Stupid Irrational Fear.....

[BlueBlur]

As I said in a previous post, I am in the process of getting my SCUBA certification. We go to Panama City Beach, FL for our check out dive the last weekend in April so as of now, I have not done my first dive.

OK. I have a really stupid irrational fear that I need you all experienced water people to reassure me that I have nothing to worry about. For some stupid silly reason, I have this fear of being in the water next to a large boat. Getting in the water next to a ski boat when I ski isn't a big deal but large boats scare me for some stupid reason. I have gone on snorkeling trips and have to jump from a large boat. When I do that, I am a bit panicked until I swim at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the boat. Once I am around that distance, everything is fine. It might be from when I was a kid my Dad would tell me that you might get sucked under if you get too close. Regardless of where my fear stems from, it's there.

One positive note, I am pretty good at hiding my feelings so to speak. I think that once I get to the dive area and other people jump in first and they aren't sucked under the boat or don't meet their demise by any other method then I guess I'll be fine too.

OK, stop lauging now. Thanks for your support and reassurance. :10:

 

[ScubaFreak]

howdy blueblur,

First off, theres nothing stupid or irrational about any fear. So if your scared, theres nothing to be ashamed of. I'm petrified of spiders- some people laugh, I don't care, i hate the little buggers, and thats that.
Advice? Only do what makes you comfortable. Let me re-assure you that you cant get sucked in because most large dive boats anchor and turn off the engines, so you'll be alright

But like you say, if you see anyone disappear suddenly under the boat, might be an idea to opt out of that particular dive

Just kidding, relax! Enjoy! if needs be- tell the DM or instructor this. I know if I was your instructor and you told me, it would be very important to me that you were at ease the whole time.

Hope it goes well

Scubafreak

 

[Mark Vlahos]

As I said in a previous post, I am in the process of getting my SCUBA certification. We go to Panama City Beach, FL for our check out dive the last weekend in April so as of now, I have not done my first dive.

OK. I have a really stupid irrational fear that I need you all experienced water people to reassure me that I have nothing to worry about. For some stupid silly reason, I have this fear of being in the water next to a large boat. Getting in the water next to a ski boat when I ski isn't a big deal but large boats scare me for some stupid reason. I have gone on snorkeling trips and have to jump from a large boat. When I do that, I am a bit panicked until I swim at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the boat. Once I am around that distance, everything is fine. It might be from when I was a kid my Dad would tell me that you might get sucked under if you get too close. Regardless of where my fear stems from, it's there.

One positive note, I am pretty good at hiding my feelings so to speak. I think that once I get to the dive area and other people jump in first and they aren't sucked under the boat or don't meet their demise by any other method then I guess I'll be fine too.

OK, stop lauging now. Thanks for your support and reassurance.

Don't worry about the size of the the boat. The thing you need to make sure of is the condition of the propellors. When you jump off of the boat at the start of a dive you will wait for someone in a position of responsibility on the boat to say that it is OK to get in the water. They will not allow you to get in the water if the props are turning. At the end of the dive you are under water and you can look at the props for yourself, if they are turning just stay away from them.

Most boats that are large enough to be used as commercial diving boats can not turn on a dime, so if you are worried at the end of your dive make sure you surface a little off to the side and not directly behind the boat. This will ensure that the captain does not back up over you.

Frankly, you fears are not anything you really need to focus on. A little amount of vigilance on your part and the situation is resolved. This is one of the little concerns, you will have lots of things to concentrate on and this will most likely be placed in the back of your mind.

Remember, have fun.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Marek K]

Absolutely, what the other folks have said.

First, no fear is "stupid." It just is -- that is, it's real if only because it exists.

But on any boat dive you're going to be on, the boat will be anchored and with its engine off as you get into and out of the water. About the worst that could happen is that you can "bonk" your head on the hull, if you're absolutely careless... but it doesn't sound as if you will be...

That having been said, you do have to be wary of other boats when you're surfacing. Good thing is, very strict laws prohibit boats from approaching anywhere where there are divers in the water -- and that's what dive flags are for. And, believe me, you'll hear a boat's engine way before it ever gets close enough to be a concern.

You'll see!!

--Marek

 

[slipslop]

fear is the thief of dreams

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Ok, you have a fear of being under a large boat. I really don't see anything wrong with that. You are able to swim away from the boat. The fear doesn't paralyze you into inaction. That's good. You don't panic. That's good. You stay aware of where you are vs where the boat is. That's good.

Most likely, you will do a giant stride off the back or side of the boat and swim to a line. The line, in most cases, will be away from the boat. If it isn't just grab onto it and swim.

If you end up doing a back roll, not likely, be sure you know where you are in relation to the boat, or you could end up thumping your head on the hull.

I don't like being under boats either. They are bigger than I am, weigh more than I do, and in a skull vs hull confrontation, the skull looses every time.

Best wishes,

TwoBit

 

[BlueBlur]

fear is the thief of dreams

Nice quote.... I like it!!

 

[mxracer19]

Ah man. I have something similar going on here. In some quarries, as I approach a high wall I get kinda creaped out. I guess its the feeling of minuteness. The wall of rock being 200 feet above me and 100 feet below me, it just kinda creeps me out a bit. Its just so big that it overpowers rational. That, and diving in water with 1-2 ft of vis. really gets to me. I went snorkeling in a lake near me where if I extended my hand I could see my fingertips - and nothing else beyond them - bearly. As I know, this fear is irrational, and it takes alot to think to myself just stop and think about it. once you stop and think about your fear while it affects you, if you can rationalize it out and break it apart piece by piece, it becomes more managable. try it sometime, it might help.

-Matt

 

[Stirling]

OK. I have a really stupid irrational fear that I need you all experienced water people to reassure me that I have nothing to worry about. For some stupid silly reason, I have this fear of being in the water next to a large boat.

As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing stupid or irrational about it, and I wouldn't even think of it as a "problem" as long as it doesn't keep you from doing what you want to do.

When you're in the water, you *don't* want to be right next to a big dive boat except immediately after getting off it, or getting back on. Other people are getting on and off the boat, the boat itself may be moving a little bit in the water, and somebody on deck may be preparing to hurl over the side, so maintaining a little distance is a good thing for all concerned.

I think the risk of another diver getting into the water on top of you is probably greater than any risk from the boat itself, and that's why you're *supposed* to move away from the boat after entering the water. Frankly, your fear will probably keep you more attentive and careful of that risk, and that's useful.

And nobody else will even know what you're feeling. If, as soon as you enter the water, you signal "ok" and are already moving away from the boat, your behavior will be *exactly* what they would expect from an experienced diver. You get in, and you get out of the way.

I expect you'll get over that feeling of panic with time and experience, and maybe 25 feet is a little farther away than you really need to be, but until you get used to it, it won't do you any harm to maintain a little respect for the size and mass of a large dive boat.

Objectively, the real dangers are pretty obvious, and also manageable. In rough water or even swells, if the boat is moving up and down and/or rocking, you want to be careful about the motion of the boat, and particularly the ladder(s) and dive platform. In any case, you don't want to be hanging around too close to the boat, ladders or platform until it is your turn to climb aboard. You don't *ever* want to be any closer to the propellers than you absolutely have to be (turning or not), on a large or small boat. There's no reason to be, and it's not smart.

A visceral experience of a rational fear is not stupid or irrational. On the highway between San Carlos and the U.S. border, a car stopped because of a mechanical problem, and another stopped immediately behind it to help. As the two men were standing between the two cars, a third car came along and didn't notice that the cars in front of him were stopped until it was too late, and ran into the second car. The two men standing between the two stopped cars suffered three leg amputations, leaving one crushed and mostly useless leg.

It has been almost 30 years since I worked on that case (we were representing the two injured men against the driver of the third car). To this day, when I see people standing in between two cars stopped at the side of the road or, even worse, stopped *in* the road, I feel like throwing up. If I can do it safely, I will sometimes stop and tell them to get the hell out of the space in between the two cars. I know that I *feel* that fear very differently from other people, even after I warn them of the risk. That doesn't mean the fear is irrational, nor does it make it unmanageable. You can feel it and still deal with it, and that's okay.

 

[raya]

Blueblur...
I had a similar problem for quite a long time, my dad also told me that boats suck you in!! I work on a big boat every summer, and it has a glass bottom, every week one of us has to clean the glass, I´m in charge on this boat, and luckily its a job that everyone but me wants to do, so I´ve always had a good excuse not to do it. However last year, I had no choice, the team I had on, weren´t divers, therefore I had to go down and clean underneath..I can tell you I was terrified. But once I was there, my mind was on the job, and to tell the truth I really enjoyed it. I now, hand on my heart can say I really don´t have a problem with being in the water with the big boats.As long as your sensible,wait until your instructors are in the water and go for it. If I can do, then Im 100% sure you can too. Good luck.