Tired and unhappy :(

[fisherdvm]

Don't worry. I passed on scuba the first time through - too anxious (fortunately, my OW class cost only $60, gears included). Came back and did it about 5 months later.

I did alot of snorkeling between, and was more comfortable with the mask, etc... I would suggests, before you get back into OW, to consider getting a prescription mask. As other have pointed out, sunscreen, chlorine, salt water, etc, can irritate your eyes when you do some of the scuba skills with contacts. It is also nice not to have to search for a missing contact on the dive boat.

If you can afford it, ask your instructor to do a one on one in the pool with you, at the shallow end first. If you can borrow some gear over night, practice with it, be familiar with how it work before you enter the pool.

Your experience is not different than many of us.. But most of all, dive because you want to dive, not because your boyfriend likes to. I've seen enough women puking and not having a fun time when their husband/boyfriend are diving happily.

 

[irie1029]

Great simple information for a beginner. Thanks

 

[Walter]

Cat,

Unfortunately, most classes are not designed well to help people learn to dive. They do OK for folks who are really good in the water, but they can turn lots of people away from diving by trying to push them to far, too fast. I don't believe in putting people on SCUBA until the we're beginning the 5th hour in the pool. There are just way too many things you need to learn before tossing a BC/reg and tank on you. Doing it too soon is task loading and can create too much anxiety for a student. You are likely in a class in which the instructor does not have that option. Some agencies allow the instructor more flexibility than others.

The first thing you need to do is get past your anxiety and get comfortable. To do that, you need to learn to use your mask and snorkel effectively. In post 5, TS&M gave you a link to a sequence that works extremely well for folks in your situation. I strongly urge you to print it out and follow it at the pool. You can do it alone, but it will be even easier if you have an experienced diver to help you past small hurdles. Demonstrations can really help you to see your own mistakes and correct them. Visualize your success.

Are you wearing a wet suit in the pool? If you are getting over heated, unzip the wet suit to allow more water into the suit.

Good luck and please report back to us on your progress.

 

[diver 85]

Cat......"I think maybe putting on all the stuff and swimming around for a while just breathing might help. I wasn't even comfortable with the whole breathing thing in the pool when we started doing the excercises, and i think moving around might keep my mind off it. Any other ideas???"......

IMO, very good idea & practice with that snorkle....I can tell you from personal experience, my wife was not a 'good' swimmer before taking scuba classes, but became(a much better) one by getting certified...She was able to 'borrow' the equipment & practice in our pool in between sessions & did great on the checkout dives in Toledo bend with very limited vis...

Now saying that, 3 months after certification & diving TB with me during those 3 months, we went on our 1st Caribbean diving trip to Belize & she never saw TB UW again.......The only one I could 'force' back into Toledo was our 14 Y.O daughter.......lol....someone told me you would lose your wife-dive-partner the 1st time you went south to pretty, clear water...

Hang in there & practice-- if my wife can pass & become a 'good' diver, anyone can....That was 22 years ago & she has many dives behind her now........good luck......

 

[jbd]

Cat,

I'm pretty much in agreement with Walter. I don't spend quite as much time as Walter does before putting folks in SCUBA gear, but I feel that the time spent working without the scuba gear is very valuable time and makes the transition to scuba easier.

The other thing I would suggest is that you may want to consider taking at least one private or semi private lesson if not finishing the course in a private/semi private status. This will allow the instructor to be more focused on you and any issues you may have. In the mean time follow Walters advice regarding the link. I know personally how well his method works with people in your situation.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[fisherdvm]

Investing in, or renting, a hyperstretch type of wetsuit will make your dive more comfortable, especially if you are not the "standard man" that wetsuits are moulded from. Not only a properly fitted suit make you more comfortable, it will improve your air consumtion (more for those who are abnormally large, less for those who are "standard man".)

 

[catroundtheworld]

Thankyou everyone so much for the advice and encouragement. I want to clear up one thing though, im not trying this because my boyfriend wants me to. I wanted to try something new and he was always going on about scuba diving (as im sure all you guys do as well). I love being in the water, and love opening my eyes and looking around under the waves, so i figured being further down would be even better. Saying this though my pool dive wasn't deep at all (pretty silly really) so obviously my thinking didn't come true. And i would love to get a prescription mask and stretch wetsuit, but the fact is i just can't afford it. Im not even sure i can afford a normal wetsuit let alone one of the better ones Im sure you guys will agree diving is a very expensive hobby. But anyway like i said im gonna keep trying and keep you all updated

 

[clem]

above all else, this scuba stuff should be FUN. FOR YOU, not your boyfriend. If it is not fun, Why do it?

 

[spectrum]

Saying this though my pool dive wasn't deep at all (pretty silly really) so obviously my thinking didn't come true. And i would love to get a prescription mask and stretch wetsuit, but the fact is i just can't afford it.

Nothing silly at all, it's the rest of us who don't think twice before inhaling underwater that need to worry! :11:

Don't sweat the Rx mask and suit. BTW how good is your uncorrected vision? I have a moderate bifocal prescription but I can dive fine with a plain mask though I am now diving a Rx mask just for eye comfort.

Pete

 

[Web Monkey]

Oh and another thing- my mask was too tight at first, which i think was probably part of the whole thing, it wasnt until i suggested it that she loosened it. And my weight belt was heavy around my stomach, which made it feel like it was hard to breathe.

New divers typically adjust everything the wrong way. That's why you take classes!

The strap on a properly fitting mask only needs to be tight enough to keep it from falling off your face when you're out of the water. Once you're underwater, the water peressure will keep it in place nicely.

Your weight belt needs to be tight enough that it won't slide around or slide off, but shouldn't be so tight that you feel like you can't breathe. If you're shaped in such a way that getting the weight belt snug makes it hard to breathe, there are different ways of attaching the weights, including a weight harness or a weight-integrated BC.

Good luck and have fun!

Terry