Scuba Diver in Training

[beachgirl59]

Hello,

I am working on my certification and was not able to finish the class with my original group from two weeks ago since I freaked myself out once in the pool and under the water.

It was quite embarassing, but I did panick.

The good news is that I have beem given a 2nd chance to get my act together and get back in the water TONIGHT to start the pool segments of the PADI class. I have been talking to enough people to know that I am not the only one on this earth that has experienced this before.

So wish me luck and I hope to maintain an even pace and keep my whits about me as I progress through the class this week. My new instructor seems to be very patient and so far doesn't make me stress. I know there will always be some stress involved, but it shouldn't feel like it did a few weeks ago.

I am looking forward to accomplishing this task and completing my goals. Scuba has always been a sport that I have desired to learn for years. I know I can do this. If anyone has some words of wisdom out there, or share with me how to "get through" the next few evenings and even the open water dives this weekend, I welcome your suggestions!

 

[cdolphin]

First of all, welcome!

Can you give us a little more info about what happened in the pool that frightened you?

I think you will probably be fine. Take it slow, make sure you understand the drills as explained on the surface, and remember you are in a pool and you can always safely reach the surface in the pool. That's why they teach you in a safe confined area.

Any instructor worth his or her salt will take their time with you and give you all the instruction you need. If you want additional pool time to practice something you are not completely comfortable with, they should be able to schedule extra pool time for you (though there will probably be a small additional fee.) Take advantage of this time to learn as much as you can.

If you are generally comfortable in water, then you should find yourself relaxing after a few pool sessions. But if you are not a good swimmer who has spent a significant time in water, I would suggest taking some swimming instruction and practicing swimming laps of the pool with a mask and snorkel and then with just the snorkel.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[beachgirl59]

I would say specifically, it was the odd feeling of breathing through the regulator and not really understanding the drills. I am very comfortable in the water..that has never been an issue, but now it is a totally different world underneath.

I was uncomfortable with taking the regulator out of my mouth and pulling it from the back. I was unsure how it operated and how to begin using it again.

The other obstacle was the clearing the mask scenario. Again...if I had listened better, I might not have been so spooked.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[robertarak]

Hi beachgirl and welcome!

It is good to see you giving it another go and knowing that this is something you can overcome. SCUBA diving is a very foreign feeling when first learing. We are not ment to breath underwater and our brain knows it. The best way to get comfortable with it is to really get comfortable with the equipment that allows you to do it. I think you really detailed it well,

I was unsure how it operated and how to begin using it again.

Getting familiar with your equipment, learning to trust it and knowing that you know the right technique to deal with equipment failure will all go a long way to reduce your stress underwater. Make sure you voice your concerns to your instructor. Anything that you are not clear on, have clarified. Go at YOUR pace. Do not hesitate for a second to ask the instuctor stop, or slow down or repeat something.
Working with your equipment OUT OF THE WATER may help as well. I have my students breath through the regulator, remove, recover, clear and replace (among other things) while standing in waist deep water. They are very comfortable with the skill before ever getting their face wet.

Hope this helps. Just take it slow and easy and remember, you're doing this for fun!

Good luck!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

This is also an instructor failure to me. Did he/she not FULLY explain how the reg works before allowing you on scuba? What mask skills did you do while snorkeling/skin diving or was this neglected as well? And as robertarak said go at your pace. The instructor is working for you if you paid for the class. If they say different get your money back and find a new instructor that understands clearly that the students needs come first before ANYTHING else.

 

[JenErin]

Good for you for sticking with it!
It took me two goes to finish my OW as well. I ended up freaking out in our second pool session when trying to learn drysuit. Turns out that if your nose and mouth are super tingley your neck seal is probably too tight . I ended up having a major panic attack, probably due to CO2 build up and had to try again the next class. I'm actually happy that I got to do it twice as it made me a lot more confident with all the rest of my skills as well. I just had to keep thinking that it wasn't a race to finish this course and to only move on when I felt I was comfortable and confident that I could move on.

Anyway, hope everything goes well with your class! Don't give up! I just did my first club dives on the weekend and I had an AMAZING time!!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Hello,

I am working on my certification and was not able to finish the class with my original group from two weeks ago since I freaked myself out once in the pool and under the water.

It was quite embarassing, but I did panick.

!

Hi.

My wife panicked on her checkout dive. She went back the following week and was fine. She's one of the best divers I've ever dived with.

I tend to agree with Jim Lapenta from what you said. It sounds like you should have had more instruction on how to clear your regulator and mask. I imagine it can be very scary to have the regulator out of your mouth and not be SURE that pushing the purge button (or blowing into it) will clear it.

 

[cdolphin]

Okay, beachgirl59!

Thanks for giving the gang some more info. We are here for you! It is a new and completely foreign thing, and like robertarak said, our brain just knows something is happening while underwater that is not quite the way we were wired.

So, how'd it go???

 

[BMLeben]

Yeah, I just recently graduated from a commercial diving academy and one of classmates had the same issue with demand style gear in general whether on the SCUBA side of it or in the surface supplied demand style gear we spent most of our time using. At first he couldn't get any more than four feet deep and wouldn't lave the shallow end of the pool. I have a bit of a medical background and I know that this can often be caused by an instinctual reaction to your mind knowing that you're in an environment you were not meant to live in. One trick we found tnat worked was, when you feel the anxiety build, to close your eyes and just breathe for about a minute to calm down and reassure yourself that you're breathing fine, then open them again. This worked very well with my classmate and may be something that could help if you experiemce that problem again.
Anyway, good luck and I hope it works out well for you.

 

[RikRaeder]

Hey BeachGirl. As JimLapenta said, don't forget that the instructor is working for you. Easy to say, but sometimes hard to do...but try not to get stressed. People learn at different rates and have different obstacles. It may require a bit more time on your part, and maybe even a bit more money (depending on how much time, and your instructors dance card) but there is no time limit for finishing your training. Try not to worry about "getting behind the others." If you have a good instructor and persevere, you'll make it. It's not a competition and there's no time limit. Hang in there!