Taking Rescue Course and I don't think the conditions are good to dive in.

[Subcooled]

ounds like la jolla shores. cdip forecast for tomorrow morning is not as bad for near shore.

Wind W 10 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. Swell W 3 to 4 ft at 15 seconds.

would be considered diveable conditions for norcal. but if you don't feel comfortable, then go ahead and reschedule.

20 dives...

 

[Doctor Rig]

I signed up for the rescue course and I have done the pool portion without a problem, it was tiring and difficult but I did it. Tomorrow we have the OW portion of it where we repeat the skills. I only have about 20 dives under my belt and we shore dive in cooler water (50-60f) in San Diego. We go though the waves and swim about 300 yards before we drop down. The forecast is for waves 4-6 feet that day. The instructor said it makes it a little more "Challenging". The majority of people who dive here usually only go when the waves are 1-2 feet. I am nervous about doing tiring activities towing people in such harsh conditions. I dont think it is safe, as it is difficult to enter and exit the surf taking care of yourself let alone doing strenuous activities. I already had to reschedule this class once and the shop is known to put ppl out there just because on any given weekend they will have 100-200 students there in the morning. Do I tell the instructor this isnt safe and I would not even dive in these conditions? I know I will be getting pretty nervous in the water with the swells hitting me and getting tossed around. Am I over reacting and should i just do it since I paid for it? Honestly I trust myself more than the instructors.

@Seville Interesting thread!

I agree your instructor needs to be sanctioned for allowing the class to go on….. your class wasn’t Navy Seal training.

I also agree that you made a mistake not calling the dive…. but with mistakes come true learning.

As a result of that dive, you LEARNED more than the normal credentialed Rescue diver learns, or ever learns! Based on that experience you likely would be a much safer buddy to dive with than the majority of other rescue divers who have not dealt with stress in a rescue scenario.

Stressful training is what makes the Navy Seals so terrific, and why so many candidates wash out of training because they gave up.

You made it…. on future dives you’ll subconsciously know that you can dive with confidence knowing that your can handle a rough situation, if the situation arrises!

Congratulations…. when you are ready, go treat yourself to some warm calm water beautiful dive vacation and enjoy the benefits of your learnings! You deserve it!

 

[BlueTrin]

@Seville maybe consider going having fun dives for a while.

 

[Shabaday]

@Seville Interesting thread!

I agree your instructor needs to be sanctioned for allowing the class to go on….. your class wasn’t Navy Seal training.

I also agree that you made a mistake not calling the dive…. but with mistakes come true learning.

As a result of that dive, you LEARNED more than the normal credentialed Rescue diver learns, or ever learns! Based on that experience you likely would be a much safer buddy to dive with than the majority of other rescue divers who have not dealt with stress in a rescue scenario.

Stressful training is what makes the Navy Seals so terrific, and why so many candidates wash out of training because they gave up.

You made it…. on future dives you’ll subconsciously know that you can dive with confidence knowing that your can handle a rough situation, if the situation arrises!

Congratulations…. when you are ready, go treat yourself to some warm calm water beautiful dive vacation and enjoy the benefits of your learnings! You deserve it!

I came here to say exactly this...

 

[formernuke]

A good rescue class is as much or more about preventing an incident. In this case the class taught you that no matter what the conditions are, you should risk your health and safety and that of others or risk having to pay more. I would report this shop/instructor to their agency.
Given what you just described here is how I would have handled it upon arrival.
1. Look over the conditions and compare them with the actual forecasts. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
2. Assess the experience and training levels of all participants. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
3. Ask each person to give their own assessment of the conditions and how they felt about them. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
4. Start to discuss possible entry dangers and risks. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
5. Come up with how those risks would be handled and what injuries could occur as a result of entering the water. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
6. Determine the level of emergency response available and how to contact them. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
7. Discuss the possible risks of trying to get out of the water in such conditions and the injuries that could occur. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
8. Review lost/missing diver protocols. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
9. Ask each person how they felt as newer non-rescue trained divers how qualified they feel to respond to a missing/lost diver in such conditions. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
10. Review my article on Post Traumatic Stress in Recreational Dive Rescues and ask each person if they felt this was worth risking serious injury or death to train in these conditions. Explain that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
11. Look at the time and pick a place for lunch while explaining that any diver can call a dive at any time with no reason needed.
12. Reschedule the class at no additional cost to the students.

Hell yes.

Are you treating for lunch?

 

[broncobowsher]

Question for the OP,
How many dives have you done away from any shop/instructor? Out on your own. Meet new people. Just fun dives? I'm betting that is a very low number. Be honest, it helps.

When I started diving I always went with a shop. Eventually I just went out and signed up for some dives off a boat without a shop. Met new people. Wasn't in a class. Actually had fun diving.
Maybe you just need more of that (or even start it). You don't have to dive with a shop, or an instructor.
The key is to go dive and broaden your comfort zone. It can start pretty narrow if that is what you need. But I am thinking you need to get out more on your own.

 

[pauldw]

we shore dive in cooler water (50-60f) in San Diego. We go though the waves and swim about 300 yards before we drop down. The forecast is for waves 4-6 feet that day. The instructor said it makes it a little more "Challenging".

You're going to have to be doing a lot more than that by Hell Week.

 

[mmerriman]

I signed up for the rescue course and I have done the pool portion without a problem, it was tiring and difficult but I did it. Tomorrow we have the OW portion of it where we repeat the skills. I only have about 20 dives under my belt and we shore dive in cooler water (50-60f) in San Diego. We go though the waves and swim about 300 yards before we drop down. The forecast is for waves 4-6 feet that day. The instructor said it makes it a little more "Challenging". The majority of people who dive here usually only go when the waves are 1-2 feet. I am nervous about doing tiring activities towing people in such harsh conditions. I dont think it is safe, as it is difficult to enter and exit the surf taking care of yourself let alone doing strenuous activities. I already had to reschedule this class once and the shop is known to put ppl out there just because on any given weekend they will have 100-200 students there in the morning. Do I tell the instructor this isnt safe and I would not even dive in these conditions? I know I will be getting pretty nervous in the water with the swells hitting me and getting tossed around. Am I over reacting and should i just do it since I paid for it? Honestly I trust myself more than the instructors.

skill 0 is self rescue. also one of the first questions is "what's the leading cause of diver emergencies?" You did the right thing - and your instructor should applaud you for it. I had the ocean dives for rescue this past weekend. we got to the planned beach and I told the students why we were not diving there and went looking for a more calm spot.

 

[mmerriman]

good judgement comes from experience. however most experience comes from poor judgement. /s

 

[yle]

I have a deep diver class scheduled for next week and I am going to cancel it. I have no desire to go in the water anymore. Even swimming with my head above water I don't want to do.

It seems your approach to diving could use some adjusting. If you have only 20 dives and you just finished your rescue course, and you have a deep diver course planned... a majority of your diving has been in classes. This means that most of your dives have been under the direction of an instructor, which, judging by your recent rescue course experience, isn't a good thing for you.

Why not just stop taking classes and focus on diving for fun? No pressure, to skills to perform, no instructor to make demands of you that you're not comfortable with, no threat of "late fees" if you don't comply... you might actually find you enjoy diving then.

If you need to find a buddy, there are many dive clubs in San Diego that can help with that. You can meet people who have fun diving and they can show you how to do the same.

I've taken plenty of students shore diving in So Cal, and my objective was always to make sure they have a good experience and want to continue diving. When you get to the point that you feel more classes are necessary, find the right instructor. There are dozens (maybe hundreds?) in San Diego that could provide the kind of class experience you want.