relaxing and breathing

[theskull]

How often do any of you dive? I’m curious to my level of passion or compulsion if you will.

I dive nearly every weekend during the Spring/Summer/Fall months, and at least once per month during the Winter.

Mostly local (Midwest) diving, but try to make at least one trip per year to a tropical destination or, even better, to N Fl for warm water cave diving.

theskull

 

[TSandM]

The last couple of years, I've been doing about 180 dives a year. I did more than that as a new diver. But I live 30 minutes from half a dozen decent dive sites, and water conditions are favorable for diving most days of the year, so long as you have enough insulation

Mud8847, join the Dive New York subforum -- there are a lot of folks with a lot of training who frequent Dutch Springs. I think you could probably come by some mentoring fairly easily, and mentoring is a wonderful way to learn.

 

[tstormdiver]

To be honest, yes, I need to build a level of confidence with the simple action of breathing under water and being underwater. I think given my history of many DSD dives and diving in some challenging conditions for me I became over confident and when I did encounter a situation or series of situations, it knocked me on my butt and back to realty. For example, eye opening experiences that diving is dangerous and like anything that is dangerous requires care, feeding, maintenance, and non-stop learning/education!

We all need this from time,.... it keeps things real & keeps us respectful of the environment. That is how we learn & grow. Just make sure you're not outside of your training & experience level when it happens.

 

[beester]

I make on average 100-120 dives a year, but you shouldn't focus on these numbers. I have it fairly easy being that my girlfriend is also an avid diver so I need to compromise less plus I'm fairly close to diveable water (quaries, tidal estuary, north sea wrecks). Although diveable does mean current, cold and bad vis

I do see alot of new divers, how they start out, etc. If they ask me for advice (any advice) I tell them only 2 things. Get springstraps (since they typically will do alot of shoredives to start of with, and these make live alot easier) and make sure that the first 20 dives are done in rapid progression.

Diving is no rocket science, it's not hard but you do need in water time. The first dives are the hardest for alot of reasons. Getting your equipment ready, getting in that wetsuit, listening to planning, walking to the shore or dropping from a boat, all of that and you're not even in the water.

If you only do 5 dives in a year you are not progressing. If you do 5 dives in a month and because of various reasons don't dive until the next year (for example holiday divers) you are not progressing. These divers don't understand why diving still feels difficult. It's because they are always "resetting" their dive-timer. They start back at square 1.

The only way to avoid this is to be dedicated in the beginning of your diving career. After 20 dives you'll find that alot of things are already easier. You start getting a system with your equipment. You start getting a sequence in how you setup your equipment, your buyancy improves, you 've dived with different buddies who all dive in slightly different ways so you learn from them, you see that your sac rate is going down, you start focusing on your surroundings, not only to watch the little critters but also where you are and how to get back out, etc, etc. Ie you're putting all the theory in practise.

BTW: you don't need an instructor to do this with you. You don't need more certifications. All these speciallity dives won't make you a better diver. Just dive. There are numerous experienced divers out there who are willing to take you out for a dive. Find out in your local environment who dives, see if you can get plugged in the local diving community.

If learned alot from instructors and courses, but I've learned as much just by diving with experienced dive buddies.

Cheers

B

 

[tstormdiver]

Where is your usual haunt, in KT? I’m NY and plan to make a few trips to Dut. Springs.

I dive in a quarry in South West KY called Pennyroyal Scuba, about 1-1/2 hrs from home.

 

[mud8847]

Hello All,

Thank you so much for the advice, suggestions, and support!

I’ve taken the advice from many supporters present in this thread and made a long over do visit to a recommended local dive shop where I spent a good 2-hours chatting and building a relationship. It just happens they are doing an OW refresher tomorrow, since any diving is better than no diving, it’s cold here, and a nice warm pool sounds about right I elected to tag along. I know there is no substitute for time in the water and I plan to start supplementing my away dives with local dives. I am hoping between the NY forum, local dive club, local dive shop, and continued education I can begin to build a strong foundation and confidence.

Points taken:

1) Stop, Breathe, Think, Breathe, Act
2) Work on establishing a rhythm for breathing
3) Leverage any and all resources; (dive shop, clubs, forums, and anyone willing to lend a hand)
4) There is no substitute for in water time
5) Relax and Enjoy

A big thanks to everyone!

 

[Gmsg]

Where in NY? We dive upstate NY, always looking for dive buddies.

 

[mud8847]

Poughkeepsie area about 90 minutes north of NYC, 30 minutes west of Danbury, CT, 45 minutes east of the PA border, and 2 hours south of Albany. Yeah, I gave that way to much thought!

Awesome refresher in the pool today. It was weird at first almost awkward, however, by the end I was asked three times to get out of the pool! I love the refresher course! I could see doing it yearly just to keep in practice with some of the things you don't seem to do every dive and the added plus of getting to meet different people and different point of views on things.