Thinking of trying again - advice please
- Thread starter hbpurple
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Amther quick update......
I went to the dive centre last weekend and booked a session at the pool for last night. I spent over and hour in the pool with an instructer. It was fantastic! I didn't panic at all - felt completly comfortable and even did some mask clearing. I can't believe how comfortable it felt - what a difference. The instructor was brilliant and took it all very slowly. I can't wait to go back and do the confined water dives now. Thanks everyone for your help.
I went to the dive centre last weekend and booked a session at the pool for last night. I spent over and hour in the pool with an instructer. It was fantastic! I didn't panic at all - felt completly comfortable and even did some mask clearing. I can't believe how comfortable it felt - what a difference. The instructor was brilliant and took it all very slowly. I can't wait to go back and do the confined water dives now. Thanks everyone for your help.
twitterfox
Registered
Well done hbpurple!! I had some pretty serious panic issues during my checkout dives. Looking back, the factors that caused it were: a lousy, pushy instructor, lack of sleep the night before, very cold water, and it was my first time wearing a wetsuit (14 freakin' mm of neoprene with a hood). I hardly did any of the required activities on the first day. I just concentrated on not freaking out. That night i practiced clearing my mask over and over again at our local beach, and I actually went back the next day (i really had to push myself). The next day was much better because i knew what to expect, but i still only did the required tasks when i was ready to do them. Later that summer i went diving in Barbados (super warm water 
and did sooo much better. I'm still a fairly nervous diver so i stay well within my limits - shallow dives without current and with good visibility. I know i will gain confidence with each dive and i'm sure you will too if you persist. Best of luck to you.
and did sooo much better. I'm still a fairly nervous diver so i stay well within my limits - shallow dives without current and with good visibility. I know i will gain confidence with each dive and i'm sure you will too if you persist. Best of luck to you.
Well done hbpurple!! I had some pretty serious panic issues during my checkout dives. Looking back, the factors that caused it were: a lousy, pushy instructor, lack of sleep the night before, very cold water, and it was my first time wearing a wetsuit (14 freakin' mm of neoprene with a hood). I hardly did any of the required activities on the first day. I just concentrated on not freaking out. That night i practiced clearing my mask over and over again at our local beach, and I actually went back the next day (i really had to push myself). The next day was much better because i knew what to expect, but i still only did the required tasks when i was ready to do them. Later that summer i went diving in Barbados (super warm water
good on ya for hanging in there. You are right the more you dive they more your limits will expand. I had a pretty rough time in the beginning too and now I am closing in on 400 dives and loving it. Worth working through the fear factor!
CamG
Contributor
Greetings hbpurple and awesome update!
It is amazing what pool time with a great instructor can do!
It took an extra pool session for me to complete my skills. What I found in the extra effort and determination was that my enjoyment / appreciation was multiplied as well!
My first OW dives were like the most incredible experience of my life! I came out of the water and have not stopped loving it since!
Diving really has changed my life! As it will yours!
Take your time and train well, the extra efforts will only enhance your experience!
You might find it can help other areas of your life as well! Confidence that you earn, through determination, builds character that can be a motivator for other hurdles in life! Good luck and best wishes!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
It is amazing what pool time with a great instructor can do!
It took an extra pool session for me to complete my skills. What I found in the extra effort and determination was that my enjoyment / appreciation was multiplied as well!
My first OW dives were like the most incredible experience of my life! I came out of the water and have not stopped loving it since!
Diving really has changed my life! As it will yours!
Take your time and train well, the extra efforts will only enhance your experience!
You might find it can help other areas of your life as well! Confidence that you earn, through determination, builds character that can be a motivator for other hurdles in life! Good luck and best wishes!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
When you talked about pressure to complete and difficulties with a skill that brought back some memories. When I signed up for my OW, I did not know anyone who dived, nor had I ever snorkeled and it was a 48 hour private course on vacation, they had my $$ whether I passed or not and I did not have extra time because of my flight schedule. Although I had been what I thought was a fish in the water (swimming since my earliest childhood memory with an over estimated level of comfort) I nearly drowned in 4 ft of pool water with the snorkel to reg transfer skill. Looking back, I don't even know why they have that skill, no one actually does that. I did not know that everyone did not get certified in 48 hours until a casual acquaintance told me they would never dive with me Then I joined scubaboard, which helped tremendously to read about everyone's dive experiences.
In my OW dives, with completely favorable conditions, I was totally hooked and luckily for me, my next few dive partners were awesome and my current dive shop does have the philosophy "as long as it takes" so I am surrounded with patient helpful divers. Under 2 yrs and 170 dives later, all I can say is that I hope you find the love of diving that I did regardless of how circuitous the path . . .
Donna
Then I joined scubaboard, which helped tremendously to read about everyone's dive experiences. In my OW dives, with completely favorable conditions, I was totally hooked
and luckily for me, my next few dive partners were awesome and my current dive shop does have the philosophy "as long as it takes" so I am surrounded with patient helpful divers. Under 2 yrs and 170 dives later, all I can say is that I hope you find the love of diving that I did regardless of how circuitous the path . . .Donna
Another update....during March and April I did my confined water dives in a local pool. I completed these fairly easily, much to my surprise. I did my four open water dives this weekend at Wraysbury and Vobster in the UK. The first day at Wraysbury, the water was 16c but felt much warmer to me, at Vobster it was 14c but felt freezing! Visability wasn't bad on the first day but at Vobster it was pretty awful. So hopefully anywhere else I dive now will be soooo much clearer.
I got through all the skills okay and really enjoyed just swimming around. The only issue I had was equalizing my ears, it took me longer than everyone else and really struggled on the second day. I'm hoping it will get better with time and practice. I found my descents quite hard to guage because I was concentrating so hard on trying to clear my ears. Luckily the instructors and assistants were all so patient and helpful. My right ear is feeling slightly full and a little sore but other than that I am buzzing. I'll do a search on here for ear issues, I'm sure there is loads of advice/info.
Thanks for all your postive advice - I did it!!
I got through all the skills okay and really enjoyed just swimming around. The only issue I had was equalizing my ears, it took me longer than everyone else and really struggled on the second day. I'm hoping it will get better with time and practice. I found my descents quite hard to guage because I was concentrating so hard on trying to clear my ears. Luckily the instructors and assistants were all so patient and helpful. My right ear is feeling slightly full and a little sore but other than that I am buzzing. I'll do a search on here for ear issues, I'm sure there is loads of advice/info.
Thanks for all your postive advice - I did it!!
Sas
Contributor
Congrats and well done! Thanks for sharing an update
With ears, just equalise often and early. I equalise on the surface and then often as I descent. I got sore ears too when I was new to diving but I got better/faster at equalising, and most people are the same as they dive more. So I am sure you'll get the hang of it soon Here is a thread I posted on this topic soon after my OW http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/224388-painful-ear-after-diving.html There is a link to a video there as well as links to other threads you might find useful
With ears, just equalise often and early. I equalise on the surface and then often as I descent. I got sore ears too when I was new to diving but I got better/faster at equalising, and most people are the same as they dive more. So I am sure you'll get the hang of it soon
Here is a thread I posted on this topic soon after my OW http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/224388-painful-ear-after-diving.html There is a link to a video there as well as links to other threads you might find useful
Congratulations soon it will be all the swimming around fun stuff. The ear thing tends to get better with time but many of us have ongoing ear issues. Sas has give some great advice here
Congrats and well done! Thanks for sharing an update
With ears, just equalise often and early. I equalise on the surface and then often as I descent. I got sore ears too when I was new to diving but I got better/faster at equalising, and most people are the same as they dive more. So I am sure you'll get the hang of it soon
Does this thread contain the video link from TSandM? I am not sure where it is but it is the best thing I have seen on ear issues. If it isn't in the thread Sas sent the link to then hbpurple I would suggest you pm TSandM I am sure she will be happy to give you the link she is great that way! She is the Medical Mod and is awesome!
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