Wannabe diver here!

[MichaelMc]

The issue with practicing in the pool (ETA: on scuba) as a not-yet-certified-diver is if you panic, hold your breath, and bolt to the surface! You could cause an air embolism. You assuredly will if you do it from the deep end on a full breath. You do not want that!

You might ask if your instructor if you can float about breathing on the surface (ETA: on scuba) before your next class.

Floating flat on the surface, with the tank on the pool deck beside you, in a 3-4' shallow end, you would not have the risk of embolism. Being in the shallow end, if you accidentally pulled the tank in, the reg in your mouth would not drag you deep if you clenched down on it.

Floating on the surface would also get you used to doing things horizontal in the water, as opposed to semi vertical, which is not really how you, should, dive. The article linked in the facebook post is a good read. http://utahscubadiver.com/wp-content/uploads/USJ2Q11.pdf

 

[TMHeimer]

The issue with practicing in the pool as a not-yet-certified-diver is if you panic, hold your breath, and bolt to the surface! You could cause an air embolism. You assuredly will if you do it from the deep end on a full breath. You do not want that!

You might ask if your instructor if you can float about breathing on the surface before your next class.

Floating flat on the surface, with the tank on the pool deck beside you, in a 3-4' shallow end, you would not have the risk of embolism. Being in the shallow end, if you accidentally pulled the tank in, the reg in your mouth would not drag you deep if you clenched down on it.

Floating on the surface would also get you used to doing things horizontal in the water, as opposed to semi vertical, which is not really how you, should, dive. The article linked in the facebook post is a good read. http://utahscubadiver.com/wp-content/uploads/USJ2Q11.pdf

I'm sure you know that you can hold your breath when diving down as long as you aren't or haven't been breathing compressed air. Head in the water and snorkel out seems the best idea.
Maybe another idea is to practice one of the skills--the regulator/snorkel exchange (is that still a skill?). -- As MichaelMc suggests, with the tank on the poolside. Or, maybe just use 2 snorkels and no reg? Anything to get the mouth breathing going well and that helps with airway control.
Try on land just breathing in with the nose & out the mouth, and vice versa.

 

[MichaelMc]

I'm sure you know that you can hold your breath when diving down as long as you aren't or haven't been breathing compressed air. Head in the water and snorkel out seems the best idea.

Yes, if you are breathing surface pressure air, holding your breath as you dive down and later ascend is no issue. And the snorkel breathing exercises are the best start. And can be done with no scuba gear.

Sorry I left out 'on scuba' in the post above. I added it.

Breathing from a reg still feels a bit different than a snorkel. Getting used to that a bit on the surface, where you can float about for a long time with no other tasks till you get bored, may be a gentle introduction to it.

But, if you are breathing floating at the surface, with your mouth connected to a regulator, and then dive down, and take a breath below the surface, you have now breathed higher than surface pressure air and have embolism issues if you then screw up your ascent. An issue certified divers deal with all the time. But which students must come to understand as they work to complete their training.

 

[Ghost95]

Welcome to diving! I hope you have a great experience. Your planned trip sounds like the right motivation to get certified.

As far as your apprehension on breathing underwater goes, allot of people have it. You'll probably use more air than your buddies and your buoyancy will be tricky at first because of the way you breathe.

Like others have said, just spend some time in the shallow end of the pool. Find something to do also just to get your mind off breathing. Take a piece of rope and learn to tie knots, get some pool torpedoes and a bucket and se if you can make them fly into it. Just let you mind forget about breathing because, really, you already know how to do that. I bet you're doing it right now.

When you get comfortable with that, just breathe underwater without a mask. Get use to the feeling. If you do that it will make the mask clearing so much easier. Just take baby steps and move on when you're comfortable. For allot of people, in my experience anyway, getting relaxed breathing and mask clearing were their biggest hurdles. Everything else was cake for most of them.

Enjoy the training and keep focused on the goal of diving warm, clear, Caribbean waters from the upcoming trip. It will all be worth it.

 

[Khrissi]

Definately found removing mask under water a big obstacle ( big panic ! ). Instructor( confined dive ) not helpful. Once yr used to exchanging regs underwater n steady breathing/buoyancy control . I found relax, big breath/slowly bubble out yr nose once mask off then 'place ' it back on yr face ( head tilted up) n slowly blow through yr nose to clear THEN deal with strap. Had no trouble at 8m OW. Keep practising n persevere -it will all happen k

 

[PatW]

It sounds as if you are setting yourself up with a dead line. Scuba courses are pretty fixed. But many divers need more time and more repetition to get the necessary comfort level. I would suggest arranging to have more pool sessions. Once you are completely comfortable in the pool at the bottom of the deep end, you should be ready for your open water.

 

[TMHeimer]

Definately found removing mask under water a big obstacle ( big panic ! ). Instructor( confined dive ) not helpful. Once yr used to exchanging regs underwater n steady breathing/buoyancy control . I found relax, big breath/slowly bubble out yr nose once mask off then 'place ' it back on yr face ( head tilted up) n slowly blow through yr nose to clear THEN deal with strap. Had no trouble at 8m OW. Keep practising n persevere -it will all happen k

Very good point. Getting the strap on after clearing the mask is something we tend to gloss over. Also, it is good practice to just put your head under water with no mask (reg in mouth or not) and keep water from going into the nose by "closing the nose off". Water will always get in the nostrils, which means nothing. Don't believe you have this problem of "water in my nose", but many do.

 

[formernuke]

I forgot to mention this earlier. After you finish your open water use your pool for the following.

Find a sheltered location pool is preferred. Ask your local dive shop if you can utilize there hours to pratice your skills etc just find a safe secure place with 3-4 meters or 10-12 feet of water and no current surf etc.

First step put yourself on the bottom and pratice removing and putting your mask back on clearing it. Keep practicing make sure your not holding your breath etc while doing it. Once you are 100 percent on this time for step 2

Step 2 establish yourself 1 to 2 feet from the bottom in trim pratice keeping your position in the water table maintain trim and buoyancy. Once you get that down step 3

Step 3 combine the two establish yourself 1-2 feet from the bottom check your gauge once yourcomfortable remove your mask and put it back on make sure not to hold your breath etc check your gauge did you move at all, keep practicing until you have it down.

You said you have a pool so you have a place. Doing this will make you much more comfortable in the water in general and avoid panic.

 

[Tenacity]

Thank you everyone!! I have scheduled my pool dive take#2 and will try the snorkel and some of the other suggested exercises in my own pool before I go. Here’s hoping I can get through it!

 

[MichaelMc]

Working in the pool with mask and snorkel should go a long way. Do the remove replace, and mask clear that way. If you set your self just below the surface, with your snorkel out, you should be able to practice many times and be as relaxed as you can about it. Good luck, I'm sure you will do well.