Very scared after second pool lesson of Padi open water course.

[NothingClever]

I applaud your pursuit of an activity that you can share with your spouse. I think a shared activity is the more important goal than becoming certified to dive.

Good to find another instructor but if your fears continue to outweigh your passion to learn diving, perhaps there’s another activity that may be a better fit.

I don’t consider this a failure.

I think it’s nobler to recognize when an activity is “not for me” and pursue something else with confidence than to muddle along doing something hoping it will please your spouse. Diving is not cheap so you don’t want the added emotional and financial burden of spending a lot of money on something that you don’t feel passionate about.

Stay positive and good luck in your hunt for a fun activity you both enjoy!

 

[KatieMac]

My gut feeling tells me you'll never dive or at least dive with pleasure. Do not waste your time and force yourself, there are plenty of other things you can do and enjoy.

Terrible advice.

But @DAJ did bring up a good point. OP should determine whether they are diving for partner or diving for themselves. The OP did say "we thought it would be fun".

 

[Juna]

Hey there,
Just to give a bit more insight in the: "we thought it would be fun".
As people are worried a bit about why I want to learn how to dive.
It is a good question to ask. And it is good for me to take a good look at the 'why'.

Of course my partner is enthousiastic about me learning how to dive, he thinks it would be amazing if we could share these experiences, and if he could show me all these beautiful things.
Diving is a great passion of him.
I totally understand he is excited.
But, he also very often says that I do not have to do this, and that it is very much ok if I don't.
And even though his enthousiasm (and the enthousiasm of every other diver I ever met) can be overwhelming, I feel that "I" do want to learn how to dive, intrinsically.
My partner knows me, and he knows I would be mezmerized by the nature underwater.

I absolutely love the ocean, and the underwater life. I always did.
I can enjoy watching the smallest creatures for ages when I am snorkeling. The corals are majestic beauty to me, the light effects underwater, I just love it. I can 'snorkel-hover' above that one stone with an octopus hidden underneath it for 60 minutes, just to wait until he comes out to take a stroll, while curiously taking a look at me for a couple of moments.
Just that small moment feeds my soul for a year lol. (probably longer).
I know I would love it.
But that does not mean that it is not challenging to learn. It just went a bit faster then I expected.
I still want to learn.

 

[KatieMac]

Hey there,
Just to give a bit more insight in the: "we thought it would be fun".
As people are worried a bit about why I want to learn how to dive.

Of course my partner is enthousiastic about me learning how to dive, he thinks it would be amazing if we could share these experiences, and if he could show me all these beautiful things.
Diving is a great passion of him.
I totally understand he is excited.
But, he also very often says that I do not have to do this, and that it is very much ok if I don't.
And even though his enthousiasm (and the enthousiasm of every other diver I ever met) can be overwhelming, I feel that "I" do want to learn how to dive, intrinsicly.

I absolutely love the ocean, and the underwater life. I always did.
I can enjoy watching the smallest creatures for ages when I am snorkeling. The corals are majestic beauty to me, the light effects underwater, I just love it. I can 'snorkel-hover' above that one stone with an octopus hidden underneath it for 60 minutes, just to wait until he comes out to take a stroll, while curiously taking a look at me for a couple of moments.
Just that small moment feeds my soul for a year lol.
I know I would love it.
But that does not mean that it is not challenging to learn. It just went a bit faster then I expected.

That is what I was thinking. I suspected you are a more analytical person who needs to prepare for things more fully; try things more than once.

I think private sessions might be best for you. Then you can go at your pace, practice skills multiple times, ask all the questions you like, practice with your partner who you will ultimately be diving with. Without other people in the pool, you should feel much more comfortable to go at your own pace and not hold others back.

But please tell your instructor how you are feeling every step of the way.

 

[MidOH]

Hey there,
Just to give a bit more insight in the: "we thought it would be fun".
As people are worried a bit about why I want to learn how to dive.
It is a good question to ask. And it is good for me to take a good look at the 'why'.

Of course my partner is enthousiastic about me learning how to dive, he thinks it would be amazing if we could share these experiences, and if he could show me all these beautiful things.
Diving is a great passion of him.
I totally understand he is excited.
But, he also very often says that I do not have to do this, and that it is very much ok if I don't.
And even though his enthousiasm (and the enthousiasm of every other diver I ever met) can be overwhelming, I feel that "I" do want to learn how to dive, intrinsically.
My partner knows me, and he knows I would be mezmerized by the nature underwater.

I absolutely love the ocean, and the underwater life. I always did.
I can enjoy watching the smallest creatures for ages when I am snorkeling. The corals are majestic beauty to me, the light effects underwater, I just love it. I can 'snorkel-hover' above that one stone with an octopus hidden underneath it for 60 minutes, just to wait until he comes out to take a stroll, while curiously taking a look at me for a couple of moments.
Just that small moment feeds my soul for a year lol. (probably longer).
I know I would love it.
But that does not mean that it is not challenging to learn. It just went a bit faster then I expected.
I still want to learn.

Cool. Once you get the hang of it, the easiest part of open water diving, is open water diving.

Gearing up, catching a bus, flying to Roatan, not getting eaten alive by locals in Bonaire, finding a dive shop that is no more than the size of a porta potty at "the marina" when every square inch of that islands waterfront is a marina, even just walking out the door of a cruise ship,......all way harder than open water diving.

 

[Boarderguy]

@Juna

Look at getting a full length 5mm wetsuit. That may allow you to stay warm when fully submerged for 45 - 60 minutes. They are comfortable but will require a bit more lead to help you sink properly.

For the reverse block it might not be a bad idea to take an anti congestion medicine. I take a 12 hour Sudafed about 1 hour before I dive. I use the 12 hour because it is affective for me and won't wear off during my 2-3 hours of diving for the day. If i have a long day planned then I'll take a second 12 hour pill about 8 hours later. I'd rather not have it wear off when I'm trying in vain to ascend.

Your inflator... dump air to initially go down. Then you ADD air to maintain buoyancy when at depth. You REMOVE air as you ascend to prevent going to fast. Your ascent should be controlled by fining up and not by your vest. Lots of newer dives think of the inflator as an up button and I think that is not a good idea.

Don't listen to the neigh sayers. Conquering a fear is one of the best feelings. Being able to do something that had you trembling previously is a major accomplishment. My best advice is to take a moment and recognize the "danger" and then close your eyes and take a big breath. Release it and move forward with what you're planning to do. If you want to do something the only person holding you back is you. Acknowledge it and go. Sometimes you'll have to "reset" with either breath while doing it and that is ok. Eventually you'll be able to see the ocean and know that life is better when you're blowing bubbles looking at the fish.

Take care and enjoy the beauty you're after.

 

[L13]

So pressing the inflator buttons, no matter which way, makes me nervous.
Because either way can hurt.
So I tend to, press them too carefully. And I tend to go slower than necessary. Trying to control the buoyancy a bit too much. This maybe explains why I might 'look' good, because I am not pressing the buttons too long and too much. And I am a bit obsessed about getting myself to float steadily.
I can imagine that an instructor would consider that a good thing, but the actual reason for it is rooted in a fear.

I doubt you are "pressing them too carefully." Almost universally, students have the opposite problem.

 

[Litefoot]

My take: I would feel very uncomfortable starting a pool session without finishing the e-learning ahead of time. I would feel disadvantaged, unprepared and fearful that the instructor would ask me to perform a skill that everyone, except me, had already seen before. Perhaps that's why everything seemed so accelerated. You were hearing strange terms or seeing new skills that otherwise would have been somewhat familiar if you had been given time to complete the e-learning. My guess is that if you finish your e-learning and get back in the water with a comfortable grasp of the knowledge-base, you will have a better result.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

What was your first OW experience like?

The try-dive was fantastic. Breathing underwater for the first time was unusually strange. Straight in the deep end: 40 meter bottom. I was the first one off the boat. Always lead from the front; although, I only went to 5 meters on the first dive, 12 meters on the second. Four try-dives in total. I had to equalize while hanging onto a rope going down. Once I settled, anyone would have thought I was a seasoned diver. I have a water sports background. Makes it easier.

 

[Red Mister]

Not every activity is for everyone, unfortunately.