Victory post!

[kaylee_ann]

Story time!
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So when I started diving, I was diving with this former instructor with "1000s of dives", but had no other dive buddies (red flag). Anyway, I have about 20 some dives, and he wants me to go boat diving with him. But it is December, we get some snow and then an arctic front. So the boat dive would have been the two of us, in the middle of Puget Sound, with a long anchor rope, and no one watching the boat (red flag #2). Now this dive site had a narrow window for diving due to tidal exchanges (red flag #3). I got more and more uncomfortable with the idea. He just doubled down and insisted rather than change the dive plan (red flag #4). The evening before the dive, I cancelled.

He was so mad (red flag #5) that he stopped talking to me all together (red flag #6, but actually he did me a favor).

One time I was supposed to do an evening dive with a former student. But it was cold, getting dark, and he felt nervous. What did I say to him? "Thank you!" It is very important to be able to thumb a dive. I feel it was important enough to emphasize that in my dive planning doc (link is found in my signature). He was surprised and relieved. We then went to Duke's Chowderhouse around the corner on Alki and had dinner.

A little bit of apprehension is normal. I have some whenever I have been out of the water for a while as I don't know how much I've regressed. So I gradually get back in. I don't challenge myself first time back in the water.

So take small steps and build upon them to build your confidence, awareness, and experience. And dive as frequently as you can.

If anyone puts pressure on you, use language that is in clear violation of ScubaBoards' ToS and move on.

I'd never want any dive partner of mine to do anything they're uncomfortable with out of fear of judgment. that could kill them. but it's like I don't want people to dive with me and think "oh she's obviously so new, she's horrible at (insert skills here)". I wanna be that person that people actually want to dive with, ya know? lol

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'd never want any dive partner of mine to do anything they're uncomfortable with out of fear of judgment. that could kill them. but it's like I don't want people to dive with me and think "oh she's obviously so new, she's horrible at (insert skills here)". I wanna be that person that people actually want to dive with, ya know? lol

The expectation of new divers is that they are horrible at bouyancy, that they have to be babysat.

The exceptions are those who are taught neutrally buoyant and trimmed, are weighted just enough to maintain a safety stop with an empty BCD/wing and if wearing a dry suit, inflated just enough to be comfortable, and the weight is distributed for them to float effortlessly horizontal.

Unfortunately, that is NOT the norm.

I'll never forget when an experienced diver reached out to me who went diving with one of my students who I just certified (like next day). He was asking me what I did as he didn't have to babysit my former student and he did so well, he couldn't believe it. That is one of the best compliments I can get as an instructor. It isn't what I think of myself as an instructor and it isn't what my students think. It is what experienced divers think of the new divers I certify.

 

[kaylee_ann]

The expectation of new divers is that they are horrible at bouyancy, that they have to be babysat.

The exceptions are those who are taught neutrally buoyant and trimmed, are weighted just enough to maintain a safety stop with an empty BCD/wing and if wearing a dry suit, inflated just enough to be comfortable, and the weight is distributed for them to float effortlessly horizontal.

Unfortunately, that is NOT the norm.

I'll never forget when an experienced diver reached out to me who went diving with one of my students who I just certified (like next day). He was asking me what I did as he didn't have to babysit my former student and he did so well, he couldn't believe it. That is one of the best compliments I can get as an instructor. It isn't what I think of myself as an instructor and it isn't what my students think. It is what experienced divers think of the new divers I certify.

aw! my heart would've melted. that's great. yeah buoyancy's one of the things I wanna perfect so it's not a miserable experience trying to stay at a given depth, and not look like a dumb***

 

[TMHeimer]

Congratulations. I remember your posts from a while back about the swimming. You took lessons, so kudos for that. Swimming is but a distant cousin to diving, but IMO it is something anyone whoever does ANYTHING in or near water too deep to stand in should know. When I was assisting with courses I can only recall one student who had to re-do the test-- he basically konked out. But that's because he had no stroke at all. I can't count the number of people I would have failed if the rules were that you actually had to have somewhat of a proper stroke-- any proper stroke. I really can't do a backstroke myself despite having been on the HS swim team a century ago. And don't ask me to backfin.....(maybe it's the split fins....?).

 

[kaylee_ann]

Congratulations. I remember your posts from a while back about the swimming. You took lessons, so kudos for that. Swimming is but a distant cousin to diving, but IMO it is something anyone whoever does ANYTHING in or near water too deep to stand in should know. When I was assisting with courses I can only recall one student who had to re-do the test-- he basically konked out. But that's because he had no stroke at all. I can't count the number of people I would have failed if the rules were that you actually had to have somewhat of a proper stroke-- any proper stroke. I really can't do a backstroke myself despite having been on the HS swim team a century ago. And don't ask me to backfin.....(maybe it's the split fins....?).

thank you!
I agree, everyone should know how to swim if they're near deep water. once I was swimming across this pool (deep to shallow), husband stood up a bit over halfway and was on his feet. well, apparently I'm a bit shorter because I went straight under the water lmaoooo. was fine though, since I can swim.
oh, pretty sure one of the reasons for failing the first time for me was that I freaked myself out. full on believing I couldn't do it. confidence was a problem lol