Second pool session, thinking of quitting

[hoffhall]

I too had this problem and had to surface on my pool dive. My instructor came up with me and asked me what was up. I had already had surgery on my nose for a deviated septum and prior to the surgery had no water going down my throat. Now I do.

My instructor was pretty cool and told me that I wasn't alone in having difficulty. He told me the best thing to do is to concentrate and get a mental picture in my head of breathing through my mouth when I take my mask off. Taking off my mask underwater was breaking my concentration. I practiced just breathing underwater with my mask off to get used to it and then putting my mask back on but not tilting my head back to blow with my nose. I blow with my nose facing forward and then again until I feel comfortable. Water doesn't go up my nose and I only tilt my head when I feel comfortable and not before. Good luck.

 

[CamG]

Greetings Nebrunner and thank you for your update. I wonder how your local diving is going? A really great way to stay sharp is to continue to hone and sharpen your skills every chance you get. I found that being involved in my local diving environment has provided me with many opportunities to do just that.
So congratulations on your accomplishment and certification and good luck with your future diving goals. Continue to train, there really is nothing else like diving once it gets a hold on you. You may find yourself diving every week end!
Cam G Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[inked59]

Nebrunner,

That is my single most HATED skill to have to do! I absolutely hate having the mask off and end up with water in the sinus cavity trickling down my throat too. You are NOT alone! Luckily for me I have a very patient instructor who has worked with me on overcoming this issue. While I still can't keep the water out 100%, I can manage to get the mask off, back on an cleared without too much water going in and what does, I'm able to just spit out thru the regulator without coughing or sputtering.

My instructor had me "mouth breathing" out of the water during the day. I would pick about a 10 to 20 minute segment of time that I could concentrate and I would just open my mouth and breath without using my nose! That has helped me immensely! Also have practiced in the bathtub full of water without any gear (helps quell the panic).

Don't give up yet! and good luck!!!

 

[ScubaTodd77]

Don't quit!

 

[CaliDenna]

Well I am back with my total success story (check out post #59 on page 6 of this thread to see the beginning of my saga)

I am now certified, and AOW certified as well!!!!!!! Just came back from a week of lots of diving in Grand Cayman and loved every minute of it!

I found an amazing instructor who after hearing my story said I can absolutely teach you to dive and it will be all at your own pace. I still struggled with the nose breathing thing and mask clearing thing but it was all very much at my own pace and he was AWESOME.....kind, supportive, encouraging and confident in me. I did wind up doing basically two sets of the class because he told me that everything should be at my own comfortable pace and when I tried to sorta push myself and starting getting anxious right before the OW dive weekend, he reminded me of that and I backed off and took things at my own pace because I wanted to become "the diver I wanted to be" not someone merely signed off.

First excellent moment was when one of the students at the end of the second set of classes, upon hearing my saga was stunned saying you look so comfortable and at ease in the water, I thought you had been diving for years and were just helping out!

Second excellent moment was when the Dive Masters and Crew of the boat after diving asking are you sure you're a new diver? Your buoyancy and air consumption are great!!

And the very best moment was when the Instructor (who arranged and went on group trip) said "I am so very proud of me and you should be as well! Your diving has improved 1,000% from that first pool session when you were terrified to take off your mask!"

Something I did in addition to all the tips in this thread that I tried...and it helped immensely to get over that darn mask thing. I swam with no mask and just goggles and reg/bcd/fins and did lengths in the pool to get my brain used to not sucking up water through nose. It totally broke me of the habit and also made me quite comfortable with the feeling of water around my nose.

The community here is phenomenal in the supportive atmosphere that is created and helped to make my long time dream of being the diver I wanted to be come true!!

 

[TSandM]

Wonderful story! Thank you for coming back and sharing it with us.

 

[CaliDenna]

Wonderful story! Thank you for coming back and sharing it with us.

TSandM...you were one BIG inspiration to me when I felt frustrated! I read your journal of becoming certified and thought if you could get through all that, then I could get through it all as well! Thanks!

 

[spectrum]

I love a happy ending!

Congratulations.

Pete

 

[vladimir]

Well I am back with my total success story (check out post #59 on page 6 of this thread to see the beginning of my saga)

That is nice to hear. Now that you are a total success, you can probably expect a post from offthewall1 imploring you not to quit.

First.. Don't Quit!

 

[ScubaSeaneh]

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