Scared. Am I cut out for this?

[JenniScuba]

Tomahawk,
When you begin your class think of it as climbing Mt. Everest...first you have to start with the incline...it takes time, practice, dedication, discipline and along they way HAVE FUN!
Going below 10 feet does not mean the dive isn't quality....start w/the shallow stuff....
When I began diving I started things in a backward state....depth, not quality....then I realized...quality is what you feel when you dive...your experience...what YOU LIKE! MOST importantly, be sure your dive buddy is someone who shares the diving YOU LIKE, not just a buddy because you want to dive!
Best wishes to you, you are going to be an awesome diver! Great post by the way!
~Jenni

 

[GA Under Water]

They key is this. YOU have a secondary reg and if you have it latched where you know where it is, be it bungee or the triangle, you can get air. If you can't get to your's you have a buddy, if you are solo, you make provisions to have a backup. I would imagine that just like in the air there is a way to react to make the situation more tolerable so that you can fix the sitch. If you loose your Primary, grab your octo and breathe normally and take your time to find your primary again.

My Open Water class is about to start and all I can think of is whether I should quit now before I kill myself.

I am familiar with the sport and the skills involved, so I not a total newcomer. I took classes 12 years ago, when I was 12 years old. I did fine, but I did not go on the open water dives (family issue out of my control, being only 12). I never finished certification. I have spent a lot of time after that in the water with my snorkel, mask, and fins, so I'm pretty comfortable with that stuff (even swimming without a mask).

Here's the problem: I can't imagine how I am ever going to leave the safety of the pool for the open water dives. I do not want to ever take the regulator out of my mouth, for any reason. I don't want to go below 10 feet. I want to to know that I can reach the surface if I have to.

All I can think is, when the regulator quits or gets knocked out of my mouth, it won't be after I inhaled deeply like we practice in the pool. It will probably be just after I exhaled all the air in my lungs while swimming vigorously, so my body will be using oxygen so rapidly I will have even less time to find the regulator before losing consciousness.

I don't think I will panic. I am an instrument rated private pilot and I have been in real (non-training) scary situations but maintained perfect control of myself. I just don't know what it will be like all the way down at 30 ft. I know I can probably find my regulator. I just don't know if I can do it in time.

I had a bad experience in the pool when I was 12. The instructor came up from behind, knocked the regulator from my mouth, and handed me a bottle of Spare Air. I did not know how to work it, so I fumbled with it while growing ever more desperate for air. Finally, I bolted for the surface. After which, I was chewed out. I tried to explain that I had to breathe. Didn't matter. That won't work in real life. So how am I supposed to deal with a situation when I can't breathe anything and I have limited time in which to act?

I love the water, and I love being underwater. I am not trying to get certified to impress anyone or to prove anything -- I want to do it because I like it. But all I can think of is screwing up and having an accident.

I am envious of the diving students who just plunge in and never consider the danger, or just seem to be fine with it like it's driving a car. They have confidence and have fun. I wasn't carefree like that even when I was 12 -- I always worried about everything. I have no confidence in my abilities.

Please, can I hear some advice from someone else who worries about everything? Am I cut out for this? The only thing keeping me from canceling the class is looking forward to using scuba again. Just not on the open water dives. Not yet.

 

[ScubaJeff123]

I am sure taking flying lessons is more of a fear than diving. Just practice all of the skills in the pool and get comfortable in that environment before plunging into the ocean. Instructors do not intentionally yank regulators from your mouth under water (at least not in my training class).

 

[Colliam7]

Believe it or not, I actually spun a Tomahawk. Multiple times. And I was quite familiar with its reputation at the time!

I stand in awe! Yu da man. I think you will do just fine in OW!

 

[Web Monkey]

I'm taking a weekend class, so I hope I have enough time to practice my own way. They tell me that 97% of their students go straight to open water. Well, I'm in the 3% that is constantly thinking about every o-ring, seal, hose, connection, and every possible situation.

That's the biggest problem.

Get your money back if you can, but don't do the weekend class.

All a weekend class will do is scare the c*** out of you and guarantee that you'll never dive again.

You need a class that will let you take as long as you want to get comfortable in the water and get the necessary skills down absolutely cold. If it takes 3 classes just to get to the deep end of the pool, that's fine. If it takes another 8 or 10 classes to get you comfortable in the deep end, that's just fine too. A good shop will let you do that at no additional charge.

You should have all your skills down absolutely cold and be bored with the pool before moving on to the open water.

Your fears of running out of air are not groundless. Running out of air can be fatal. However the risk can be reduced to almost insignificant by having a well-trained safety-conscious buddy that stays with you.

You may want to consider seeing if one of your friends wants to take the class with you and be your regular buddy.

Also, stop worrying about your equipment. Even if you got your stuff from James Bond and had it serviced by Q, there's always the possibility of a failure. That's what your buddy is for.

Blown o-ring? Your buddy has air. Leaky BC? Your buddy's BC still floats. Whatever you need, your buddy has one. There is no way to prevent all failures. Additionally, there is no equipment failure that can't be easily handled with a good buddy and good training.

Terry

 

[idiver]

"Get your money back if you can, but don't do the weekend class.

All a weekend class will do is scare the c*** out of you and guarantee that you'll never dive again."

This is amazing. We supply weekend classes and have many people who pass with out a hitch. yes it's true that some need more time. That is why our shop offers for ou to come back as many times as it takes until you are comfortanle.

There is a new person to Scuba Board named Scuba Gal. She was in my weekend class and was absolutly frightened of every thought related to scuba. I took a little extra time through out the weekend and she passed with flying colors.

The most important part of taking any scuba lessons is to have an instructor you are comfortable with. I am a good instructor only to those who enjoy being with me. I do not fit every one nor does everyone fit me. That is why there are so many instructors. My best advice is to work with an instructor that you are comfortable with and that will spend the time to assist you in your particular fears. We have multiple instructors in or shop that are from varied back grounds. One of them is so detail oriented it's almost to a fault. But he is sought after by many engineers who can relate to this style of teaching.

If your instructor does not help to your level of needs. Don't give up diving. Find another that will teach to your satisfaction. Anybody can learn to scuba dive if they are patient and take the time to put in the effort to learn what the instructor teaches.

This sport has a fantastic safety record that is tracked by every diver through many differant agencies. What other sport demands such extinsive training before you are even allowed to attempt the sport? Good luck and don't give up.

 

[Thrillhouse]

You're definitely not alone, Tomahawk. There were a lot of people in my OW class who had some major concerns about SCUBA, and one girl who was very uncomfortable in the water to begin with. Still, they all made it fine in the end, even if it took some people (myself included) a bit longer to get comfortable with certain aspects of the sport.

If the issue's not being able to reach the surface, try doing your first dives to a maximum of 20 ft. That way it's just like a pool and you'll always have safe, immediate access to the surface. Of course SCUBA has a huge emphasis on solving problems underwater, but if learning at 20ft makes you feel more comfortable, do it for sure. I've only done a few dives so far, and am also not cool yet with going down deep. The best part about SCUBA is there's no need to, as the sport is totally open-ended to suit all types of people. If you're really gung-ho, confident, and want to go down to 60ft, great. If you feel safer and more comfortable in the shallows, you'll have a great time there as well, deeper doesn't at all mean better, just different. It seems you've got a good deal of interst in the sport, so take it up in the way that makes you feel comfortable and the way you enjoy it.

My two cents as a new diver.

 

[Jim Ernst]

My Open Water class is about to start and all I can think of is whether I should quit now before I kill myself.

I am familiar with the sport and the skills involved, so I not a total newcomer. I took classes 12 years ago, when I was 12 years old. I did fine, but I did not go on the open water dives (family issue out of my control, being only 12). I never finished certification. I have spent a lot of time after that in the water with my snorkel, mask, and fins, so I'm pretty comfortable with that stuff (even swimming without a mask).

Here's the problem: I can't imagine how I am ever going to leave the safety of the pool for the open water dives. I do not want to ever take the regulator out of my mouth, for any reason. I don't want to go below 10 feet. I want to to know that I can reach the surface if I have to.

All I can think is, when the regulator quits or gets knocked out of my mouth, it won't be after I inhaled deeply like we practice in the pool. It will probably be just after I exhaled all the air in my lungs while swimming vigorously, so my body will be using oxygen so rapidly I will have even less time to find the regulator before losing consciousness.

I don't think I will panic. I am an instrument rated private pilot and I have been in real (non-training) scary situations but maintained perfect control of myself. I just don't know what it will be like all the way down at 30 ft. I know I can probably find my regulator. I just don't know if I can do it in time.

I had a bad experience in the pool when I was 12. The instructor came up from behind, knocked the regulator from my mouth, and handed me a bottle of Spare Air. I did not know how to work it, so I fumbled with it while growing ever more desperate for air. Finally, I bolted for the surface. After which, I was chewed out. I tried to explain that I had to breathe. Didn't matter. That won't work in real life. So how am I supposed to deal with a situation when I can't breathe anything and I have limited time in which to act?

I love the water, and I love being underwater. I am not trying to get certified to impress anyone or to prove anything -- I want to do it because I like it. But all I can think of is screwing up and having an accident.

I am envious of the diving students who just plunge in and never consider the danger, or just seem to be fine with it like it's driving a car. They have confidence and have fun. I wasn't carefree like that even when I was 12 -- I always worried about everything. I have no confidence in my abilities.

Please, can I hear some advice from someone else who worries about everything? Am I cut out for this? The only thing keeping me from canceling the class is looking forward to using scuba again. Just not on the open water dives. Not yet.

WHAT................ YOU FLY CHOPPERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU ARE AFFRAID OF DIVING!!!!!!!!!!!

knock it off my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You go and dive and enjoy it!!!

I have always loved and enjoyed being a passenger in a chopper!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now you make me proud and you be a great diver!!!!

You fly.... Now you dive ........ so go and kick *** my friend!!

 

[tonka97]

My Open Water class is about to start and all I can think of is whether I should quit now before I kill myself...............


Here's the problem: I can't imagine how I am ever going to leave the safety of the pool for the open water dives. I do not want to ever take the regulator out of my mouth, for any reason. I don't want to go below 10 feet. I want to to know that I can reach the surface if I have to.

All I can think is, when the regulator quits or gets knocked out of my mouth, it won't be after I inhaled deeply like we practice in the pool. It will probably be just after I exhaled all the air in my lungs while swimming vigorously, so my body will be using oxygen so rapidly I will have even less time to find the regulator before losing consciousness.

I don't think I will panic. ....

Suggest that this may not be the time in your life to pursue SCUBA. Don't let it become 'the challenge' that somehow you HAVE to conquer. You are very young; there will be years ahead when you may choose to re-visit SCUBA.

or not.

 

[Txfirefighter4305]

I am almost always analyzing things I do like you are. I ask the "what if" questions. And I believe this:

Proper Previous Planning Prevents P!$$ Poor Performance

That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions. Knowledge as they say, is power. I am a firm believer that if you want to learn something, you have to be aggressive, rather than just signing up for a class and taking it as it comes. This forum is a great start. I have seen lots of good information on here and some very positive support.

As for the regulator...you might investigate DIR style diving. Correct me if I am wrong everyone, I just learned about DIR. From my understanding, DIR teaches an equipment set up with a long primary that you wrap around you in a certain way and a short secondary that stays around your neck on a reg necklace. That may be something you like and makes you feel comfortable.

Then there is a dive ship in Joplin that teaches with nothing but a primary and an AIR II system. You give your primary to your buddy and you breath off of your BC inflator. Not every BC inflator can do this, yours ahve to have a reg built into it. Lots of brands offer this now.

I am planning on taking ERD courses this next year and get into public safety diving for my employer. Friend of mine recently took the same class and from my understanding you have a primary and a LONG octo which could probably be coiled into a pouch as long as it easy access. I've been thinking about the AIR II for my BC just as a redundant system.

Also, you have ever done business or know the guy that runs Aerosafe , let me know. Hes a friend of mine.