Trying to get certified

[kupala76]

Hello,
I live in the Northshore area of MA. I have been interested in learning how to scuba dive. My husband and I took the first steps which he completed and I did not. I still have 5 water skills to complete. Because of the numerous issues that plagued me from the weighting issues, nerves and mask troubles, I was not able to complete all the necessary skills for certification. I need to complete those, build my confidence and move onward to open water certification. I am looking to find someone to assist/train me or point me to a certified dive instructor that can take some time to spend with me personally and help me achieve this dream. I appreciate any help. Thank you

 

[jbd]

For mask clearing practice read and follow the instructions given by Walter in post # 3 of this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/new-divers-those-considering-diving/171-mask-clearing.html

For other issues, we could help you better if we knew the specific problems. Don't be afraid to post them as there are undoubtedly many others who have had the same issues you are having.

Without knowing anything else about you, my off the cuff suggestion would be to spend some time in a pool with no gear just getting comfortable with being in the water especially water deeper than you can stand up in. Do a good bit of swimming and spend a good bit of time swimming under water.

 

[plumbcrazy]

I can't point you in a direction for someone to help, however I may have something to try.
The next time you are at the pool, don your gear and get in the water. Tell the instructors you need a few minutes alone. Put the reg in your mouth and your mask on. Without going completely under water lean over and put your face in the water take several slow breaths and let your mind go somewhere else. When you feel all the stress go away, fill your mask full of water, then open your eyes. Once you realize that cannot really bother you, then go back to trying to completing the task at hand.
My instructor once told me this is called saying good morning to the water. He does this the first dive of the day.
I did this once to save a dive vacation. ( that's a whole different story) And every now and then do it if I feel stress coming on for some reason or another.

Hope it helps

 

[BidAndDive.com]

Kupala,

Contact Jim from Boston Harbor Dive Company. I've heard a lot of great things about him from my friends that live in Boston. I hear he's really patient and really friendly.

 

[Walter]

Ask questions.

 

[SlowRain]

I am not sure what the skills you are referring to are...and certainly if you want to PM me I can look them over and offer suggestions in a "self-help" mode as I live in Georgia and obviously can't be of physical assistance due to distance. But being quite frank with you, offering that kind of assistance probably isn't the route to take. I haven't the vaguest idea how comfortable you are in the water...and then in the water with a bunch of stuff strapped to you...sometimes (I will even go out on a limb and say often times) when I had students going through class that had challenges, it wasn't a factor of whether or not they could actually do the skill. More often it was feeling nervous. After all....instinctively we are taught when in the water, the idea is to float and stay above the surface...not put lots of stuff on and sink. It is pretty tough to develop new skills when your mind is operating at Mach 5 in another dimension.

A couple of questions? How long ago are we talking that you went through the class? I can only speak from past experience, but the LDS I taught out of had the policy of No-charge remedial training to help students with challenges work through the training, as long as it wasn't like 2 years later. I can't imagine it would be any different for most?

Did you relate well with the instructor you had? Do you think perhaps trying a different person would be a benefit? This is a tender subject to say the least, but in the world of personality variability, as much as instructors try and relate to any student, sometimes you cross paths with one that it simply doesn't click for one reason or another. It happens, and instructors who have been around a while recognize this.

For what it is worth, I recently was looking around for an advanced trimix class, and talked with 2 different instructors, the first one I simply sensed that I probably wouldn't relate well with, and the second was a night and day difference...and that is who I am going with. That doesn't make one instructor better than the other...it simply is I felt a lot more comfortable talking with one as opposed to the other and felt like one would be easier to relate to.

If you want, feel free to PM me and I will do whatever I can...diving is a wonderful sport, and always is ready for more people to participate. I have said it before...sometimes people who have been doing this for awhile forget that putting on 80+ pounds of equipment and then getting into an environment you weren't designed to live in is not a normal act for most humans. Some people simply seem to be able to pick it up with no effort, but most certainly have apprehensions at some level. Don't worry about it...we all have been there to one degree or another.

 

[mrlipis]

What is awesome, is that your not giving up and you are facing your fears. Believe me you are not alone in those struggles. My wife just got certified two weeks ago and she really struggled with a few of those same skills but in the end she realized that it was more in here mind than anything else. I was truly afraid she was going to give up and say she hated it but she made it through and now is practicing those skills.

There must be an instructor in your area that would spend some private time with you in the pool. That is all you need, a little more time. Mask clearing is actually easy once you learn it. Good luck and keep us posted.

Bruce

 

[Sue J]

You may also want to post your question in the New England Lobsta Divah's sub-forum of the regional club forum. I'm sure you'll get some good recommendations for specific instructors on the North Shore. Good luck!

 

[DivingPrincessE]

The best place to find a mentor and/or instructor is probably in your regional forum ScubaBoard - New England Lobsta Divahs

 

[shotthebreeze]

Kupala,

Contact Jim from Boston Harbor Dive Company. I've heard a lot of great things about him from my friends that live in Boston. I hear he's really patient and really friendly.

I was certified through Jim. Awesome guy and awesome people that work with him. Honestly, the best instructor around. Give him a shot.