scary first dive--appreciate some advice

[proyce]

Good job getting back in the saddle! Getting through the surf can be tough, especially since you had never been in the ocean. We all get knocked down occasionally. Although I only have 8 dives under my belt, I have a lifetime of experience body surfing in California and snorkeling (especially in La Jolla - the surge at the Clam can really throw you around). One thing I didn't see in any of these posts has to do with exiting in surf. I just got back from Hawaii. Sometimes it is easy enough to get into the water with all your scuba gear on, but you have to assess the area and make sure you will be able to get out. If the area is rocky (no sand) and there is surf you may not be able to crawl out, which is the only way sometimes. So make sure you will be able to get out, before you get in.

 

[AUTiger]

Smoldering Lime,

I'm glad that you survived and continued the dives.

My biggest thought is that you had never been in the ocean before

(This was my first time ever being in the ocean)

On one hand, I admire you boldness at jumping in feet first. On the other hand, it seems like a good first step would have been to go swimming in the ocean and maybe snorkling. In fact, I would have insisted on it if I was an instructor and knew of your inexperience with the ocean. With that experience, you would have better known how to work your way through the surf without falling over - without the burden of sixty pounds of gear. If you plan on doing more shore dives, I suggest you take a few swims before they happen. Be sure to swim with a friend and with a flotation device if necessary - I wouldn't want you to drowned.

As far as how quickly somebody should have assisted you, getting oneself through the surf can be quiet challenging. Sprinting over to help somebody else may be impossible. Yelling may not have been appropriate, but it can be hard to be heard through the surf, if that was the situation.

Keep up the hard work. Its well worth it.

David

 

[frogoutofwater]

Like you, Smoldering Lime, I think I'm a fairly fit and strong woman, but I still find the weight of the gear a real challenge. After I got my OW certification, I decided to work with a personal trainer in the 6 months leading up to my wedding and honeymoon, which was going to include some diving. The objectives: a) improve strength - to be able to handle the sudden demands for a lot of strength/power in dealing with tanks and weights on land; and b) improve stability and balance - being able to move around while lugging this heavy weight around (both in terms of diving and also for trekking). And of course, c) - look good in a wedding dress (but (a) and (b) contributed ...) The training helped, but I still find it a challenge. It's one of the reasons I prefer boat diving.

 

[yak]

... The instructor decided we needed to go to a different beach and I did my two dives fine...

From the sounds of it, it may not have been the best conditions for one's first OW dive. Something that you should embrace from day one is knowing when to say when. Perhaps your instructors could have made a better call?

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Great job of turning an unpleasant experience into something positive.

The ocean is an amazingly strong entity. She contains unbelievably beautiful creatures and hosts awe-inspiring experiences, but will quickly and efficiently kill those who are unprepared to visit her.

Keep up the good work, pay close attention to the chapter in your OW book about shore entries, and get as much practice diving as possible. You'll find that as you get stronger you will learn better timing and be more able to dance into the waves in their rhythm. Who knows, you may eventually come to love shore diving. (I'll almost always choose a shore dive over a boat dive, unless there's a special wreck thrown into the bargain.)

Good luck with the remainder of your OW dives.

Safe Ascents,
Grier

 

[AXL72]

Like many of the others said, GOOD JOB...period.

You did so many things correctly

1. Had air on
2. DId not have tank positioned in such a way that it would significantly increase your chances of getting knocked on the head by it.
3. You had your reg in your mouth.
4. I am going to assume you had your BC inflated
5. You had your mask on prior to approaching water

Learning experience is the key. You now know that you will always do the above 5 things in the future, making your future dives all the more safer. You also have first hand experience of the value of the buddy.

As for the yelling, well, everyone is allowed their bad day. I guess it was the instructor's friend's day on the dive you had the experience on.

In hindsight, you could have just rolled on your back with an inflated BC, and even float into a little deeper, waist deep, and potentially dug your heels in and waited things out. You could then hand signal to shore for help. (Again, this is hindsight)

If you had to get out on your own, like others have said, you could have pointed your head to shore, while on your back, and used your legs and heels to push your way up onto shiore as far as possible. Then a rolling technique might be the way to go.

Considering being face down and trying to get up, the fins would have severely limited your ability to dig your feet down to get up from a face / belly down position without loosing one or two fins. Koodos to you!

No matter what, hold your head up high on this experience. I am sure that if you put anybody else in that situation, several things could happen that would put anybody in dire need of help. For instance, being knocked off the feet could land someone's back on top of their tank really really hard. This could lead to getting the wind knocked out and gasping for air, all the while trying hard to not loose the reg and trying not to drown. I am sure the fall would leave a nice cool temporary tattooo bruise of the tank on the back, too! Nice temporary conversation piece to share a show and tell with the close friends / family and the significant other.

Other horror whatif's include getting knocked on the head by the tank (OUCH) and potentially getting knocked unconscious.

So, hold your head up high. You definately sound like you earned your OW C-Card.

As far as having to be able to get yourself up on your own, as someone had been told by their instructor, I don't know. My reaction is bologne! The strongest construction and factory workers, who may be able to bench 200 pounds, ask for a fellow worker to help them carry 40 or 50 pounds for less than a minute with no shame at all. Thats how they avoid (back) INJURY!! We can all "get by with a little help from our friends". There is no shame in it. Or maybe I am just shameless.

 

[smolderinglime]

Thanks again for even more feedback! It's funny, I recently got into road cycling and the people at those boards can be very stuck up and unwilling to help, as if I should magically know things. So, I appreciate this! Actually I didn't get my c-card yet, this Sunday I have two boat dives and if I survive (eek) then I get my c-card. My instructor was in the water with me, when this happened. He tried to pull me in, but like I said then the screaming began and it got freaky. Even though it was my first time in the ocean I figured hey, the ocean is a lot stronger, so this must happen all the time. I was on my belly and yes, it was very hard to crawl with fins. I actually wasn't able to crawl at all, I was sooo exhausted so quickly. I don't understand why a rope isn't used to pull people in, if they get sucked in by the surf? And to answer one of the previous questions, yes, I did have my BCD inflated. I actually don't understand why they didn't just let me get pulled out further and out of the surf?

 

[urmegr]

Again as everyone else said - good job, must people dont get back on the horse after it throws them off.
If they had let you go you would have probably just been tossed around in the washing machine over and over, and not pulled out past the waves.
I used to teach in CA. and now work in hawaii. As far as everyone here is concerned, the strongest divers in the world come from the pacific coast ( sorry if I'm upsetting anyone ). On a daily basis you deal with surf, limited visibility, currents, and cold water. If you can make it through the class, you'll do great in most other locations.

congrats in advance.

 

[Ron Brandt]

I am also a fairly new diver. I've been certified for many years, but haven't done many dives.

.

Your profile states you are not even certified.

Quote " not yet certified"

Please change it....PerroneFord


Ron

 

[Ron Brandt]

Where are you Diving from?

Your instructor should have given you an orientation to the site and to expect this.

My suggestion...I think you are diving west coast

Go to the the tropics..ask your instructor for a referal.


Ron