Panicky. Frustrated. The ocean's too big!
- Thread starter cyfyguy
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SPG3K
Contributor
You know, someone told me once before I ever hit the water that I should do my first dive in the Lake here, Lake Lanier. He said that once I dove there, anything else would be a joke.
18 dives later, I've yet to encounter viz any worse, or water any colder.
My dive buddy was almost paralyzed when we hit the bottom of the Limestone Reef in Destin because of 'low' viz. I was in Heaven.
I was worried about diving in the ocean, but when I hit the anchor line the first time, and noticed the relatively low viz, and it just didn't bother me. I wasn't being macho, it just didn't bother me, I didn't really have to think about it.
Try getting some dives in a closed environment like a quarry, where you know you can always just surface and never be far from home, in water where you can't see your gauges.
By the time you hit the ocean again you will be so glad to see ANYTHING that your other fears/discomfort will disappear.
18 dives later, I've yet to encounter viz any worse, or water any colder.
My dive buddy was almost paralyzed when we hit the bottom of the Limestone Reef in Destin because of 'low' viz. I was in Heaven.
I was worried about diving in the ocean, but when I hit the anchor line the first time, and noticed the relatively low viz, and it just didn't bother me. I wasn't being macho, it just didn't bother me, I didn't really have to think about it.
Try getting some dives in a closed environment like a quarry, where you know you can always just surface and never be far from home, in water where you can't see your gauges.
By the time you hit the ocean again you will be so glad to see ANYTHING that your other fears/discomfort will disappear.
sporket
Contributor
I too personally enjoy the anticipation of what lies beneath.
CaptainHornblower
Registered
You're in a new enviornment and it can be dangerous, of course you feel spooked. I'd work on lot's of shallow dives and a little better vis until you can relax, then start going deeper. Last thing you want to do is push beyond your capabilities and panic.
An acquaintance who was in a professional diving school in Seattle was having anxiety attacks while diving, so his instructor told him to deal with it or drop out. He went out on a Saturday solo to "deal with it", went down to 60 feet, paniced, and bolted to the surface. He had pink foam coming out and could not be revived.
The point is to take it slow, crawl, then walk, then run and if you can't shake the heebie jeebies after 20 or 30 dives look for a new hobby.
An acquaintance who was in a professional diving school in Seattle was having anxiety attacks while diving, so his instructor told him to deal with it or drop out. He went out on a Saturday solo to "deal with it", went down to 60 feet, paniced, and bolted to the surface. He had pink foam coming out and could not be revived.
The point is to take it slow, crawl, then walk, then run and if you can't shake the heebie jeebies after 20 or 30 dives look for a new hobby.
Some very good advice here, I especially agree with Dub5ire, get a computer or use your depth gauge. Watching the depth change really helps me create a virtual "room", a sense of where I am. Other than that, you may just be diving out of your current range, so the notion of sticking to dives you are comfortable with (for instance shore dives) and slowly building on your confidence levels is a great one.
JoyfulNoise
Contributor
I used to get that I feel like I might panic feeling when diving the Spiegel Grove off Key Largo. I was very worried since I'd planned a trip to Truk Lagoon, which is a wreck diving destination. I asked my AOW instructor about it and he said to visualize making the dive successfully over and over in my head. And it really worked! I found I was more relaxed and enjoyed the descent, seeing the wreck come into view, and diving the wreck.
dbulmer
Contributor
String,
Presumably along the lines of - Thank God it's there
or heck I'd dropped on top of it!
Cy,
Try to descend slowly, keeping your buddy in sight - this will help your buoyancy control and help you adjust to the surroundings particularly as it gets darker. It also gives you more time to clear your ears and check your depth etc
Presumably along the lines of - Thank God it's there
or heck I'd dropped on top of it!Cy,
Try to descend slowly, keeping your buddy in sight - this will help your buoyancy control and help you adjust to the surroundings particularly as it gets darker. It also gives you more time to clear your ears and check your depth etc
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