Twenty two years ago I took my first OW class - breezed through the classroom work and the pool sesssions but my Open Water was a disaster! Sleepless night before, 4-hour trek to the ocean, horrible weather (a hurricane had just passed) and an instructor who was going to get us certified no matter what the conditions! Briefly put - the seas were no place for students. This was New England where vis is bad on a good day but this day it was zero! Rough shore entry and too many students, not enough instructor to go around. Myself and two others were rescued by other divers on the beach. I had picked up a rock in my reg, was freeflowing and the tether line he had us all hanging onto was wrapped around my throat! I was going down for the third time when I finally was dragged to the surface. It took me ten years to get back in the water and now I look back on those as ten years lost! I've been diving for 12 years now and will complete my instructor classes this month! So hang in there - try some of the advice you've been given and don't worry about the cruise trip - do a little snorkling, take in the scenery and just get comfortable in the water.

BTW - that instructor never taught another class! He was lucky that lawsuits were not so prevalent then as they are now.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Resident Hypnotist here.... I helped someone in my own OW class deal with similar things, and have a hypnosis CD in the works JUST for scuba... BUT... In the meant time, what you describe is common. MOST people's panic attacks are self fulfilling prohpecies.

It might be common but in my experience it's not the result of self fulfilling prophecies. Divers panic when they feel that they have lost control of the situation and fear (fight or flight) drives their actions.

The answer is to be confident and comfortable with your ability to handle the situation. The most reliable way to get there is skill proficiency. Then control is never in question.

While visualization or similar techniqes may help gain performane as in any other sport it's not a magic pill.


Of course the above assumes that your equipment isn't squeezing you to death.

Correctly fitting equipment and proficiency and confidence in basic skills is the minimum that's required to begine training in OW. Insist on at least that much.

 

[Sideband]

I totally agree with all the other points, but this one really stirs me ... are you considering that for beginners ? I started off with 6kg (shorty and 83kg) which is far off 10%+2.5-3kg=10kg

I don't really understand that explanation, as the suit (wet, semi or dry) will make a huge difference, and i can't even start to imagine calculations like those. only a good buoyancy check does the trick, and it can be done in a pool, just add 1-2kg for salty water (calculate by using density like 10kg->1 ; x=0.98).

Those are the roughly the same calculations we used for a 7mil, which is what she was wearing. We actually used 10%+4lbs but after the buoyancy check I needed another 3 pounds. It isn't exact but it gives a good estimate and starting point. Of course this won't work for a 2 mil shorty but it seems to work great for figuring weight for a 7mil.

Joe