So after telling my whole family about the wonderful world of scuba, I convinced my mum to go for a discovery dive. Knowing my mum, I knew it was going to be a case that she either loved it or hated it. We aren't naturally outdoorsy people, and she doesn't particularly like swimming or the sea...or sand.
Anyway, I wondered what people's experience of the discovery dive has been? Personally, I jumped straight into the course so I have no idea. Is there a standard protocol? I assumed they would take her into a shallow area of the sea, get her used to breathing through the regulator, do a couple of skills, then go out a little deeper. What she described to me was that the first dive they tried to hold the line to go down at the back of the boat, she got very nervous and was also having issues with water coming in through the regulator, which turned out to be faulty somehow and she switched to the alternate, which was better. That said, she still was too nervous to ascend and they ended up moving to a shallow area and trying again. The second time round she did manage to get down and said it was fine and she liked looking at all the fish. They didn't do any of the skills (presumably because she had been so nervous), but she did have to clear her mask when it started to flood. They got back on the boat, she felt unwell (rough seas) and decided she didn't want to try again.
Obviously, the point of the discovery dive is to get a feel for if you like it: And there are so many factors that can affect that. Oman is usually beautifully sunny and the sea not too rough, yesterday happened to be wet, grey and rough seas. I was disappointed to hear that she had a problem with the regulator, it just seemed like something could have been avoided? Of course, my knowledge of the day is all second-hand but I did wonder if a different approach would have made the whole thing a nicer experience?
p.s just feel I should add, mum didn't consider this a bad experience and wasn't at all traumatised or anything like that. I think she was surprised at herself for getting nervous and doesn't really know why she did. Like I said, she did say she liked seeing all the fish once she was down there.
Anyway, I wondered what people's experience of the discovery dive has been? Personally, I jumped straight into the course so I have no idea. Is there a standard protocol? I assumed they would take her into a shallow area of the sea, get her used to breathing through the regulator, do a couple of skills, then go out a little deeper. What she described to me was that the first dive they tried to hold the line to go down at the back of the boat, she got very nervous and was also having issues with water coming in through the regulator, which turned out to be faulty somehow and she switched to the alternate, which was better. That said, she still was too nervous to ascend and they ended up moving to a shallow area and trying again. The second time round she did manage to get down and said it was fine and she liked looking at all the fish. They didn't do any of the skills (presumably because she had been so nervous), but she did have to clear her mask when it started to flood. They got back on the boat, she felt unwell (rough seas) and decided she didn't want to try again.
Obviously, the point of the discovery dive is to get a feel for if you like it: And there are so many factors that can affect that. Oman is usually beautifully sunny and the sea not too rough, yesterday happened to be wet, grey and rough seas. I was disappointed to hear that she had a problem with the regulator, it just seemed like something could have been avoided? Of course, my knowledge of the day is all second-hand but I did wonder if a different approach would have made the whole thing a nicer experience?
p.s just feel I should add, mum didn't consider this a bad experience and wasn't at all traumatised or anything like that. I think she was surprised at herself for getting nervous and doesn't really know why she did. Like I said, she did say she liked seeing all the fish once she was down there.
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